Risk Taking
Topic 3-A also introduced the skill of Risk Taking, as defined by the enGauge 21st Century Skills report. Review the Key Information from that topic and on page 42-43 of the report.
John C. Beck and Mitchel Wade argue in their book Got Game: How the Gamer Generation is Reshaping Business Forever that students who play video games "embrace risk for exactly the right business reasons... to capture an appropriately large reward" (p. 137). Gamers are less likely to want a secure and comfortable life (p. 137), but because video games do not reward unnecessary risk gamers are "explicitly not thrill seekers" (p. 138). In this way, they are likely to take reasonable and measured risks. However, video games tend to be more scripted than real life, and every problem tends to have a solution. Games that include competition or collaboration with other human players might be more likely to introduce the sort of unpredictability students may face in the real world (p. 144). To learn more about these ideas:
- visit the website for the second edition of Beck and Wade's book, now titled The Kids are Alright: How the Gamer Generation is Changing the Workplace.
- read this brief article that summarizes their findings.
This discussion of how video games encourage risk taking might also provide some inspiration for your work on Activity 3-B-1.
Educational bloggers often write about the 21st century skill of Risk Taking.
Prolific blogger Wes Fryer cites related research in his post Predisposed for risk taking? One article suggests that "a gene that may control whether or not someone is a risk taker"—a claim that might significantly affect your beliefs about teaching risk taking. Another article mentioned by Fryer cites the importance of "a safe place to take a risk" as a factor that influences teacher implementation of new technologies. Techlearning.com blogger Ryan Bretag addresses these issues in his post Fishing Down the Hall: Creating a Culture of Innovation. Building upon personal anecdotes, Bretag then suggests ways that schools might embrace risk-taking and model innovation. He offers parallels with popular entertainment as well as seminal educational theory. Be sure to read the comments on each of these posts as well.