Reading, Writing, & PlayingKari K. Eliason

“If there is a crisis in today’s schools, it probably has more to do with students’ perceptions that school is boring and largely irrelevant to preparation for life outside school” (Howe & Strauss,2006).

The is a Digital

Native or Millennial

Digital Natives are young people born

during the mid-eighties and after :

Digital Natives don’t look at computers as technology

Like to work in teams

Want activities that include

experimentation & structure

Enjoy using technology

Don’t think there is enough technology

in school

Why Game?

Video games develop spatial

reasoning & interface literacy.

“Surgeons who played video games for three hours a

week performed 27 percent faster and made 37 percent fewer errors than those who

didn’t play video games (Neiburger , 2007).

“Learning isn’t about memorizing isolated facts. It’s about connecting and manipulating them.”

“Kids often say it doesn’t feel like learning, when they

are gaming, they’re too focused on playing. “

“If kids said that about a science lesson , our country’s education problems would be over” (Gee,2003).

Generation FIT (Fitness, Integration, and Training is a program with 200 West Virginia schools participating. The purpose is to include daily fitness in school routines where budget cuts have eliminated gym classes. The program incorporates the use of the game Dance Dance Revolution (O’Hanlon,2007).

FIT creator Judy Shasek states, “Schools that have implemented Generation FIT report: an increase in student participation

a drop in absenteeism a positive change in general attitude

an increase in motor skills and coordination“ (O’Hanlon,2007, para.23).

Clark and Ernst (2009) explain that scientists look at gaming as a way to engage students in learning on their own.

The Federation of American Scientists which often is involved in matters concerning nuclear weaponry and government secrecy indicate that they believe gaming could redefine education.

The River City Project, funded by the National Science Foundation is a simulation game that places heavy emphasis on math and science principles.

This is a screen shot from the River City Project webpage: http://muve.gse.harvard.edu/rivercityproject/

When seventh grade students played they became innovative and solved problems at a high level (O’Hanlon, 2007).

http://muve.gse.harvard.edu/rivercityproject/

“Gaming has the ability to make learning fun for most students and increase their motivation, especially those at risk of dropping out of school”(Clark & Ernst, 2009, p.23).

Video GamesStimulate and Simulate

Engage Enrich Illuminate

Games to Play, Circulate and add to the Curriculum.

Civilization IIISim City

Age of EmpiresRome: Total War

Age of MythologyThe Sims

More Games to

Play, Circulate

and add to the

Curriculum.

Roller Coaster TycoonPikminAnimal

CrossingSid Meier’s

PiratesRise of Nations

IcoDeus Ex

Created by Kari K. EliasonFuture Gamer

References

Clark, A.C.& Ernst,J.V. (2009, February). Gaming in technology education. The Technology Teacher, (68)5,21-26. Retrieved March 14, 2009 from Gale database: http://find.galegroup.com

Gee, J. (2003, May). High score education: games, not school, are teaching kids to think. Wired, 11(5). Retrieved April 5, 2009 from http://www.wired.co

Howe, N., & Strauss,W. (2006). Millennials and the pop culture. Great Falls, VA: Life Course Associates.

O’Hanlon, C. (2007). Eat breakfast, drink milk, play Xbox: the daily recipe for students’ health and fitness is taking on a new ingredient long thought to be poison: video games. Technological Horizons in Education, 34(4), 34-35.

Neiburger, E. (2007, July). Games …in the library? Video games support the curriculum and develop a new form of literacy. Business & Company Resource Center, 53(7), 28-29. Retrieved April 1, 2009, from Gale. http:// galenet.galegroup.com

 

Photos from Flickr

Video Controller by Flickr user

Student in Class by Flickr User foundphotoslj

Plugged In by Flickr User SkipSteuart

Surgeons by Flickr User Badly Drawn Dad  

A shelf full of video games by Flickr User CantonPublicLibrary

Video Games Live Tour- Mario by Flickr User GogDog

ddr - dance dance revolution by Flickr User Homer Library

Clipart from Microsoft

Sound "Attack Of The Old Joysticks"

by Neurowaxx from http://ccmixter.org

"Attack Of The Old Joysticks"

by Neurowaxx