Teaching with Video Games

Teaching withTeaching withVideo GamesVideo Games

Jennelle Kesteloot (Richie)Jennelle Kesteloot (Richie)

Madonna UniversityMadonna University

RDG 5410RDG 5410

NYU Child Study CenterNYU Child Study Center

““the typical American child watches the typical American child watches 28 hours of television a week and 28 hours of television a week and by the age of 18 will have seen by the age of 18 will have seen 16,000 simulated murders and 16,000 simulated murders and 200,000 acts of violence”200,000 acts of violence”

WOW! That’s a huge number!

http://www.aboutourkids.org/articles/video_games_cons_pros#

According to the NYCAccording to the NYCChild Study CenterChild Study CenterPROSPROS

““first-person” first-person” shooter games shooter games (military training)(military training)

High level of quick High level of quick gratificationgratification

Enhance motor Enhance motor coordination and coordination and ability to think ability to think quicklyquickly

Stress reliefStress relief Relate to one Relate to one

another via healthy another via healthy competitioncompetition

CONSCONS Violence in the Violence in the

gamesgames ““first-person” first-person”

shooter games shooter games (violence)(violence)

Takes away from Takes away from school workschool work

Excessive playExcessive play Over stimulatedOver stimulated Likely to behave in Likely to behave in

aggressive or aggressive or harmful waysharmful ways

http://www.aboutourkids.org/articles/video_games_cons_pros#

PROSPROS ““first-person” first-person”

shooter games shooter games (military training)(military training)





http://www.aboutourkids.org/articles/video_games_cons_pros# http://www.aboutourkids.org/articles/video_games_cons_pros#

CONSCONS Violence in the Violence in the

gamesgames ““first-person” first-person”

shooter games shooter games (violence)(violence)

Takes away from Takes away from school workschool work

Excessive playExcessive play Over stimulatedOver stimulated Likely to behave in Likely to behave in

aggressive or aggressive or harmful waysharmful ways

PROSPROS ““first-person” first-person”

shooter games shooter games (military training)(military training)





According to According to Want to Know ItWant to Know It……

PROSPROS Visual acuityVisual acuity Social activitySocial activity Teach more about Teach more about

life (virtual games)life (virtual games) Problem solving Problem solving

and logic skillsand logic skills Assist in educationAssist in education Increase attention Increase attention

spanspan FunFun Reasonable Reasonable

workout (Wii)workout (Wii)

CONSCONS AddictionAddiction Does not Does not

constitute a proper constitute a proper physical workoutphysical workout

Desensitized to Desensitized to violenceviolence

False expectations False expectations of real lifeof real life

http://wanttoknowit.com/pros-and-cons-of-video-games/

Evolution of Video GamesEvolution of Video Games

My how technology has changed…

NYU and NYU and Want to Know ItWant to Know It……

Have valid arguments in regards to Have valid arguments in regards to video gamesvideo games

There are many positive and There are many positive and negative aspects of themnegative aspects of them

My opinion: Playing video games at home can My opinion: Playing video games at home can be ok (I do it sometimes). However, parents be ok (I do it sometimes). However, parents need to be involved and aware of what their need to be involved and aware of what their child is playing (each game has an age level child is playing (each game has an age level rating on it) and not use it as a babysitter.rating on it) and not use it as a babysitter.

Educational Learning GamesEducational Learning Games

Your Baby Can Read!

Leap Frog

Tag Reader

Educational LearningEducational Learning

There are many educational learning There are many educational learning games out theregames out there

They are rated highly by teachersThey are rated highly by teachers

Children can learn while playing Children can learn while playing (without realizing they are)(without realizing they are)

Children as young as a few months Children as young as a few months can use these programscan use these programs

Educational LearningEducational Learning

Each system Each system costs money costs money (plus additional (plus additional fees for books, fees for books, etc.)etc.)

Used in Used in moderation, can moderation, can be successfulbe successful

My Opinion: These are great extensions for parents to use My Opinion: These are great extensions for parents to use to help their child learn. However, I have seen these used to help their child learn. However, I have seen these used as a babysitter where the child is just pressing random as a babysitter where the child is just pressing random buttons instead of following the directions (age wise, they buttons instead of following the directions (age wise, they would have been able to follow along). In my eyes, it takes would have been able to follow along). In my eyes, it takes the place of one-on-one interaction with the parents when the place of one-on-one interaction with the parents when used this way.used this way.

With batteries, With batteries, they can go they can go anywhereanywhere

Teaches Teaches children letters, children letters, sounds, colors, sounds, colors, shapes, etc.shapes, etc.

Four Ways to TeachFour Ways to Teachwith Video Gameswith Video Games

1)1) Games that Teach ContentGames that Teach Content• Align with existing school curriculumAlign with existing school curriculum• Students naturally learn better while Students naturally learn better while

using technologyusing technology• There are too few games built There are too few games built

around school-appropriate content*around school-appropriate content*• ““creating a good game is hard creating a good game is hard

enough; creating one based on enough; creating one based on educational content is even harder” educational content is even harder” (legendary game designer Will (legendary game designer Will Wright)Wright)

*1971 – three student teachers created the classic educational game The Oregon Trail for use in a U.S. History course (Max Lieberman)

http://currents.cwrl.utexas.edu/2010/lieberman_four-ways-to-teach-with-video-games


2)2) Games as TextGames as Text• Complex narrative game involves Complex narrative game involves

exploring, learning rules, taking risks, exploring, learning rules, taking risks, developing and testing hypotheses, developing and testing hypotheses, and reading words, sounds, and and reading words, sounds, and imagesimages

• Sociolinguist James Paul GeeSociolinguist James Paul Gee• “…“…games not only build literacy skills, games not only build literacy skills,

they teach players new ways to learn they teach players new ways to learn and to think about learning”and to think about learning”

• World of Warcraft (five literacy skills)World of Warcraft (five literacy skills)• Critical analysis, multicultural Critical analysis, multicultural

communication, collaborative writing, communication, collaborative writing, and reflectionand reflection



3)3) Students Making GamesStudents Making Games• Students enjoy and benefit from Students enjoy and benefit from

the experiencethe experience• There is a variety of software There is a variety of software

available for developing gamesavailable for developing games• Mini-game developmentMini-game development• Reach the same goals as Reach the same goals as

teaching with content-aligned teaching with content-aligned gamesgames



4)4) Game-Like Motivational SystemGame-Like Motivational System• Deep familiarity with video game Deep familiarity with video game

design conventionsdesign conventions• Willingness to rethink pedagogy from Willingness to rethink pedagogy from

the ground upthe ground up• Least explored in academic literatureLeast explored in academic literature• Same lines of Vygotsky’s theory of Same lines of Vygotsky’s theory of

scaffolding and the zone of proximal scaffolding and the zone of proximal developmentdevelopment

• Social constructivismSocial constructivism• Setting clear goals, allowing for Setting clear goals, allowing for

healthy competition, and providing healthy competition, and providing immediate feedbackimmediate feedback


Video Games are aVideo Games are aNew Teaching ToolNew Teaching Tool

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCaZrnstw8g

School Uses Video GamesSchool Uses Video Gamesto Teach Thinking Skillsto Teach Thinking Skills

Quest to Learn SchoolQuest to Learn School Learn in game-like environmentsLearn in game-like environments

Game-based learning is integral to Game-based learning is integral to 21st century literacy21st century literacy

Most students do not need any Most students do not need any instructions about video gamesinstructions about video games

Video games are key to a new kind Video games are key to a new kind of literacyof literacy

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128081896http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128081896

School Uses Video GamesSchool Uses Video Gamesto Teach Thinking Skillsto Teach Thinking Skills

CreepytownCreepytown Imaginary cityImaginary city Learning math (economics) and Learning math (economics) and

literacy skillsliteracy skills

Students at Quest to Learn take Students at Quest to Learn take the same standardized teststhe same standardized tests

around 500 applicants for 80 around 500 applicants for 80 slots in next year's class slots in next year's class

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128081896http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128081896

Ms. Jennelle’sMs. Jennelle’sPreschool ClassroomPreschool Classroom

Would I use video games to teach?Would I use video games to teach? Not in a preschool classroomNot in a preschool classroom If I were in a higher grade, I would If I were in a higher grade, I would

highly consider it. They would be highly consider it. They would be teacher-monitored and appropriate in teacher-monitored and appropriate in both age and content area.both age and content area.

Preschool is just the beginning…Preschool is just the beginning…the children are having their first the children are having their first experience at school. We explore experience at school. We explore using manipulatives the way older using manipulatives the way older grades explore using technology.grades explore using technology.

ReferencesReferences

Chaplin, H. (2010). School Uses Video Games to Teach Chaplin, H. (2010). School Uses Video Games to Teach Thinking Skills. Thinking Skills. NPRNPR. Retrieved from . Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128081896 storyId=128081896

Gallagher, R. Video Games: Cons and Pros. Gallagher, R. Video Games: Cons and Pros. NYU Child NYU Child Study CenterStudy Center. Retrieved from . Retrieved from http://http://www.aboutourkids.org/articles/video_games_cons_proswww.aboutourkids.org/articles/video_games_cons_pros# #

Lieberman, M. (2010). Four Ways to Teach with Video Lieberman, M. (2010). Four Ways to Teach with Video Games. Games. Currents in Electronic LiteracyCurrents in Electronic Literacy. Retreived from . Retreived from http://currents.cwrl.utexas.edu/2010/lieberman_four-ways-http://currents.cwrl.utexas.edu/2010/lieberman_four-ways-to-teach-with-video-games to-teach-with-video-games

Want to Know it (2012). Pros and Cons of Video Games. Want to Know it (2012). Pros and Cons of Video Games. Retrieved from Retrieved from http://http://wanttoknowit.comwanttoknowit.com/pros-and-cons-of-video-games//pros-and-cons-of-video-games/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCaZrnstw8g http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCaZrnstw8g

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Teaching with Video Games