VIDEO GAMES AND EDUCATION

How video games can revolutionize the static classroom

By Liz Jasko

THE STATIC CLASSROOM

Passive, unengaging, meaningless

“Banking” concept of education (Friere)

Same prison-like school system as 1800s (Foucault)

Thesis: “Effectively implementing video game technology in education systems can address problems of the traditional school system and revolutionize the static classroom.”

“DIGITAL NATIVES” (PRENSKY)

EVOLVING BRAINS; EVOLVING LEARNERS

Neuroplasticity “Multimodal texts” (Gee)

Much less inclined Less inclined Neutral More inclined Much more inclined0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

How inclined Marist students would be to pursue academic learning in elementary/high school if video game technology was used

Stud

ent r

espo

nses

“We basically learn to take

tests without actually

gaining any knowledge” -a Marist student

THE LEARNING FOCUS

Memorization/Repetition Conceptualization/

Meaning traditional

new

Isolated learning “Semiotic domains” (Gee)/

“Deep processing” (Craik & Lockhart)traditional

new

THE THINKING PROCESS

3-step problem-solving model (Huffman)1. Preparation2. Production3. Evaluation

Probe, Hypothesize, Reprobe, Rethink Cycle (Gee)1. Probe the virtual world2. Hypothesize about what something might mean3. Reprobes the world with hypothesis in mind4. Rethink original hypothesis based on feedback

“The learner is at the center of the meaning-making process.” –Labbo & Place

“You literally learn by

playing. It’s the way

you’re thinking that

matters.” (Johnson)

...MORE UNIQUE VIDEO GAME ELEMENTS

Book13% Lecture

11%

Film11%Hands-on labs,

workshops, visits, etc.50%

Interactive media/Digital

games15%

Marist students' preferred learning method

Individually tailored Ability to access simulated labs, visits, etc.

MOTIVATION & ENGAGEMENT

Designed with purpose to engage Satisfies need satisfactions (Przybylski et al.) Reward-seeking system

“The goal of keeping users (i.e. learners) engaged is, of course, not the primary concern of educators. Their goal is to instruct, to get the

material across” -Prensky

EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENTING VIDEO GAME TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION

Tailor games to curriculum Avoid low-level educational genre games Develop complex educational games Have teachers guide focus

Examples of Success Stories Portal (Wabash College, Indiana) British Museum Online (River Dell High

School) Civilization III (study, Lee & Probert)