Although I am an early childhood teacher, with my philosophy grounded in the importance of play, I NEVER would have considered video games as being “productive” play, with a place in classroom instruction. When assigned the task of researching video games in education I was honestly horrified, as I have always carried a personal bias against them. Perhaps it is because of childhood memories of our one home television being dominated by my three brothers playing Atari games. I never considered participating in what appeared to be both a boring and a ridiculous waste of time and energy. Until recently, I could never have imagined video games would have any value to anyone.
The world has changed at an incredibly fast pace rate since the digital explosion. Girls and boys, young and old, rich and poor are constantly digitally connected across our world to both unimaginable mounds of information as well as to each other. Part of this change in society and resulting change in popular culture, has included a much larger and more diverse group of individuals engaging in play with video games. In the United States alone, 99 percent of boys and 94 percent of girls aged 12-17, across socioeconomic boundaries have played video games (Williamson, 2009). It is therefore a relevant media to use in order to engage children in schools as it is evidently popular and familiar to most. In their sophistication and educational design, today's games are a far cry from Atari, and so is their potential reach. The attached paper by Annetta provided me with a great deal of insight into the reasoning behind the buzz on using video games in the classroom.
Annetta (2008) in his article titled, “Video Games in Education, Why they should be used and How They are Being Used”, describes the United States as being in a time where they must acknowledge the changes needed to education here, in order to continue to be both a world innovator and power. Annetta explains that our young learners have unique multimedia wiring, enabling them to work best in environments that engage and inspire them to explore, experiment and develop their own knowledge.
With the majority of the game playing population between 14-19 years of age, this phenomena should be addressed in schools, where home knowledge can linked to learning at school. Likewise, those without the ability to access games at home should not be excluded from this knowledge and it is therefore schools and other public places responsibility to allow use of appropriate games that children can learn and master in order that they wont fall behind on gaining these skills. Without schools and libraries increasing access to these tools, those without such technological tools at home, will be disadvantage by the digital divide (Jenkins, 2006).
Aside from developing important 21st Century skills, video games can help to form valuable learning links between formal (school) and informal (home) learning. By introducing good quality video games with educational potential, teachers can begin connect student’s prior learning to classroom teaching to extend and motivate higher learning. Rather than concentrating on how to divert student’s attention from new technological, teachers need to reconsider using this fascination to benefit classroom participation(Ito, 2009).
Our students have grown up as contributors, creators, more powerful children then we were. They are less passive, more aggressive in their knowledge seeking. They must be encouraged to be curious thinkers, complex problem solvers, enthusiastic, engaged and connected to prosper in an increasingly competitive world. These skills can be taught through the experience of playing good video games.
Engagement in online gaming worlds can offer students the ability to master skills while following a passion or interest or enjoying social interactions in an online world. Enormous pressure falls on the shoulders o our students, and this is not always advantageous to learning. Online worlds offer them escapism. Under an alias students are more likely to take risks and experience failure that can be erased, travel time or space to experience learning, try new occupations along with new identities. These escapes, and moments of spontaneous "play" can breed innovation, reinforce previous learning and create deep understandings as well as new ideas.
Not all games are equal, so I compiled the following lists of attributes that teachers looking to adopt video games in the classroom to consider.
Effective Games are:
- complex, problem-solving activities that provide continuous forms of assessment and feedback, making learning flexible, personally responsive and engaging.
-social by nature and through interactions can encourage learners to produce their best work. There is a high standard on the Internet to which passion groups often hold ones another’s work. Input from others can also serve as information sharing resource.
Classroom games should-
-have easy beginning goals.
-focus on playing versus technical aspects of game
-must allow flexibility and monitored choices. For e.g. Students who can create their own avatars they are more likely to stay focused on game
-Should address different learners needs : consider skill, socioeconomic, race and gender differences. For e.g. Girls tend to be drawn more to detailed story lines.
-Must be challenging enough to keep students immersed.
(Annetta, 2008)
Annetta discusses the current development of games that use the sense of touch, rather then just sight and sound. These games could have significant effect on the ability to memorize learning since touch and memory have been related in scientific studies.
Annetta provides a good example of a tool called HI FIVES, which allows teachers to easily create Math and Science lessons within a gaming program. It is simple programs with drop and drag tools those teachers and students can potentially use to develop their own Math and Science games (Annetta, 2008). These practices are often valuable in that they allow student to converge media literacy skills by creating story lines and sharing information online while becoming experts in the knowledge needed for the game design (Jenkins, 2006).
Today’s youth, having being born in a digital age, are wired differently to us, and as such, their learning preferences are also different (Jenkins, 2006)
As 21st century educators we have a range of technological tools available to us with that potentially enable greater personalization of education and deeper exploration of learning materials. (Robertson, 2008). Video games allow teacher to capitalize on a diverse use of teaching methods, creating a range of experiences to reinforce classroom learning and adjust the pace and skill level to suite individuals needs (Ito, 2009). With our current understanding of differences in learning styles and preferences, it is rather ignorant to not incorporate these tools into classroom.
Video games can provide alternative, personalized educational experiences that engage learners through medium that is popular and familiar in our culture. They link formal and just as valuable informal learning. They enable students to create and share knowledge, and reach learners that may follow traditional instructional teaching successfully.
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