In the graphic novel “In Real Life”, Anda is the protagonist. Character Liza McCombs is a guest speaker at Anda’s school who tells students that she is seeking women gamers. Anda then decides to subscribe to an online game and she creates her own avatar. When Anda sets up her account the author shows the readers images of the online game — allowing readers to jump into this virtual world with Anda. Anda meets another gamer named Lucy who pays Anda for performing various missions such as killing gold farmers. One day however, Anda meets a Chinese gold farmer and factory worker named Raymond. Anda builds a close relationship with Raymond and helps him stand up for his basic rights, such as receiving health insurance coverage from work. Yet, characters Lucy and Liza wrongfully accuse Anda of being an online bully when, in reality, she helps the bullied players. At the end of the novel everyone begins to understand Anda’s true intent and they appreciate the work she has done. Raymond also tells Anda that online gaming is a form of communication and a form of reality. Furthermore, authors Kraehe and Brown’s argue that preservice teachers can learn about issues of social justice through artistic production. According to the article, by engaging in artistic techniques and processes, individuals’ understanding of the world and of themselves can alter. Aesthetic learning experiences allow students to engage in the pedagogic material of subjects that are not directly associated with the arts. A study was also conducted in order to show the effects of art-based inquiries on the development of sociocultural knowledge; students were asked to produce a collaborative video case project that represented race, gender, and class bodies. One student claimed that she gained a critical understanding of her own thinking about racial inequality through this art-based process. Since the video was about race, some students were afraid of appearing racist which intensified their experience of making the video; the task of visualizing a racial narrative made many students feel anxious, but conducting the assignment taught them about the importance of equity and social justice. Working with a variety of students from various racial background allowed students to comprehend racial otherness and understand the hardships that some groups face everyday. Completing this art-based activity also encouraged students to reflect back on what parts of the course content they do and do not know.
By working collaboratively with fellow peers to create an art-based inquiry, I believe that students learn to think differently about their own and others’ perspectives of the world. In high school there were many instances in which I, alongside my classmates, produced a video — specifically an iMovie presentation — and submitted it in as an assignment. For example, after reading the novel “To Kill A Mockingbird”, my teacher asked his students to analyze a specific scene in the book and to reproduce it. The book discusses issues centered around class, gender, and race. Working with a multiracial group of students on this project allowed me to understand the complex content of the novel ever further. Many students that I worked with made several personal connections to issues discussed in the book — making the content seem more authentic and real. Thus, this assignment provided me with the unique opportunity to voice and analyze complex sociocultural issues.
Questions:
- How would you feel as Anda’s mom? Would you support your daughter’s desire to join an online gaming site given her age?
- The character Raymond states that online gaming is a form of communication. Do you agree? What if the majority of people begin to communicate solely through an online gaming system? Does take away from the importance of daily, face-to-face interactions and communications?
- Before reading the article written by authors Kraehe and Brown, how many people thought or were taught to think that art-based inquiries can not be used to teach non-art based subjects (such as sociocultural knowledge)?
- How can we compare Anda to the cultural expectations for feminine appearances?
UWP 104D 