In this digital age a natural way to engage students is to incorporate playing video games. This could allow educators to reach a larger audience and have fun at the same time, but I think this field in education is still in its early stages.
Justin Marquis points out the education system has to change. Technology should be valued more and be available through all levels of education. This includes adjusting education policies. The cost however to have a fully game-based curriculum would be high to implement. There are some education based games such as Chemsense that provides an environment in which students can explore chemical processes and see the effects of changes (CITEd Research Center, Unknown) or Froguts where students can use an interactive computer program to dissect a frog before attempting dissection of an actual frog. This could make students feel more confident in their skills when later working with real materials (Ronan & Eliahu, 2000). Games and simulations can provide a safe environment for exploration and experimentation, for example exploring an interactive simulation of electrical circuits (Ronen & Eliahu, 2000). Currently there is a shortage of engaging, educational focussed games. There are definite advantages to the use of Game Based Learning such as the development of technological and social skills. It could enhance a multitasking mentality because it forces the student to balance different kinds of input simultaneously. Teamwork can be improved through games that are based on a social networking paradigm. Individualized instruction allows the students to progress at their own pace. References CITEd Research Center. (Unknown). Learning with Computer Games and Simulations. Ke, F. (2008). Computer games application within alternative classroom goal structures: cognitive, metacognitive, and affective evaluation. Educational Technology Research and Development, 56 (5/6), 539-556. Marquis, J. (2013). Policies that would promote Information Technology Use in Education. Ronen, M., & Eliahu, M. (2000). Simulation - a bridge between theory and reality: The case of electric circuits. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 16 (1), 14-26. |