There is a great disconnect between how we teach our children in school and how they learn outside of the classroom. Students multitask and communicate in ways that we, their teachers, were not able to as children. Technology is second nature to them and video games are playgrounds. Why not take advantage of that fact and include it in the classroom?
Simulations and Gaming Technologies for the Classroom answers that question and a lot more. Video games offer more than just mindless entertainment. There is inherent educational value in the way they are developed and played. Good games will include tutorials and support as the player moves through levels. Additionally, players are required to multi-task, problem solve, and communicate effectively otherwise they lose the game.
As teachers, we can leverage this to our advantage. Rather than refusing to use video games in the classroom at all, why not incorporate them into the lesson plans as a teaching tool? Part of this course does just that through a course long project that takes the teacher through the process of lesson planning around a video game.
The video game is not the content, however. The teacher builds it in as part of the lesson plan and supports the game play with lecture, hand outs, activities, etc. Students are able to grasp the subject through the means in which they play outside of class, i.e. multitask, communicate and problem solve. This way they are able to use the skills they already have to learn content that the standards require that they know.
Finally, we must realize that video games are fun. That’s why the kids play them. But, more importantly, we need to be able to reach them at a level that they understand and can be comfortable with. Simulations and Gaming Technologies for the Classroom connects the teacher with the skills and knowledge to incorporate and, most importantly, understand video games that their students love to play.
