Video Games in the Classroom

By Chris, Jonathan, and Kristjan

 

A) They Read Differently B) They Notice Things Differently

C) They Learn Differently D) All of the Above

Why are Digital Natives different from Digital Immigrants??

Why are Digital Natives different from Digital Immigrants??

A) They Read Differently B) They Notice Things Differently

C) They Learn Differently D) All of the Above

Gaming Statistics

        The amount of time children spend gaming is on the rise! • 30% of children in the U.S. are spending more time gaming this

year than last • Grade 8 boys are spending on average 23 hours per

week and girls are spending about 12 hours per week gaming

 • An average kid spends 316 hours per year gaming

 • At 6 hours per week, the grade 11 girls tend to spend the

least amount of time gaming    

          Speak Their Language!!

 

Students want to play Games, We want them to Learn......... 

Why Are Games Effective??• Anchored Instruction

o Case study or problem situation that allows exploration •  Situated Learning and Cognition

o Exploring topics in practical situationso Knowledge has a situated nature, learn in the situation it

will be applied • Play Theory

o  Play has historically developed cognitive abilities  •  Intrinsic Motivation  

o Motivation comes from the pleasure in the task (internal)   •  Stimulates Multiple Intelligences

o Depending on the context, can target different intelligences 

        

Deveolping Literacy     James Paul Gee from the University of Arizona states that;          "Some people even say that games are killing reading and writing- far from it! They're actually engaging kids with reading and writing more then ever."     Story lines and visual cues act as scaffolding for developing readers...        

Developing Skills

• Creativityo  Students want to create and explore

 • Critical Thinking

o  Problem Solving: Students must make decisions, think logicaly and impliment strategies

o  Learn to fail, readjust their thinking and then try again •  Social Skills

o Myth: Games are individual, secluded activities  o Fact: Games now have large social components, often

including communication.  (ex/online games...)   

Approaches

         Top Down Learning 

• Game as an engaging activity

• Used to frame the lessons and activities that follow

  

        Bottom Up Learning  • Students apply and utilize

learned skills to games• Form of evaluation (of,

as and for learning)

Games are Effective When

a) instruction is matched to the medium

b) content is integrated into the game

c) student has previous experience with the game

d) a + b

e) b + c

f) all of the above

Games are Effective When

a) instruction is matched to the medium

b) content is integrated into the game

c) student has previous experience with the game

d) a + b

e) b + c

f) all of the above

Ideas for Curricular ImplementationScience: • Use of a simulator to explore the various principals involved in flight• Planet Earth DVD game

Social Studies: • Use of a game like Civilization or Age of Empires to explore ancient cultures• Using flight simulators to teach history as seen here

 Language Arts: • Video Games such as this, where there are interactive links to activities related

to novel studiesPhysical Education: • Nintendo Wii makes a great addition to a gym class.  Not only is it fun, but it can

also be very physically challenging. Economics:• Can be taught using various games that involve commerce.  Here is a good

example.

Conclusion

• Don't be afraid to try it! • The research backs it up • Kids will have more fun (and so will

you!)

Resources

 •  http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/NLI0431.pdf• http://mentalhealth.about.com/cs/familyresources/a/

videotv404.htm• http://www.npd.com/press/releases/press_071016a.html • http://www.slideshare.net/rredekopp/serious-games-march-0

9-1233457•  http://www.creativeteachingsite.com/videogames.htm• http://www.forevergeek.com/2010/01/school_uses_video_ga

mes_as_teaching_tool/• http://virtued.wordpress.com/2009/01/08/more-schools-using-

video-games-for-teaching/•  http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/NLI0431.pdf•  

https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/media/downloads/newsroom/yr2006/oct/middleyrs.pdf

 •  

http://mentalhealth.about.com/cs/familyresources/a/videotv404.htm

• http://www.npd.com/press/releases/press_071016a.html  • http://www.playingtolearn.org/book.html

Resources

• http://www.npd.com/press/releases/press_071016a.html • http://www.offthemarkcartoons.com/cartoons/2006-05-

24.gifhttp://www.offthemarkcartoons.com/cartoons/2006-05-24.gif

•  http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/pju/lowres/pjun268l.jpg

•  http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/cgo/lowres/cgon404l.jpg

• http://chud.com/articles/content_images/5/videogame.jpg