Video games: effective 21st century learning tools
The growing prevalence of video and computer gaming by young people has raised health and behavioural concerns linking over-use to obesity, anti-social behaviour, violence and substance abuse.
However, many academics and cognitive scientists believe these games hold an important place in learning. Interactive games engage audiences, enabling them to understand concepts and learn information in an entertaining way. As a result, schools are increasingly integrating them into the curriculum as a way of engaging students; and, by fostering the development of certain cognitive skills, they are improving student learning outcomes in the process.
Benefits of gaming
The use of video games in education has been a hot topic with academics worldwide for a number of years and there have been many studies undertaken to ascertain the educational benefits of using video games as an educational tool.
For centuries, games have been used by educators as a way of engaging students and to help with the development of certain skills such as strategising and problem solving. Video games, in particular, allow students to challenge their imaginations and develop necessary life skills such as cooperation with others and understanding new concepts.
According to Futurelab, a UK organisation that acts as a catalyst between game developers and education experts, when young people are playing video games they are engaged in learning activities that are more complex and challenging than most of their formal school tasks. From their research they identified three benefits for learning:
- Games provide a challenging learning environment;
- The knowledge and skills learnt through game-playing are more suited to the 21st century than what has been traditionally taught in schools; and
- Games offer opportunities for social and collaborative practices to emerge around them.
Dr Lyn Henderson, Associate Professor in Education at James Cook University studied the way 13 and 14 year old students approached recreational fantasy games. She found students ranging from low to high ability effectively used complex skills such as prediction, analysis and problem solving whilst playing the game. In some cases, students identified by their teachers as having a low ability outperformed their higher-ability peers.
‘For one lower-ability student there was a complex card game and you had about nine different things to keep in mind,’ Dr Henderson said. ‘I found he did it very easily but the students identified as very high ability had quite a few problems.’
‘I found with all students, that they really did have a lengthy concentration span and a determination to understand the game and get it right.’
Dr Henderson said the games triggered the same sort of thinking skills and strategies that were highly valued in classrooms.
In a 2009 paper prepared for the Victorian Curriculum Assessment Authority, early childhood researchers Patricia and Don Edgar claimed that video games could help children develop skills such as comprehension, decision-making, collaboration and leadership.
Dr Patricia Edgar says games can enable young people to learn at their own pace as well as collaborate with others and are effective because they are entertaining.
‘Kids always learn best when they are entertained,’ said Dr Edgar. ‘Entertainment should not preclude education, but somehow we have this notion that if something is educational it has to be serious and can't be fun.’
Types of computer and video games
There are thousands of different games with different concepts, purposes and educational value that can be played on either personal computers or console video game systems such as Microsoft Xbox, Nintendo Game Cubes or Sony PlayStations. Some of the genres include:
Simulation
Simulation games provide situations that imitate life including playing sports, flying and driving, and building and operating towns, cities or communities, for example, SimCity, Railroad Tycoon and Flight Simulator.
Strategy
Strategy video games require careful and skilful thinking and planning and include war games such as Combat Mission, puzzle games such as Tetris, sports games such as EA Sports Rugby and traditional board and card games such as Backgammon and Solitaire.
Role play
In role playing games, such as Dungeons and Dragons, the player generally controls a small number of game characters and completes a series of quests. Players explore a game world, while solving puzzles and engaging in tactical combat. Characters (avatars) are typically designed by the player and continually grow in power and abilities. The premise of most role playing games tasks the player with saving the world.
Action
An action game requires players to use quick reflexes, accuracy, and timing to overcome obstacles. Subgenres of action games include combat games such as Street Fighter, maze games such as Pac-Man where players must safely navigate through a maze, pinball games, platform games such as Mario Bros that involve travelling between platforms by jumping, swinging or bouncing to reach their goal and shooter games such as Wolfenstein 3D that focus on combat involving projectile weapons such as guns and missiles.
Gaming in the classroom
With the motto, ‘Innovative learning in a changing world’, Our Lady of Lourdes Primary, Seven Hills are utilising video games in Year 3 and 4 Mathematics and English classes.
Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training, a game that is played on the handheld Nintendo DS features activities designed to help stimulate the brain and give it the workout it needs like solving simple maths problems, counting people going in and out of a house simultaneously, drawing pictures on the touch screen and reading classic literature out loud.
Principal Steven Jones said he was pleased to see improved learning outcomes for the students who had been playing the game.
‘Last year, the teachers administered tests before the children began using the Nintendo DS and again at the end of the year in order to determine the impact of using the DSs,’ said Steven. ‘They noted a dramatic improvement in children’s speed and recall of number facts. There has also been an increased confidence of the students in relation to their achievement and attitude towards Mathematics and English.’
Patrician Brother’s College, Blacktown has introduced a Battle Centre Tournament where students from Years 7 to 12 play action games such as 40K and Lord of the Rings during lunchtime. Principal Santo Passarello said the Battle Centre Tournament has proven to be a huge success in providing a focused activity for free time at school.
‘The tournament not only teaches students about how to more productively use their free time but does so in a safe, pleasant and non-threatening environment,’ said Santo. ‘Students are able to socialise with each other and meet students from other year groups. The best part – it was the students who proposed the concept. They have organised and run all aspects of the competition.’
Gaming in the home
Steven Jones said Our Lady of Lourdes’ parents were at first unsure about the purpose of the gaming software for learning.
‘Parents were curious about how the Nintendo DS was to be used and initially, parents saw them simply as toys,’ said Steven. ‘However once they saw how their children were using them in class they began to see the educational benefits of the game for learning.’
Dr Patricia Edgar says it is not surprising some parents fear the impact of games on their kids, because many ‘fear the unknown’ or are concerned about violence.
‘Anyone with children knows how absorbed and passionate about games kids can become,’ Dr Edgar says. ‘Parents worry about something that takes over their kids' lives as games do.’
Dr Edgar encourages parents to ‘sit with kids, let them explore and learn’.
‘Parents have to put in the time. Then they will know the content of the games, and their involvement will help the kids to learn.’
The parenting.org website offers some useful suggestions to help parents set guidelines for game playing including:
Time of day – Consider setting a certain time for your child to play video games. Homework and household duties should be always come first.
Length of play – Generally two hours a day is a reasonable limit. Or allow one hour per day on school days and two to three hours on the weekend days.
Content – Parents should know about the games their children are playing. Visit websites that provide reviews and ratings, trailers and online demos.
Playing at a friend’s house - If your child is heading to a friend’s house to play video games, call the other parent and ask what games the kids will play.
Resources for Parents
Websites that provide reviews and information for parents:
You can also search the internet for information about parental controls for your child’s computer or video game.
Computer and video games have come a long way from the days when children were absorbed in playing space invaders on a black and white 10 inch screen. The last decade of case studies and research has paved the way for educators to now offer more exciting and innovative ways for children to learn; liberating them from the traditional 2D textbook style of teaching. If you are concerned or unsure about the games your child is playing, try embracing the gaming revolution and play the games with them.
Sources:
‘Games ‘valuable learning tool’’, Jason Hill, Sydney Morning Herald, 9 April 2009
‘Games and learning: A handbook from Futurelab 2005’, Richard Sandford and Ben Williamson, Futurelab United Kingdom 2005
‘Video games: A significant cognitive artefact of contemporary youth culture’, Lyn Henderson, James Cook University 2005
‘Computer games can help children: academic’, Sydney Morning Herald, 7 November 2002
Parenting: www.parenting.org
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