“…we should use the learning principles built into good video games in and out of schools even if we are not using games.”
I chose this first quote because children learn valuable skills from playing good games that they can apply in all aspects of their lives. For example, my nephew got a Wii for Christmas and we have been playing it together as a family. He has a problem with sharing and getting upset when he does not win. So my sister and I play it with him, which teaches him to take turns. We also tell him good job whether he wins or not.
“Squire’s (Squire 2005; Squire & Jenkins 2004) work on Civilization III and other games has shown that even young learners can enter a game as a complex system and learn deep conceptual principles about history and the social science.”
This quote stood out to me because I have played different games that I consider fun and learned so much while I played them. For example, I recently played the game SELENE. This game explains how the moon was formed by asking pre and post questions and having you create a prototype moon in the process. I have seen video clips and talked to the creator of the game and seen how the child learns while playing the game.
“What these remarks mean is this: human understanding is not primarily a matter of storing general concepts in the head or applying abstract rules to experience. Rather, humans think and understand best when they can imagine (simulate) an experience in such a way that the simulation prepares them for actions they need and want to take in order to accomplish their goals (Barsalou 1999b; Clark 1997; Glenberg and Robertson 1999)."
Relating back to my experience playing SELENE, I was able to better comprehend how the moon was created by creating it myself. As a science education major, I have had many classes where I received lectures about how the moon was created. But if someone asked me how the moon was formed before I played SELENE, I wouldn’t have been able to give them as good of an answer as I could now after playing the game.
This is the webpage for the game Selene that I mentioned above. You can read testimonials and learn about research opportunities associated with this game.
Gee, J. (n.d.). Why are video games good for learning?. Retrieved from https://online.fairmontstate.edu/webct/urw/lc15057011.tp0/cobaltMainFrame.dowebct
Reese, D. (1999). Selene: A lunar science game. Retrieved from http://selene.cet.edu/
Video games are great for enhancing the learning experiences and keeping the students engaged in the content. They teach valuable lessons about life in regards to sharing, socializing, reasoning, and being a good sport. The Wii gaming system is a great example of what I call a higher level learning game. It requires the player to get up and perform various physical activities, rather than just focusing on the mind; sitting in front of the television for hours.
ReplyDeleteGames that focus mostly on the mind, and very little on physical activity, are also very beneficial. As you mentioned in the game Selene. My field of specialty is English, and I have found that incorporating the use of games, especially when it comes to grammar practice, greatly increases student engagement; therefore increasing the level of learning.
I followed your link to the Selena game, and although I did not sign up to play, the amount of information on the page was incredible. The website offers details and facts about the moon, offers hands on activities, and promotes learning by reviewing other peers experiences.
We both share the same belief that video games, of the appropriate nature, contribute greatly to the learning processes.
We use a variety of science games in the fifth grade and it is highly evident that our students gain knowledge and are able to describe various processes after participation. I agree that using video games in the classroom is motivating, engaging and could be implemented in all curriculum areas
ReplyDeleteI believe that there are various learning principles built into games that should be considered. The Wii is a great family gaming system that can teach children on all levels. I also agree with simulation learning. This is an important part of a more in depth understanding of difficult concepts and you described a great example of that.
ReplyDeleteThe website seems like it would be something that would keep the students engaged and help them learn. When I have more time I want to try and explore the website to see what all if has to offer.
ReplyDeleteSelene is an excellent example of the kinds of games we want to create in this class! Gardens of Time is sure fun but I'm not sure it promotes historical thinking or any kind of history content. What do other think?
ReplyDeleteI agree that children learn valuable skills while playing video games, and sharing is one of them, especially in younger children. Sharing isn't the only skill children learn when playing video games, but since children are usually more interested in video games that playing in a learning center in a classroom, it becomes a great teaching opportunity, to teach the child to share the computer or game console with the rest of his classmates, friends, siblings, or other family members.
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