Educational Applications of Video Games

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Video Games Education
Steven Felix Scott EDIT 202
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Who are the gamers?
At worst, the community of games players can be
stereotyped as young males who revel in violent
fantasy, cannot relate well to reality, are
isolated, likely to have social problems which
may become severe, are unhealthily constantly at
play, and who relate better to machines than
other people.
Source British Educational Communications and
Technology Agency http//www.becta.org.uk
http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GamerTypes_of_video_
gamers
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Video Game AddictionWhat game designers say

• As far as addictiveness in games goes, one needs
  to first weigh whether it is a positive or a
  negative. I think that an addictive game is
  usually just a good game, so a game being
  addictive is just a sign of its quality. To me,
  it seems that intentionally making games "not
  addictive" is intentionally making them bad.

Matt F GameSpot.com
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Video Game Addiction - Other Factors

• Sounds, graphics, world simulation and elaborate
  game screens promising numerous options make
  these games fun and appealing. However is it more
  or less appealing to different people?

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Gender Issues/Sexuality

• Some of the earliest video games comprised of a
  central story line of rescuing the damsel in
  distress. Such as Donkey Kong, Super Mario
  Brothers, and Legend of Zelda.
• Progressively over time women in video games
  started to become stronger characters, and even
  became central figures or heroines in games.

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Social Aspects of Gaming

• Socialization in video games can be divided
  into categories of competitive or collaborative.
  Individuals can compete against each other in a 2
  player VS. mode or share strategies with other
  players. This is especially true with online
  games players can join a PVP server, join other
  players in a guild, or go it alone and
  occasionally ask other players for specialized
  assistance.

Anonymous Posting HALO fan site
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Social Aspects of Gaming

• The MMORPG (Massive Multiplayer Online Role
  Playing Games) genre of computer games which
  consist of persistent state worlds thrive on
  creating and sustaining a culture surrounding
  their game play.

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Social Aspects of Gaming

• Creating avatars. Do players create characters
  that resemble themselves or the opposite? All
  players must follow socially implicit, codified
  and non codified rules.

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Gaming in Education

• Students better retain information that is placed
  in a rich contextual background.
• Games encourage pleasant frustration and
  motivation for hidden learning.
• Gamers can act as designers, strategists, and
  producers, authors and programmers.
• Gamers can act as problem solvers.
• Sports games could improve participation in P.E.
• Games inspiring social awareness.

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Video Games -Learning in Context

• The virtual worlds of games are powerful because
  they make it possible to develop situated
  understanding and even deductive reasoning.
• One such game is the Age of Mythology which
  players control the fate of a civilization as it
  progresses through various historical ages.
  Civilizations are chosen based on historically
  accurate depictions of Greek, Roman and Norse
  cultures and then Deities are chosen to worship
  and aid their civilization when called upon.

Sign the petition for Age of Mythology II
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Video Games Motivation

• Good games are often challenging, but do-able,
  they are designed to be pleasantly frustrating.
• Good games allow players to customize the game to
  their own levels of ability and styles of
  learning.
• Players are encouraged to play again and again
  to improve or previous performance. Attempt new
  strategies and experiment with different options
  or paths in game play.

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Video Games Gamers As Authors

• Along with the designer, the players actions
  co-create the game world. The players can become
  storytellers and designers.
• Furthermore, players can use software that comes
  with the game to build new scenarios, storylines
  maps, episodes, or even creatures/monsters.

NeverWinter Night Module Creation Tutorial
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Video Games Problems Solving

• It is the job of a video game simulation to
  emulate real world scenarios in various business
  and educational fields.
• The more accurate the simulation the more the
  skills employed in completing the simulation can
  be transferred into real life practical aspects.
• In the context of lifelong learning, simulation
  games afford a realistic framework to use
  technologies as a means to an end and so can
  prepare learners for the world of work.

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Video Games Physically Active

• Sports games which are based on the actual
  sporting rules of can be used to encourage
  participation in physical education by
  introducing students to various sports in a
  non-threatening environment.
• Games are even being designed where the player
  has to be physically active to play.
• Be careful with your controller.

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Video GamesSocial Issues Education

• Then there are the games designed specifically to
  address cultural, social, political, and moral
  issues.
• Used in an educational context such games can be
  used not only to introduce such topics, but also
  serve to provide students with accurate
  information concerning these topics.
• Of course some games are better than others and
  it would be up to the teacher to decide whether
  or not a game can and should be used for this
  purpose. It also poses the question how could
  such socially relevant games be effectively
  incorporated into a lesson plan.

Combating Drug Addiction With Video Games -
TAVAD.com
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Of Course We Have to Include Some Educational
Links

• Digital Games Research Association
• Games2Train.com.
• Choosing good games for your kids Media
  Awareness.org
• Online Games Educational or Just for Fun
• Eternal Fun
• http//www.addictivegames.com
• GameSpy GameSpyArcade.com
• http//www.allgame.com/
• http//www.lucaslearning.com/
• James Gee Video Games For Learning (Youtube)