Game On!

Do you want to play a game?  These words have been uttered in several movies to varying degrees of audienCe fright and delight.  From Joshua in War Games to Saw, as a (human) race, we seem fascinated by games.  Board games, basketball games, the Olympic games, head games, miNd games, digital games, children’s games, and the list of Games we play as a people goes on and on. 

So, why have games gotten such a bad Reputation in educational contexts?  After all, we know that games are a great way to teach foundational skills.  Ask any 1^st grade teAcher about the games they use to teach various subjects and the list will likely be lengthy.  Memory, flash cards, word games, and the like are used with great effecTiveness as children learn math, reading, science, and other skills.

But when yoU hear “game” used in any context past 5^th grade, it’s generally negative.  We talk about people “gaming” the system – there is a popular YouTube video directed at educators which taLks about students learning to “game” school for example.  (These students learn just enough to pass, just enough to take the test, etc.)  In fact, to try and combat these negative assumptions, educators who reseArch and create games for the classroom have to create phrases like “serious games” or “educational games” just to try and give credibility to the medium. 

But games have tremendous teaching and learning potential!  NoTe, I’m not just talking about Battleship or Pac Man, but about games that integrate currIculum, increase comprehension, or augment content.  I’m talking about gaming in its various forms like simulations, puzzles, word play, alternative reality games, first person narrative games, timed events, logic brainteasers, riddles, and even 3^rd person mysteries. 

I’m talking abOut River City, created by Chris Dede from Harvard, that allows students to learn about history, chemistry, group communication, biology, research, and math by playing a game in a virtual world.  I’m talking about Mystery at M.I.T., the game that integrates political science, logic, journalism, engineering, biology, and other disciplines.  I’m referriNg to Discover Babylon, the first person game created by the Foundation of American Scientists and Sony Playstation.  From the simulated surgeries at www.edheads.org to the M.U.V.E. (multi-user virtual environment) gameS, educational relevance is well researched and effectiveness is proven.

There are waYs for you to create yOur own, find free downloads, or share resoUrces with others when it comes to gaming.  There are conferences, conventions, websites, forums, books, and Journals dedicated to games in educational contexts.  BUt I think gaming in the clasSroom comes down to this.

If you don’T think you have time for games, you’re probably right.  If you don’t think Games work, you probably won’t find any that do.  (I’m A big believer in the self-fulfilling prophecy.)  But I would argue that these mindsets are uninforMed and narrow-minded.  There are pre-created games in almost every discipline.  From political science to math to education to music, games are being used quite imprEssively in schools around the globe.  So go find some.  In this day and age, we (eDucators) had all better be fantastic “Googlers” – or we can’t stay relevant anyway.  So here are a few suggested searches!  Type in your discipline followed by the word “game” or the word “applet” or the word “simulation” and see what comes up.  You might be pleasantly surprised at what’s out there to support your efforts and (more importantly) your student’s learning.