INST 7150

"I don't know if you guys have ever played any educational games, but some of them could pass as instruction."
Without a specific title, I don't think I can agree with you here. I've used/played a lot of educational games, but have never found one that could pass as instruction. I can use a game as part of my instruction, but the game itself does not pass as instruction. SimTown is a "game" that I used with my 2nd and 3rd graders. The game alone had little to no educational value for my kids. However, within the context of our studies on communities and cities, the game took on more meaning. When used within the context of my instruction, which involved community planning, decided what were "needs" (i.e. hospitals, stores, libraries) vs. wants (Apple store, The Gap, Blockbuster Video) the game became an aspect of my instruction.

1)Why do we restrict our thinking about learning objects to content? What other kinds of learning objects could exist within the context of digital, reusable, and supporting learning?
OK - I read this one at least 3 times, but I'm still a little unclear on where exactly you were heading with this...and how to answer it. Perhaps some forms of software might fit this - Kidspiration is one that comes to mind - digital, reuseable in multiple contexts, supports learning...... Some educational websites, perhaps....

"C: What? No one else shops at Target?"
Nope - not anymore. Not since they started allowing pharmacists to discriminate against women, people who are HIV positive, and any person who is unfortunate enough to contract an STD by denying them their prescriptions if they are "morally opposed". I have a moral opposition to the way some kids are raised, but I don't deny them access to education because of it. What's next - my doctor has a moral opposition to public education, therefore she can now refuse me services because of that? How about the 6 year old who contracted HIV as a result of a blood transfusion - it's not the kid's fault, yet the pharmacist can refuse to fill the prescription for antiretrovirals because he/she has a moral opposition to homosexuality, and of course HIV/AIDS is a homosexual's disease that God gave them as punishment.
Target, Walgreens, Eckerd, Safeway, WalMart, RiteAid - all allow pharmacists to refuse to fill prescriptions based on moral objections.
It's Costco or KMart for me