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=Learning and Gaming: An Introduction= Games have been a pivotal aspect in the upbringing of children through generations. Whether the game included a bat and a ball with the neighborhood kids, a board with dice and cards, or a digital device, children have been immersed in the gaming culture. The love of games and a child's infatuation with them plays testament to the importance of engaging students into a learning environment. An often overlooked aspect of games is their educational advantages, especially when dealing with the development of a child. Research into the the creation of games, designing games for learning, educational simulations, and results of collaboration have proven that games do in fact have value and should be implemented within curricula to enhance learning. This resource is meant to enlighten readers to see the educational merit and impact that games, of all kinds, can have on students through a three-pronged approach: educational opportunities and challenges, connection to informal learning activities, and trends for the future. Within this resource, the reader will hear about both the positive and negative aspects of gaming in relation to a learning environment and education in general.

=Why Include Games?: An Overview= media type="youtube" key="tSEzpsOkGS8" height="254" width="309" align="left" There are many myths and falsehoods surrounding the games, especially within education. As such, the truth about games, their interactivity, and success with engaging learners to teach is paramount to the educational environment. Thus, it is imperative to dispel these myths in order to remove the negative connotation that the thought of games within the classroom evoke. The video [4] to the left does just that by separating myths from realities.

Additionally, one must consider why games should be involved within a learning environment. The learning environment can be a traditional face-to-face classroom that integrates technology, could be an online environment, or perhaps is a hybrid model of the two. Regardless of the learning environment, the necessity to include games to enhance instruction and truly teach students within classrooms should be seriously considered during curricular planning session. The video [4], below, provides a number of reasons as to why games should be considered positive within a learning and educational environment. media type="custom" key="9947111" width="26" height="26" align="right" In summary, the video suggests that video games
 * improve strategic thinking
 * improve problem solving
 * improve hand and eye coordination
 * cultivate quick decision making
 * feed the imagination
 * encourage exploration
 * enforce memorization
 * teach consequence
 * teach patience, dedication, and endurance.

In particular, games have been shown to be educationally important to re-engage boys in the learning process. Because boys are particularly drawn to games, boys resonate with the benefits of these games and succeed accordingly. Traditionally, boys have issues with the traditional schooling system. Therefore, a way to engage boys into the learning process and incorporate them is to implement games. Below is a TED talk by Ali Carr-Chellman [1] on the subject:

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Finally, it's important to hear from the actual designers of games about the impact that games can in fact have on the user. Due to the fact that the designer has particular insights into how the game should work, their insight can be particularly helpful when determining the positive effects that games can have. Here a world-renowned game designer, Jane McDonigal, speaks to the impacts that games can have on users [3]: media type="youtube" key="biHE8JXp-Yo" height="255" width="424" align="right"