The following is a lesson that I put together quickly using information generated by ChatGPT as I needed to design a couple of lessons where students could work fairly independently allowing me to conduct one-on-one or one-on-two conferences with students on their first checkpoint for the IA (I will document my IA process in another post).

This lesson is designed for students to work in small groups with minimal teacher direction.

TUNING IN:

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How S. Korea became the home of eSports

Our key question today is about the culture of esports: What are values, practices and identity markers that are associated with esports?

As you watch the video, for at the behaviours (expression)  and characteristics (identity)  of the players and also the fans.

What is eports?

Esports, short for “electronic sports,” refers to competitive video gaming. It’s a form of organized, multiplayer video game competitions where professional players and teams compete against each other, often for cash prizes and recognition. Esports can encompass a wide variety of video games across different genres, including real-time strategy, first-person shooters, multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs), sports simulations, and more.

Esports events are typically organized and broadcasted, with audiences watching matches both online and in physical venues. These competitions have gained significant popularity and have established a substantial following, with professional esports players, dedicated teams, coaches, and leagues. Esports has also become a lucrative industry, featuring sponsorship deals, advertising, and media rights.

Esports can be played on various platforms, such as personal computers, gaming consoles, or mobile devices, depending on the game. The competitive nature, strategy, and skill involved in esports have turned it into a legitimate form of entertainment and a significant aspect of modern gaming culture.

(Generated by ChatGPT)

RESEARCH TASK – DIGGING DEEPER

Your task is to explore the topic of esports using the following questions as prompts:

1. What are esports?
2. Can you name some of the most popular esports events, professional players and teams?
3. What are the types of games that are played?
4. How have technology improvements like fast internet and streaming helped esports?
5. What makes esports a money-making business, like sponsorships and merchandise?
6. How do big esports tournaments help the local economies where they happen?
7. What jobs and careers are there in esports outside of playing games?
8. How do esports connect people and cultures worldwide, and what does this mean for society?
9. How have esports affected our culture and how people view gamers?
10. What happens when people become famous in esports, and how does it affect society’s view of gamers?
11. What do you think the future holds for esports in terms of money and society, and what challenges and opportunities will come with it?

(Questions generated by ChatGPT and adapted)

WHAT IS A SUBCULTURE?

A subculture is a smaller, distinct cultural group within a larger society that shares common beliefs, values, practices, and identity markers, which serve as visible or symbolic elements expressing their shared identity and differentiation from the dominant culture.

Values refer to the shared beliefs, principles, and priorities that members of the subculture hold dear and consider important. These values help define the group’s identity and guide their behaviours and decision-making within the subculture.

Practices refer to the specific activities, behaviours, or customs that are commonly performed and shared among its members. These practices are often distinctive to the subculture and help reinforce its identity and sense of belonging.

An identity marker is a visible or symbolic element, such as clothing, language, or behaviour, that individuals use to express or signal their identity, affiliations, or belonging to a particular group or culture. It helps others recognize and understand their shared identity or values.

Esports represents a subculture that shares a distinct set of values, practices, and identity markers related to competitive video gaming. While it has grown in popularity and gained more recognition from the mainstream culture, it continues to maintain its unique subcultural identity.

Now that you know more about eSports, can you provide examples for some of the following values, practices and identity markers that are associated with esports?

(Information and prompts generated by ChatGPT and edited as required)

MORE LINKS

How To Be A Pro Gamer: Inside The World Of Professional Esports | On The Red Dot | Young And Boss