An article published in the Guardian today explores 'what we can learn about learning from video games'. Click here to read the article.
Keith Stuart poses the question, are all games about education? On the surface, things like Brain Training and Big Brain Academy on the Nintendo DS sell themselves as educational learning tools. Stuart explains that games such as SimCity are 'quietly didactic experiences', yet he asks whether we are overlooking the educational value of all games. Stuart explains,
"At the GameCity festival in Nottingham, Jonathan Smith, head of production at UK publisher TT Games, spoke about how he sees games as supportive learning environments."
This is all well and good, however i believe it is up to us, as teachers and/or parents to investigate this further. If indeed the claim is true, then fantastic news. I am sure there is nothing an eight year old boy would love more than to come home from school and settle into his homewrok task of playing videogames for 30 minutes. He would probably willingly play for longer. And what a success, children actively wanting to be part of that supportive learning environment. What skills is he really learning though?
"In a report published by the Primary Review [...] children describe what makes a good teacher, saying that one "explains things clearly", "turns teaching into problem-solving rather than just giving information" and "makes sure it's not too big steps". Smith realises that every point applies to good game design as much as good teaching."
So are games a learning environment in which children are simply taught about games? Or are they in fact a valuable educational resource that have been somewhat overlooked up until now? Smith suggests "that all games, like schools, can teach us about our place in the world, but only by providing a supportive framework to creativity and fun." So then, video games will not as such make children better at numeracy or literacy, but he kind of education they do provide is also valuable. There is little time in the Curriculum for teaching children extensively about their place in the world, so perhaps this is a way around that?
I am sceptical. Not about the value video games can have in a child's learning, but about what learning really goes on when they are engaged in something such as Mario Cart.
References
Keith Stuart poses the question, are all games about education? On the surface, things like Brain Training and Big Brain Academy on the Nintendo DS sell themselves as educational learning tools. Stuart explains that games such as SimCity are 'quietly didactic experiences', yet he asks whether we are overlooking the educational value of all games. Stuart explains,
"At the GameCity festival in Nottingham, Jonathan Smith, head of production at UK publisher TT Games, spoke about how he sees games as supportive learning environments."
This is all well and good, however i believe it is up to us, as teachers and/or parents to investigate this further. If indeed the claim is true, then fantastic news. I am sure there is nothing an eight year old boy would love more than to come home from school and settle into his homewrok task of playing videogames for 30 minutes. He would probably willingly play for longer. And what a success, children actively wanting to be part of that supportive learning environment. What skills is he really learning though?
"In a report published by the Primary Review [...] children describe what makes a good teacher, saying that one "explains things clearly", "turns teaching into problem-solving rather than just giving information" and "makes sure it's not too big steps". Smith realises that every point applies to good game design as much as good teaching."
So are games a learning environment in which children are simply taught about games? Or are they in fact a valuable educational resource that have been somewhat overlooked up until now? Smith suggests "that all games, like schools, can teach us about our place in the world, but only by providing a supportive framework to creativity and fun." So then, video games will not as such make children better at numeracy or literacy, but he kind of education they do provide is also valuable. There is little time in the Curriculum for teaching children extensively about their place in the world, so perhaps this is a way around that?
I am sceptical. Not about the value video games can have in a child's learning, but about what learning really goes on when they are engaged in something such as Mario Cart.
References
- 'What we can learn about learning from video games' by Keith Stuart in The Guardian Thursday 13th November 2008
1 comment:
The value of games lies in the playing thereof.
Lots of issues - learning rules, following rules, developing strategies, eye-hand coordination, socialisation / team work, handling a great deal of information at once / decision making.
I would also suggest that playing lots of competitive sport at school develops similar skills. Including the ability to hang in even when totally exhausted... determination.
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