Are Video Games a Worthwhile Educational Tool

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Are Video Games a Worthwhile Educational Tool?

• Winston Harrington
• Kristen Lapi
• Karen Wissig

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Do education methods need to change?

• Recently, scientist have realized the education
  system is not fully reaching students, and
  believe that video games way be a way to reach
  them.
• Teachers today did not grow up in the video game
  era and maybe reluctant to change, without taking
  into consideration the best form of education for
  their students.
• Popularity of video games are increasing. The
  release of the most desired video games have made
  significantly more money on first day sales than
  almost any movie released.
• Some researchers believe there is a connection
  between video games and learning, if it is the
  right kind of games.

3

• The computer generation is stimulated differently
  then former generations.
• Students today have grown up in an environment
  that is highly stimulating, frequently changing,
  and where they have grown accustom to instant
  gratification.
• The responsibility of educators today is starting
  to change. They tend to teach in a manner that
  takes things one concept at a time, but students
  today are responding to using patterns and
  grouping concepts as a better way to interpret
  and hold information.

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Benefits of Video Games

• Video Games are interactive and can hold a
  students attention longer then listening to a
  teacher lecture.
• By forcing students to participate through the
  video games, lectures become more beneficial.
• They contain motivational tools such as being
  able to obtain high scores and reach higher
  levels.
• Korzeniowski states that a video game never loses
  patience with a student.

5
Video Games in the Real World

• Many businesses, the medical profession, and the
  US military have often used games as a training
  tool for their employees.
• Many researchers agree video games assist in
  improving and developing real world skills.
• The U.S. currently ranks 6 in the 2006-2007
  World Economic Forums Global Competitiveness
  Index
• Researchers believe using video games in our
  education systems can help improve the nations
  competitiveness.

6
Negative Effects

• Excessive play by user
• Children must learn the value of playing in a
  social setting for developmental reasons, and to
  be physically healthy should get a certain amount
  of physical exercise.
• The cost of educational video games is too high
  for private companies to take on because the
  market for educational video games is no where
  near as high as the market for traditional games.
  

7
Video Game Use for Kindergarten Students

• Two researchers, Din and Colao did a study of the
  effects of educational video games on
  kindergarten students.
• Their first set of results show that there was
  only slight improvement in math skills
• Not do to ineffectiveness but to maturity level
  of the students
• They came to the conclusion that if students were
  too immature to learn the material an external
  push would not help

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Video Game Use for Kindergarten Students

• Results showed a good amount of improvement in
  reading and spelling
• Concluded that if the content was age
  appropriate, educational video games may be
  helpful.
• Another study stated that playing educational
  video games on a PlayStation console for 40
  minutes a day at school did lead to some
  significant improvements in reading and spelling,
  but not in math.

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Some Educational Video Games

• Muzzy Lane Software's Making History is a
  computer role-playing game where students take on
  challenges faced by significant history figures.
• Games2Trains The Algebots helps students
  understand basic algebra concepts.
• V-Smile has a variety of different games that
  help children develop in different areas.

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Are these video games worthwhile?
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In Conclusion

• Individual schools need to make a decision on
  whether or not they tools are cost effective in
  their schools.
• Schools will not begin to invest their time and
  money on educational video games until further
  research is completed.