I would generally agree that computer games can be used more easily in the primary setting than the high school for reasons of timetable inflexibility as much as content delivery. Games in the classroom need to be controlled in terms of time, curricula constraints and outcomes (Royle, 2009). The controlled use of games may led to reduced autonomy of the player (Sandford, 2006) and therefore as Wright points out less motivation, the main reason for using games in learning.However teachers who are willing to see the benefits of games in learning can overcome these obstacles and successfully use games in the high school setting. Currently at the high school where I am teaching games are used in several departments; the Technology and Media departments have students both study and design their own games, the Maths, Agriculture and Special Needs departments all use games to teach specific content. Observations of students using games in these contexts show that they are more engaged in this learning and find the learning ‘fun’ which is a key factor in the learning process (Prensky, 2001). The inclusion of games into the work program in these subjects is reliant often on one teacher who is interested in games or is a game player themselves, and has been a broker between the education and gaming community (Royle, 2009).Teresa
Will Wright definitely evokes thought in this video and it is a pity that this 'cultural bias' towards play may taint public acceptance, or at least consideration, of games in education. I agree with Wright's opinion that many adults dismiss play as a time wasting activity, and believe this to be one of the greatest barriers to including games as resources or teaching tools in the classroom. I am emphatic in my belief that without motivation there can be no learning, and that even the most 'serious' of games must beat more antiquated teaching styles hands down.I agree that the idea of using fictional issues or highly personalised characters to teach serious concepts is an interesting perspective, provided the concept is not so well-disguised in a 'playful' medium that the whole point of the exercise becomes extinct and the game loses the connection with real life.It does appear more feasible that the primary curriculum lends itself more seamlessly towards the inclusion of games, but I also believe that educators in the 21st century must be creative and innovative with digital technologies to facilitate learning across the entire P-12 curriculum. Who said learning and 'play' must be mutually exclusive domains?Karen
I would generally agree that computer games can be used more easily in the primary setting than the high school for reasons of timetable inflexibility as much as content delivery. Games in the classroom need to be controlled in terms of time, curricula constraints and outcomes (Royle, 2009). The controlled use of games may led to reduced autonomy of the player (Sandford, 2006) and therefore as Wright points out less motivation, the main reason for using games in learning.
ReplyDeleteHowever teachers who are willing to see the benefits of games in learning can overcome these obstacles and successfully use games in the high school setting.
Currently at the high school where I am teaching games are used in several departments; the Technology and Media departments have students both study and design their own games, the Maths, Agriculture and Special Needs departments all use games to teach specific content.
Observations of students using games in these contexts show that they are more engaged in this learning and find the learning ‘fun’ which is a key factor in the learning process (Prensky, 2001). The inclusion of games into the work program in these subjects is reliant often on one teacher who is interested in games or is a game player themselves, and has been a broker between the education and gaming community (Royle, 2009).
Teresa
Will Wright definitely evokes thought in this video and it is a pity that this 'cultural bias' towards play may taint public acceptance, or at least consideration, of games in education. I agree with Wright's opinion that many adults dismiss play as a time wasting activity, and believe this to be one of the greatest barriers to including games as resources or teaching tools in the classroom. I am emphatic in my belief that without motivation there can be no learning, and that even the most 'serious' of games must beat more antiquated teaching styles hands down.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the idea of using fictional issues or highly personalised characters to teach serious concepts is an interesting perspective, provided the concept is not so well-disguised in a 'playful' medium that the whole point of the exercise becomes extinct and the game loses the connection with real life.
It does appear more feasible that the primary curriculum lends itself more seamlessly towards the inclusion of games, but I also believe that educators in the 21st century must be creative and innovative with digital technologies to facilitate learning across the entire P-12 curriculum. Who said learning and 'play' must be mutually exclusive domains?
Karen