Video Games in the Inclusive Classroom

7/27/2019 Video Games in the Inclusive Classroom

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Running Head: VIDEO GAMES IN AN INCLUSIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT 1

Title: Video Games in an Inclusive Learning Environment

Jennifer Deyenberg

University of Calgary



VIDEO GAMES IN AN INCLUSIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT 2

Abstract

In an inclusive classroom learners can access learning that is creative, challenging, and meets

their learning needs. Video games can help to meet this need by providing environments and a

platform to help compensate for physical and learning disabilities. Video games can provide an

alternative to traditional text based narrative to combine literacy learning with creativity and

problem solving. Video games can even help enhance self-esteem when it comes to learning and

help engage our students. They match pedagogical practices and can create learning opportunities

and challenges for all learners, by not only playing them, but by creating them as well.




Video Games in an Inclusive Learning Environment

Learners come to school with all sorts of needs, strengths, skills, and passions. Video

games are an entertaining hobby for many young people, engaging them with a culturally

relevant tool. Students, parents and teachers often see them as just a form of entertainment, but

they are also a powerful device. “These games spark interest in students to expand their learning

outside of the game. Digital and communication literacy goes hand in hand with game play” (p.

21, Johnson, Adams, & Cummins, 2012). This engagement, communication and literacy skill

development mean games hold a powerful place in the classroom. In an inclusive classroom

video games can bring equality through interface, as a creative platform, and even to enhance

self-esteem to extend and improve learning.

With learners facing physical difficulties which limit mobility, video games can provide

an entirely new set of opportunities and a platform to express and explore in ways never before

possible. Mark Barlet, the founder of the AbleGamers Foundation states (2013), “I believe that

there is nothing more powerful for people with disabilities that the freedom that only video

games can provide. It is an art form that allows us to all run, jump, and be whatever we want to

be.”

The Microsoft Kinect device is a new tool for users to interact with video games and

other media via a computer or gaming console. Freeing students from joysticks, mice and

keyboards can open up participation to all users to intuitive control of games and other content.

Hsu (2011) found if classrooms are to take advantage of the kinesthetic affordance offered by

such a device, that the school curricula will make a shift to kinesthetic pedagogical practices. Hsu

found that there are both teaching and learning benefits to a learning tool such as the Microsoft

Kinect. It is an interactive technology to facilitate and enhance teaching and learning through




kinesthetic participation. All sorts of extensions and possibilities are shared including software

development options to link the Kinect to a computer not just the Xbox gaming system and using

the game development platform Scratch to build games and mini programs using the Kinect as a

controller. The Kinect does not only pick up gesture based input, but also works via voice and

has closed captioning. These features can provide learning opportunities for learners will all sorts

of challenges. Microsoft saw the potential of the device for users with physical and sensory

impairments and put together an accessibility guide at http://support.xbox.com/en-US/xbox-

360/kinect/accessibility-kinect to help teachers and all users fully participate with a device which

can create a level playing field for all learners and engage all learners.

Organizations such as Special Effect - http://www.specialeffect.org.uk/ advocate for and

provide solutions for gamers with disabilities to be able to play equally. The Game Base archive

at http://www.gamebase.info/ and its new home on YouTube at

http://www.youtube.com/user/GameOnForEVERYONE/ provide a large collection of tips,

devices, reviews, and guides to make video games accessible for all learners. When all learners

can play equally it gives them an opportunity to be themselves, play, engage, and learn in an

engaging, fun environment.

In my Primary 1 (Kindergarten/Grade 1 equivalent in Canada) classroom in Loanhead,

Scotland we used the Microsoft Kinect as a way to learn gross motor skills. The students were

learning throwing, kicking and turning motions. The platform provided an interface where they

did not have to hold a ball or rope. They could work on underhand or overhand throwing motion

without the distraction of a ball to grasp and release. They had a target to focus on, in our case a

baby tiger or snow leopard that was waiting to pounce on the ball and play. It created a safe

http://support.xbox.com/en-US/xbox-360/kinect/accessibility-kinect




http://www.specialeffect.org.uk/



http://www.gamebase.info/



http://www.youtube.com/user/GameOnForEVERYONE/










environment for repeated practice without a sense of failure. It was not them who missed the ball,

it was the cat. They could try for different distances and angles, all while having fun.

In cases where students needed more support for their motor skills the Occupational

Therapist would take them through other parts of the game to practice different types of

movements. The skills were practiced outside of the game in physical education classes. Similar

games to the throwing games played with our cats were set up so they could add the element of a

ball into their practiced throwing and kicking skills. We used stuffed animals as targets to retain

the sense of play and fun. The project was featured as a use of natural user interfaces in the

Horizon Report in 2012 (Johnson et al., 2012).

The spotlighting of natural user interfaces in the 2012 Horizon Report demonstrates the

growing development and use of non-traditional input devices. These devices “accept in put in the

form of taps, swipes, and other ways of touching; hand and arm motions; body movement; and

increasingly, natural language” (Johnson et al., 2012, p. 32). This ever increasing range of

options allows for more choices. Whether a user has a disability or not, choosing how they

interact allows them to choose what is best for their bodies and learning styles.

Miller, Robertson, Hudson, A., & Shimi, J. (2012) examined the role of commercial off

the shelf games in early years education, specially ages three to seven. They found that

characteristics of early years education: learning through play, the role of intrinsic motivation,

child-led activity, thematic learning, the development of autonomy, and the creation of authentic

challenges are all present in video games, making them a powerful learning tool for early years

education and beyond. The examination of commercially available games is especially

interesting. Many educators use educational games, but overlook the games our students are




already playing as powerful learning tools. The commercial off the shelf games provide a link

between school and the home environments; bring learning beyond the walls of the classroom.

Miller et al. (2010) examined the game Nintendogs. It is a game about taking care of a

virtual puppy, or in newer editions, a kitten. In the game students learn care and responsibility,

spending and budgeting money, they have to spell and input letters to teach commands and name

their animal, and they learn to play in a safe, non-threatening simulation. With their assertion that

it matches the criteria for the key features of an active, child centered, authentic, creative early

years education we can pull these defining pedagogies from games beyond the early years as

well.

Video games provide a multi modal, multi-sensory platform. Music, video, text, and

interactive elements come together to immerse a user in an electronic ecosystem. This platform,

with the graphic, text, and interactivity elements is a powerful development platform for literacy

skills. Alexander (2009) point outs, “…many such games are also textually rich and require quite

a bit of reading, writing, and critical thinking. Indeed, at the most basic level, gaming involves

complex use of multiple modes of writing and a need to develop a sense of how text and visuals

interact” (p. 36).

In the classroom I have seen how the video game Professor Layton and the Curious

Village on the Nintendo DS, can engage learners and pull in students that did not integrate well

into a more traditional study of text and literature. The game is a mystery story where Professor

Layton is trying to find Flora and solve the mysteries of St. Mystere. Students read, meet the

characters, and logic based mathematical puzzles. Subjects and media are not isolated. Numeracy

and literacy are integrated. Video, images and text based words come together to scaffold

reading. Students can make meaning from text and image together. Learners use a touch interface




to read and move through the game and you have to use visuals, interactivity, and text to uncover

the answers to the mysteries. Using this kind of game teachers could ask students to create a new

character and write dialogue or a puzzle for the character to present to Professor Layton or his

assistant Luke to solve. Students could create a walkthrough or puzzle problem solving site.

Professor Layton even has a twitter account, @HershelWalker, so students could tweet as if they

were Professor Layton as they explore St. Mystere. This integration of stimulus and modes of

media provide more opportunities for learners with different strengths to make meaning of what

they are reading.

Educators should consider using complex computer games as primary texts in writing and

composition courses as a way to engage with students a more provocative and productive

examination of contemporary literacy practices. Bringing a modern take on what a text could be

into the classroom to incite debate and a broader awareness of what text could be. (Alexander,

2009) The implications for an inclusive setting mean that texts are more accessible as different

forms of media are embraced as literature.

When examining narrative text based video games as pedagogy to enhance literacy we

can refer back to the work of Miller et al. (2010) in early years gaming signature pedagogy. They

asserted games matched the primary education characteristics of learning through play, the role

of intrinsic motivation, child-led activity, thematic learning, the development of autonomy, and

the creation of authentic challenges. A game such as Professor Layton further develops these

signature pedagogies. Students are highly motivated to keep progressing in the game. They not

only want to keep going to win, as with traditional gaming motivation, but they want to know

what happens in the story. They are seeking an answer to the mysteries behind the village of St.

Mystere. This incentive keeps struggling readers motivated. Those that do not have a desire to






math skill instruction. Self-esteem and how they felt about math were also measured and there

was an increase in self-esteem in the video game group. Video games can not only target basic

skill development, but because of the familiar and engaging platform, they can help students who

struggle with self-esteem feel better about learning.

Gee and Fulton (2008) examined the role of problem solving in video games. Video

games “change the way players approach, manipulate, and surmise the possibilities in a given

environment” (p. 7). They share the story of a young girl who is so engaged in the game The

Sims that she learns all about digital graphic design in order to design and sell her own line of

digital clothes for the characters in the game. This interest level and passion driven play leads to

a depth of learning and application of skill that goes beyond on surface or trivial learning. They

also found that children, rich and poor, appear to cope well with complex language when it is

embedded in a popular culture practice for which they have a passion. Video games not only an

equalizer in the inclusive classroom, breaking down social and learning barriers, but they are a

strong motivator to follow passions and develop skills.

To add a new dimension to the creativity and problem solving aspects of video gaming,

video game creation in the classroom can provide alternatives and learning opportunities for all

learners. Programs such as Scratch, Kodu, GameStar Mechanic, and Minecraft allow students to

design worlds, levels, challenges, problems, and full games. They do not necessarily need to

know how to code, as the programs provide drag and drop blocks of code, but the skills of logic

and task design remain. Herrig and Taranto (2012) studied the task of video game creation in the

classroom. They studied a class who are creating a game using the tool Game Maker about the

class novel they are reading. It discusses the affordances of games to reach different levels of

learners, but still provides success. A struggling learner can make a simple game, but those that




require a challenge can dig into infinite complexity and detail. This tool adaptability is ideal for

inclusive classrooms as it differentiates naturally. The basic set of tools can be used very simply

or up to a professional game designing level. Game design tools such as Scratch are not just

using the keyboard for input. It can be combined with Lego Robotics to program and control the

Lego Robotics kits. This allows for light, motion, and even the Kinect hands free sensor to be

used to accommodate and adapt to all sorts of physical learning needs. The Kodu program can be

controlled by a keyboard, or through an Xbox controller. This means the fine motor control

needed by a keyboard can be replaced by controller more easily manipulated. It also means that

the English language communications skills are not as necessary as the input is based on

direction and motion instead of letters. There is still text and words, but less so, with commands

and logical functions being the main language. The use of game design can give a new dimension

to learning and open up learning opportunities to more students.

In my role as a technology integration specialist I work with principals, teachers and

students. When I bring the idea of using video games in a learning environment to a primary

school I look at it through the lens of play based learning, a familiar concept in the early years. I

try to identify places where students could use extra support in motor development, motor

support, and cooperative play. I try to take cues from students to see what they are using and

playing to pull their passions into lessons. This especially works well with middle school

students. I was finding more and more students playing Minecraft, an online lego like, world

building game. They would ask their teachers if they could complete their assignments using

Minecraft as a tool. They have created the setting from a novel and Aztec temples to match the

Grade eight Social Studies curriculum. Sharing these student examples can inspire other teachers

to use a tool that is engaging and gives students options in the learning.






Although there are all sorts of games made for education that have merit and relevance to

the classroom, overlooking the games children enjoy playing is missing out on an opportunity for

powerful learning for all. This being said, many students enjoy first person shooter games, which

are very violent. Olson, Kutner, Baer, Beresin, Warner, and Nicholi II (2009) surveyed 1524

grade seven and eight students who played M-Rated (M for Mature) violent video games. They

found a small correlation in girls for slightly higher rates of rates of bullying and physical fights,

but not delinquent behaviour or victims of bullying. No such correlation was found in boys. With

a large study size it was interesting to see not to see a huge correlation or connection between

playing violent games and problematic behaviours. Even with this finding, games which promote

violence are not suitable or appropriate for the classroom.

Video games are very popular and play a large role in the entertainment and hobbies of

our students. Harnessing this relevance can create an appealing, engaging learning atmosphere.

This demand can engage and stimulate learners that teachers have a hard time reaching. The

virtual worlds and changing physical input devices for games can allow for movement, control,

and opportunity for learners with physical challenges. All learners can enjoy, be engaged, and

explore learning through the use of video games in the classroom environment.




References

AbleGamers Foundation. (2013). The AbleGamers Foundation. Retrieved from

http://www.ablegamers.com

Alexander, J. (2009). Gaming, Student Literacies, and the Composition Classroom: Some

Possibilities for Transformation. College Composition and Communication, 61(1), 35-63.

Gee, P., & Fulton, M. (2008). Cats and portals: Video games, learning and play. American

Journal of Play, 1(2), 229-245.

Herrig, B., & Taranto, G. (2012). Being a game changer. Technology And Engineering

Teacher , 72(3), 27-31.

Hsu, H. J. (2011). The Potential of Kinect in Education. International Journal of Information

and Education Technology, 1(5), 365 – 370.

Johnson, L., Adams, S., and Cummins, M. (2012). NMC Horizon Report: 2012 K-12

Edition. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium.

Microsoft. (2013). Accessibility and kinect for xbox 360. Retrieved from


Miller, D. J., & Robertson, D. P. (2010). Using a games console in the primary

classroom: Effects of "Brain Training" programme on computation and self-esteem.

British Journal of Educational Technology, 41(2), 242-255.

Miller, D., Robertson, D., Hudson, A., & Shimi, J. (2012). Signature pedagogy in early

years education: A role for COTS game-based learning. Computers in the

Schools, 29(1-2), 227-247.

Olson, C., Kutner, L., Baer, L., Beresin, E., Warner, D. and Nicholi II, A. (2009) M-Rated video

games and aggressive or problem behavior among young adolescents. Applied

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Developmental Science,13(4), 18 -198.

SpecialEffect. (2012). Game base archive. Retrieved from http://www.gamebase.info/

SpecialEffect. (2013). Game on for everyone. Retrieved from


SpecialEffect. (2013).Special effect. Retrieved from http://www.specialeffect.org.uk/












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Video Games in the Inclusive Classroom