Balanced Gaming

Why is play important?

2009-03-16T10:39:38-05:00

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHwXlcHcTHc[/youtube]

Video games and the future of learning

2009-03-18T07:57:21-05:00

This kind of old (2004) paper offers a historical reference. I’m writing this in 2009, and as a rule, it’s not a good idea to use old research to make a case for using games in education.

Please see attachment.

Epistemic frames for epistemic games

2009-03-18T07:55:44-05:00

So if you want this in a nutshell, one of the cool things about computer games is they let you experience the world from a different persepctive. This is something unique about games.

Play a game as an engineer to think like an engineer, play a game as a doctor to think like a doctor, play a game like a manager, and think like a manager.

Please see attachment.

Why Are Video Games Good For Learning?

2009-03-18T07:52:31-05:00

Please see attachment. Yet ANOTHER good resource you can use to make a case for the use of games in your school.

What Happens When Video Games Enter the Classroom?

2009-03-18T07:49:49-05:00

Please see attachment - another great resource for you to make your case.

The power of games, power of digital media

2009-03-09T09:04:41-05:00

GamesSimsSocNets_EdArcade.pdf

From the article:

What is good learning? That may be a subjective question. But it’s likely that many educators would give answers that fall in the same ballpark…

…students collaborating and discussing ideas, possible solutions…
…project-based learning, designed around real world contexts…
…connecting with other students around the world, on topics of study…
…immersing students in a learning experience that allows them to grapple with a problem, gaining higher-order thinking skills from pursuing the solution…

To many educators, these notions are music to their ears. Would it seem terribly strange then to hear that students indeed are doing these things regularly outside of their classrooms? While Timmy or Susie may not be running home from school saying, “What fun, deeply-engaging learning experience can we do today?”, they are engaging with new technologies that provide them with the same opportunities. Every day, many students are
spending countless hours immersed in popular technologies—such as Facebook or MySpace, World of Warcraft,
or Sim City—which at first glance may seem like a waste of time, and brain cells. But these genres of technologies— Social Networking, Digital Gaming, and Simulations—deserve a second, deeper, look at what’s actually going on.

Moving games forward: an excellent paper by the education arcade

2009-03-09T08:39:12-05:00

MovingLearningGamesForward_EdArcade.pdf

From the article:

Those who believe in using games in education usually start from a common set of assumptions. They observe that game player’s regularly exhibit persistence, risk-taking, attention to detail and problem solving skills, all behaviors that ideally would be regularly demonstrated in school. They also understand that game environments enable players to construct understanding actively, and at individual paces, and that well-designed games enable players to advance on different paths at different rates in response to each player’s interests and abilities, while also fostering collaboration and just-in-time learning.

We are therefore prepared to argue that:

1. games can engage players in learning that is specifically applicable to “schooling;” and
2. there are means by which teachers can leverage the learning in such games without disrupting the worlds of either play or school.

To succeed, we must look at where the strengths and challenges of both classrooms and games lie and situate
“learning games” at the most productive intersection of these separate environments. We will examine these issues
through concrete examples of existing best practices, and speculative designs currently under development
at MIT’s Education Arcade, and elsewhere.

Exceptional literature review of games in education

2009-03-09T08:21:07-05:00

Can’t really say enough good stuff about this literature review.

final_literature_review_(gis).pdf

Microsoft studies educational value of games

2009-02-23T13:58:25-05:00

Microsoft studying games in education - and the educational value of games

Video games can be used for educational purposes and contribute to the development of knowledge

2009-02-23T08:45:44-05:00

Check out the attachment for an interesting report by the EU that computer and video games can be used for educational purposes and contribute to the development of knowledge.