Video games are available today to teach children their numbers, ABCs, etc. Game elements are sometimes also incorporated in other educational software, such as that designed for language learning. But what about high-end, graphic-intense games? Could these be used by mainstream educators? And for older students?
Billions of dollars are spent annually on entertainment software and, perhaps surprisingly to some, not all of this money is spent on games for children. Past generations of children put away the toys of childhood when they became adults. This has not been the case for the video game generation. Perhaps video games can be compared to football, basketball, or baseball, which often get relegated to weekend recreation, but not discarded, when boys grow into men. There have been numerous studies to determine the emotional, mental, and physical effects of video games on players. In 2005, scientists and educators seemed to decide that if you can’t beat them, join them. According to the Fact Sheet for the National Summit on Educational Games, in October of that year, nearly 100 experts met in Washington DC to discuss ways to "accelerate the development, commercialization, and deployment of new generation games for learning." The participants included "executives from the video game industry and education software publishers, researchers and experts on technology and pedagogy, game developers, representatives from user communities such as teachers and the U.S. military, R&D funders, and government policy makers."
The summit focused on four primary issues. It examined the relationship between video games and learning. Specifically, how are the skills required in video games similar to those used in the real world? Could other aspects of the learning process be supported by video games? These questions are related to another issue discussed at the summit - the need for additional research. It’s easy to say that video games develop problem solving skills and analytical thinking (or quick reflexes). You might also say that they train a person to work under pressure or as part of a team. But how do you quantify these effects? What aspects or features are important, and how do you maximize any perceived benefit?
Billions of dollars are spent annually on entertainment software and, perhaps surprisingly to some, not all of this money is spent on games for children. Past generations of children put away the toys of childhood when they became adults. This has not been the case for the video game generation. Perhaps video games can be compared to football, basketball, or baseball, which often get relegated to weekend recreation, but not discarded, when boys grow into men. There have been numerous studies to determine the emotional, mental, and physical effects of video games on players. In 2005, scientists and educators seemed to decide that if you can’t beat them, join them. According to the Fact Sheet for the National Summit on Educational Games, in October of that year, nearly 100 experts met in Washington DC to discuss ways to "accelerate the development, commercialization, and deployment of new generation games for learning." The participants included "executives from the video game industry and education software publishers, researchers and experts on technology and pedagogy, game developers, representatives from user communities such as teachers and the U.S. military, R&D funders, and government policy makers."
The summit focused on four primary issues. It examined the relationship between video games and learning. Specifically, how are the skills required in video games similar to those used in the real world? Could other aspects of the learning process be supported by video games? These questions are related to another issue discussed at the summit - the need for additional research. It’s easy to say that video games develop problem solving skills and analytical thinking (or quick reflexes). You might also say that they train a person to work under pressure or as part of a team. But how do you quantify these effects? What aspects or features are important, and how do you maximize any perceived benefit?