Mission US is a game developed by WNET THIRTEEN, and is geared towards middle and high school students. Players can pick one of four scenarios, all at transformative moments in US history, and play as an avatar living during that time. I chose to play Mission 4: City of Immigrants in which you play as a 14 year old Jewish immigrant from Russia who is making her way in NYC, but you can also play as characters during the American Revolution, Antebellum South, and American expansion west. The simulations provide an interactive and engaging lens through which to examine history, while also challenging students to think critically every step of the way by recreating life during those eras.
I really enjoyed playing this game and spent more time than I probably needed to with it. It takes the form of a role playing game, and allows you to put yourself in the shoes of your avatar. While playing as Lena Brodsky, a 14 year old Jewish immigrant from Russia, I was able to gain a new perspective on the time period. Specifically, I was able to feel how disorienting it must have been for someone in Lena's shoes to navigate a city in which she doesn't speak the language, or know barely anyone. This is invaluable for students of history as a textbook can only go so far in creating a relatable experience. The game puts students in the shoes of someone from the time period allowing them to make decisions and truly empathize with people of the era.
One of the best ways to get students involved in the learning process is by asking them what would they do if they were in a particular situation. They can learn about historical facts, dates and laws but it is incredibly difficult to imagine what it looked like or sounded like. I love that students can make their own decisions within the context of a historical era. I think that a game such as this will have a great impact on student recollection of facts and overall connection with the time period.
ReplyDeleteLike you I also probably spent a little too much time going through the simulation. I chose the American Revolution time period. Just as you said, this experience does much more than a textbook ever could as far as teaching students about the context of the time periods in which events happened and how life was. The game play is similar to many other video games kids play today with the options of a choosing sentences to say to another person while interacting with them and gauging their responses to get more information. I can see kids going above and beyond in this game because it is an engaging product.
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