Minecraft Gamification and English Language Learning
Ben Parsons - Educator, Futurist, Author, Science Fiction Enthusiast
27th April, 2020 This is a research project I have undertaken as part of my Graduate Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. In it, I explore how Minecraft, as a Virtual Learning Environment, can redefine and transform English Language Learning. |
Using Microsoft Teams to Connect With Students and Colleagues During the Shutdown
Ben Parsons - Educator, Futurist, Author, Science Fiction Enthusiast
20th April, 2020 Used Microsft Teams yet? It's definitely time to check out Microsoft's hottest new collaboration tool. Watch this series of tutorial videos on how to connect with your students and colleagues using this very powerful tool. |
Fighting Humanity's 'Great Derangement': How Art Can Help Us Solve Climate Change
Ben Parsons - Educator, Futurist, Author, Science Fiction Enthusiast
4th February, 2020 A blog article I penned recently for an exciting new sustainability project, GreenExecutive.com. I write about how art can help solve humanitys "Great Derangement" - our inability to perceive and prepare for impending catastrophe like climate change |
TEDx Youth @ SWA - Idea Trajectories: Collision, Impact, Orbit. An Indenpendently Organised TEDx Event
The Cruel, Religious Piety of Revenge and Violence in Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus
What is a Futurist? An Explanation of the Coolest and Most Important Role in Society
Ben Parsons - Educator, Futurist, Science Fiction Enthusiast
6th March, 2019 You have probably hear me refer to myself as a futurist recently. But, what does this world even mean? In this article, I explore the origin of the word, the importance of the role in society, the different types of futurists out there, and the role I play as a futurist. Enjoy! |
Identity, Place, & Home in NoViolet Bulawayo's We Need New Names
Ben Parsons - Educator, Futurist, Science Fiction Enthusiast
2nd March, 2019 In this essay, I explore the relationship between the individual and society in NoViolet Bulawayo's We Need New Names, and the role external social forces play in shaping the narrator's identity as she flees political turmoil in Zimbabwe for a new life in America. |
Masculinity, Consumerism, and Workplace Culture in Chuck Pulahniuk's Fight Club
Ben Parsons - Educator, Futurist, Science Fiction Enthusiast
1st March, 2019 With masculinity, and the notion of "toxic" masculinity an ubiquitous and somehow controversial discussion point at present, I thought it pertinent to publish an essay I wrote a few years back on Chuck Pulahniuk's treatment of it in his novel Fight Club. No, I'm not talking about the movie. I also touch on masculinity's relationship to what I perceive to be the emasculating 21st century corporate culture. |
Rain, Rivers, Resources & Ruin: A Critical Analysis of the Treatment of Resources in Ecocritical Science Fiction Works From 1965 to 2015
Ben Parsons - Educator, Futurist, Science Fiction Enthusiast
20th January, 2019 This article is a dissertation I wrote and submitted for the degree of Master of Arts in English. It analyses the treatment of resources and their management in three cli-fi works 1965-2015, and explores the role cli-fi can play in making sense of climate change. |
Obsessions with a Warsport: Nuclear Football and White Supremacy in the Atomic Age
How Minecraft is Changing Education and the World
Ben Parsons & Ryan Dloski
22nd May, 2018 This article discusses how the hugely popular 3D world-building game Minecraft has a range of educational applications, including harnessing students' creativity, teaching the principles of 3D design, and even allowing them to explore real-world concepts such as urban planning & architecture. |
Microsoft 365edu Conference: Brescia House School, Johannesburg, South Africa
Ben Parsons - Educator, Futurist, Science Fiction Enthusiast
29th October, 2017 Check out the happenings at the awesome Microsoft 365edu Summit at Brescia House School, a Microsoft Showcase School located in the heart of Johannesburg, South Africa. I delivered a range of sessions on Minecraft, 3D Printing, and the brand new Minecraft Code Builder |
NexTech Innovation Summit @ Nexus International School, Singapore
Ben Parsons - Educator, Futurist, Science Fiction Enthusiast
29th May, 2017 NexTech Innovation Summit is a large gathering of educational technology professionals and enthusiasts held at Nexus International School in the heart of Singapore. Sponsored by both Google and Microsoft education partners, the event featured workshops on a range of cool, techie stuff. I was engaged to deliver sessions on Minecraft, 3D Printing, and Computer-Aided Design. Check it out! |
