Schools test edugaming in classroom
by Ross Miller 
{ Mar 20th 2007 at 2:06AM }
Reuters has a rather lengthy piece (with an eye-catching headline) about current efforts to incorporate the interactivity of video games with schooling. Games requiring team effort are presented (Indiana University associate professor Sasha Barab's Quest Atlantis, pictured), as are proponents of using game-related technologies in grades six through 12. The latter, Katie Salen, is speaking at a Living Game Worlds symposium later this month.
The article tackles the other side of the issue, that games have been linked (and just as often unlinked) to attention deficit disorder and aggressive behavior. Everything good comes with some consequence. We feel that aspects of the video game technology can outweigh consequences when incorporated with the bad. That, and we're hoping to rekindle our love with a new generation of Math Blasters and Mario Teaches Typing.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Whirlo @ Mar 20th 2007 3:12AM
How about we introduce "Typing of the Dead" into computer classes? I'm SURE parents won't object =D
Jake @ Mar 20th 2007 8:03AM
I was edugaming over 10 years ago. Number Munchers, anyone?
Evan @ Mar 20th 2007 8:52AM
My concern is what will happen to these kids, raised and educated on video games, when they enter the real world? Their future employers are not going to entertain them.
It's like how educators no longer use the word "fail" or mark with red x's. These kids are ill prepared to emotionally deal with the failure and disappointment that await them in real life.
karmaghost @ Mar 20th 2007 11:49AM
Alright, here we go. First off, I'm currently in graduate school to become an Instructional Designer, which among other things, could mean I'll go on to design lessons and curriculum for schools. There's a lot of talk about using games to teach kids, which isn't a new idea (see Jake's comment above), but it's getting more attention with the exploding popularity of games. One of the nice things about it is it tends to be a good way to get younger kids motivated to learn, which is a big issue in all education.
Secondly, Evan, I couldn't imagine games replacing text books and chalkboards any time soon. I'm not sure why, if the game succeeds in teaching a kid what it's supposed to, how employers (years and years down the road in these kids' lives, btw) will care, especially if it becomes the norm in education. You might find that employers will seek out people with such backgrounds if it proves to be an effective way of learning.
Finally, Evan, I won't go into the long background of why red X'es and "fail" aren't as common as they once were (I used to be skeptical myself), but it's just one way of avoiding the negative associations that lots of kids have with school and failure. It's kind of a "grand scheme of things" to try to have kids hate school less and feel better than themselves. Is it codling them? Maybe a little, but I think that if it helps keep a kid interested just a little bit more and makes him willing to speak up in class, he'll learn more in the long run and it'll be worth it.
Eric Ward @ Mar 20th 2007 11:20AM
In sixth grade my class did an "edu-game" about the mayan civilization, it was like a RPG-puzzler, and it lasted 3 months, corresponding to a real expidition to some ruins. It was awsome. I'm still interested in mayan history.
Also, Evan, I'm not maladjusted, just FYI.
beanz @ Mar 20th 2007 11:42AM
how about the classic Oregon Trail?
Steve Galgas @ Mar 20th 2007 3:26PM
Might as well give a shout out for some online educational activities that I help out on:
http://www.edheads.org
Edheads has gotten a lot of attention from educators and national media. I don't know if I'd call them games, per se- there's not much risk of failure, but they certainly use game techniques. Heck, we beat Trauma Center to the virtual surgery scene.
Steve Galgas @ Mar 20th 2007 2:52PM
Dammit... I have no idea if my previous comment made it through or not. At any rate, I thought I should plug a series of online educational activities I illustrate for...
http://www.edheads.org
Fun stuff! Check 'em out.
pattimac @ Mar 20th 2007 1:22PM
This is great dialogue on this topic and there are some interesting comments here. I will let you know that I work for a company that makes educational games and simulations for business education called GoVenture. Here's a piece of information I recently read and found quite interesting. Did you know that up to 75% of kids in school have a parent that plays video games? I was at first, surprised by this but then realized that I'm over 40 and I remember when Atari came out. Pong and Space Invaders anyone? These kids who are now playing video games ARE future employers and with the drastic shift in demographics employers are already trying to find a way to accommodate them...they are already in the work-force. Gamers are better decision-makers, think on their feet faster and are better strategizers. If you have the opportunity to learn-by-doing in a risk-free environment by playing a game then why wouldn't you want to choose that route over traditional learning? I'm a little older than the average age of gamers, which is 30-something, but I would have loved to play video games as homework when I was in school.