Video Games in the Classroom

Point - Counterpoint

Video Games in the Classroom

Outline of today’s presentation

Introduction DemonstrationSmall group discussions (7 min)

Whole class point-counterpoint discussion (10-15 min)Video ExamplesQuick survey

From

here to there

(R)evolution of video games(a very abbreviated history)

Tennis for Two

Video games in school are not exactly new…

Anyone remember this?

Careful fording that river!

What do you think?Are video games helping

or hurting??

Demonstration

Outline for todayIntroduction

Demonstration

Small group discussions (5min)

Whole class point-counterpoint discussion (10-15 min)

Video

Examples

Quick survey

video

Grading With Games:

An Interview with James Paul Gee

Video Wrap-Up: What games do well

Provide constant assessmentEncourage creativity and problem solvingAllow for collaborationEncourage production

Don’t separate learning from assessmentProvide “just in time” languageGive participants a chance to be both mentors and students

How to encourage use of technology and creativity in the classroom

Re-professionalize teachingMove away from test prep academy schooling modelAllow teachers and students to learn togetherReward classroom innovation

Tabula Digita, a software company, sells video game subscriptions to schools for $7 to $20 a

student for each subject. For a school of 1000 students that's $7000-$20000 in video game subscriptions for one

subject alone!!!

Video Game Game Play

Course Content

Contraption, Roller Coaster Tycoon, Forza

Build / tune machines,

set specifications

and tolerances

Physics, Mathematics, Engineering

Games for Physics/Math

Physics – Forza Motorsport• Physics concept reinforced through “tunables”• Students tuned the following parameters in their car

oTires (psi)oGearing oAlignment

(camber/caster)oToeoAnti roll (front / rear

stiffness)oSpring Rate

oRide HeightoDampeningoAero oBraking (Balance /

Pressure)oDifferentialoAcceleration/

Deceleration

Student Testimonial

Closing questions

G A M E O V E R