Don't Bother Me Mom--I'm Learning!

by Marc Prensky

Marc Prensky presents the case―profoundly counter-cultural but true nevertheless―that video and computer game playing, within limits, is actually very beneficial to today's "Digital Native" kids, who are using them to prepare themselves for life in the 21st century. The reason kids are so attracted to these games, Prensky says, is that they are learning about important "future" things, from collaboration, to prudent risk taking, to strategy formulation and execution, to complex moral and ethical decisions. Prensky's arguments are backed up by university PhD's studying not just violence, but games in their totality, as well as studies of gamers who have become successful corporate workers, entrepreneurs, leaders, doctors, lawyers, scientists and other professionals. Because most adults (including the critics) can't play the modern complex games themselves (and discount the opinions of the kids who do play them) they rely on secondhand sources of information, most of whom are sadly misinformed about both the putative harm and the true benefits of game-playing. This book is the antidote to those misinformed, bombastic sources, in the press and elsewhere. Full of common sense and practical information, it provides parents with a large number of techniques approaches they can use―both over time and right away―to improve both their understanding of games and their relationships with their kids. The aim of this book is to give you a peek into the hidden world into which your kids disappear when they are playing games, and to help you as an adult―especially if you are a concerned parent or teacher―understand and appreciate just how much your kids are learning that is positive from their video and computer games. In the few short hours it takes to read this book, you will learn:

Genres: Education, Parenting, Technology, Nonfiction, Game Design, Gaming

350 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2006

Reviews

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is overall a good read for parents who are completely opposed to their children playing video games. However, since it was written in 2006, it is already quite outdated. I appreciate Prensky's approach to this topic, but it isn't written from a scholarly perspective. There are a lot of opinions expressed and very few proven theories.

[Kristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

The goals of the book seem more within parents reach to accomplish than for teachers. Interesting ideas but schools don't have the budgets to sustain all the new games that come out. Do the games teach real life skills I think after reading this book I would say yes! Do the games teach the standards that schools are being measured by NO!

[Mssutter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy read, gets the point across that games have value for learning. Aimed at parents as much as educators.

[Shelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of good information. He discusses ways that kids learn via video games that I would never have thought of.

[CTEP]

The funniest title of any book I’ve read for February Book Club is Don’t Bother Me- Mom I’m learning! Is a guide for parents that most of America should understand that Video Games aren’t violent. Yet, the author Marc Prensky spreads the message to families on how could they improve their children to educate themselves to work with technology to not abuse their chances to achieve a career in video games if the child amends to that dream than banning video games from the child is no option.

All families have different concepts on how to raise their children either they want their child to not use tech all day and night to have them focus on their studies to not fall asleep in class or a way that parents don’t care about their child is spending up all night not getting any rest. Debates on games are evil and not motivation are technically “the main issue” on why kids can’t succeed. I seen lots of bad parenting in the years of my family and friends being bad parents on letting them do what they please to not teach them educational things and that is the parent’s choice to be a bad parent on whether they should buy this violent game for their children.

Personally speaking, they are games that make children lack their studies like ROBLOX or GTA V are all nighter games that kids will be glued to their chairs because it’s addicting like candy eye to children whenever they get addicted to “something cool.” I grew up playing GTA as a teen knowing what bad things I shouldn’t do in real life. Like what Prensky stated in his book that “Gaming has it’s short term effects on how a child thinks.” Gaming can be a bad influence to people to an extent where kids can learn not to bad by better parenting and should not listen to old geezers like trump that thinks what kids really want in order for a better society.

Parents need to realize that they have a chance to not live in the past where they used to do non-tech things that particularly that children won’t enjoy. More children can evolve and grow into a mindset even if the parent has them use a little technology. Digital natives even have problems with understanding how their kids learning IM on how to use tech slang like u or k instead of ok and you. They tend to grow up in society where natives are stricter and that immigrants were used to games like monopoly or clue which are basic board games. Therefore, it’s okay to have other adults try to learn digital games with their children as they say you can teach an old dog new tricks and CTEP is a great example how older adults can keep up with the latest tech.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

i likes reading books it makes me feel great and matured

[Abraham · Rating 2 out of 5]

Given the title of this book it could very well have turned out to be about the joys of masturbation, but somewhat disappointingly, it’s actually about extolling the educational benefits of gaming. As the title suggests, it’s aimed at concerned parents who are worried about their children's game-playing habits. And of course by “concerned parents” I mean overbearing suburbanite moms with maybe just a little too much time on their hands; the kind of people that are head of the PTA and coach their kids' soccer team. The author has little in the way of credentials and, despite obvious good intentions, does not completely convince me that he is an expert on the subject and worth listening to.

Many of the arguments are the same frequently cited by defenders of the games industry. Basically what they all sum up to is that video games do not cause serious harm to the players. He takes it a step further, though, by insisting that there’s a lot for kids to learn from video games. He says these skills they pick up in video games are essential as they grow up and “join society,” or at least essential enough that he encourages using games in the classroom. While I’ve long since accepted that video games aren’t going to rape my soul and turn me into a serial killer I am completely against games in classrooms. Sure, they won’t harm you and you may even learn a few things from a handful of titles (”handful” meaning a couple dozen).

But games are not, and probably never will be, about learning. They are about enjoyment and entertainment, and any knowledge injected into them takes second priority. Furthermore, there just aren’t enough titles that are both entertaining and educational to make it worth buying, say, several thousand dollars worth of game systems or PCs. As much as it pains me to say this, using video games to teach is just another gimmick in my eyes. Why can’t schools hunker down and update ten-year-old textbooks instead of purchasing the latest gizmo (or sports equipment)? If I ever father children (Science help them) I definitely won’t stop them from gaming at home, but I’ll whine my butt off to the PTA if I find games at their school.

[Jonna Higgins-Freese · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book was a bit thin intellectually, and of course it became absurdly dated very quickly (people are doing this newfangled thing called texting). However, along with another book I read recently, it did convince me to ease up on my dislike of screen time and video games. I think the kids are learning. I don't think it's useful to call some activities good and some bad, as I don't think it's helpful to say sugar is bad and vegetables are good. It made me realize that my dislike of video games is my own, and perhaps evidence of some deficiencies in my ability to learn. The best parts were the quotes from James Gee, and mostly this book made me want to read his, which seems like it might have more substance to it.

[Bcrane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of the information in this book is not new to me, but there are some interesting perspectives that are good to hear. The real challenge is in how to intigrate this into public schools. The key is that how teachers are allocated (or allowed to allot their) time needs to shift from a blue-collar mentality to a white-collar mentality.

[Geroge Cohta · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book I feel all parents should read. For parents, this book is a great primer about video and computer games. It makes a case for why these games benefit children but, more importantly, it explains a lot of the gaming and computer jargon and gives examples of a lot of the popular software.

[Moving to Storygraph zoieo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Above all, taking an interest in and playing alongside the experts-our kids-will let us into this parallel education they are receiving. I'd argue that this parallel education will be more valuable in the world they inhabit.

While this book is dated since it's a static medium, it's incredibly valuable in seeing learning in games. Time to grab a controller & battle some baddies with my kids!

[Roxanne Nichols · Rating 3 out of 5]

Opened the door to a new avenue of family time. I recomend this book to ALL naysayers of video games. Humans love to "figure" things out. Most games provide that type of puzzle for us. I believe that the graphic violence of some games is a bit over the top.

[Rikki Prince · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most passionate and convincing argument for why parents shouldn't worry about their kids playing video games. Perfectly pitched for it's target audience (sceptical parents and teachers), but also a fascinating read for anyone else with an interest in video games or education.

[Stefano Gatti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prensky way of think about videogame is extreme if we compare to the normal thinking. I think it's good for all parents to read it to better understand our children. Full of way to go indeep some subjects ... must to be read

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though still skeptical myself, this book gave great insight for how to understand a child's love of video games and how to make it a positive experience rather than fighting against it.

[Maureen Brunner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gaming and Literacy. The good, the bad, and the ugly.

[Kelli Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an interesting perspective on the positive side of kids playing video games, with an emphasis on how parents can take an active role and the skills a child can actually learn from gaming.

[Emma M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read. I learned a lot more about what is available, but this book is really more for my parent's generation. I'll probably pass it on to my mom.

[Aimée · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick read that makes the basic (but useful point for those of us struggling with kids and video games) that today's games are not the time-wasters that we may assume them to be.

[Sue LC · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting - a different take on video games. They're not all bad :)

[Trever · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was hoping most parents and teachers were this way, apparently not.

[Vox Vincit Omnia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful advocacy for understanding the significance of video games in the evolution of cognitive evolution.

[Ana LibrariAna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book on how computer and video games are preparing our kids for the 21st century success and how we (as educators and parents) can help.