In this article author Allyson Peerman discusses the use of video games to take students beyond the role of technology consumer and into the role of producer. The article briefly addresses the perceived state of education at present. Many students are dropping out of school and many more are becoming disengaged whilst at school. Peerman refers to this trend as a crisis that must be overcome by seeking new technologies and pedagogies (Peerman, 2011 para. 1-2). This echoes my own pedagogical belief that students need to be engaged in relevant, motivating learning experiences that effectively draw upon current technologies in order to prepare them for their future roles in society. We must use 21st century teaching to facilitate 21st century learning. The Pew Research Center reveals that whilst students may be disengaging with traditional schooling they are engaging with video games, with ‘approximately 97 percent of teens play[ing] some form of game in their spare time’ (Peerman, 2011 para. 3).
Peerman briefly outlines a program set up by AMD that engages students of science, technology, engineering and maths in game design and creation in order to show learning as well as develop knowledge and skills through the design process. Peerman claims that by designing games students can develop skills in ‘problem-solving, collaboration, critical thinking, and communication’ (2010 para.6) that are essential for many professions which the students may pursue in the future.
Whilst the article does not go so far as to show, through research data and statistics, that incorporating video game design into classroom learning activities will lead to increased student motivation and learning outcomes it does prompt the teacher reader to ponder and perhaps further investigate incorporating games and game design into their teaching and learning programs. The article encouraged me to expand my understanding of games in education from merely games in which students are users to games in which students are creators. I believe student created games have the potential to assist students to develop higher order thinking skills as well as sophisticated technical skills relating both to technology and the particular subject the game activity is being use in.
By Kathleen Magann
By Kathleen Magann
Your article raised many good points and I agree with you that “student created games have the potential to assist students to develop higher order thinking skills as well as sophisticated technical skills”. By making games students can learn more. Either the games are a venue for students to acquire and demonstrate content expertise in a particular subject, or they are composed as interactive stories in the process of game making (Carbonaro et al., 2008). Through making games students can be further motivated and engaged. Also, students can learn more theories about digital nativity, digital literacy and epistemic learning (Owston et al, 2009).
ReplyDeleteNevertheless there are also some challenges when educators integrate game making into current teaching curriculum. Having students create games are more difficult than having them play, because the former may involve more training in technology and gaming literacy. Student training is not the only problem if the educators gain expertise with a game technology before introducing that technology to students. Moreover, Prensky (2006) mentions that the difficulties related to game making are both practical and cultural, and there are many planning and cultural challenges in a classroom setting.
I think video games can be both difficult and easy, it depend on how you will use them and to what extent you will use them. We might gradually integrate these games to the educational system and learn more about them.
(Nan Li)
Carbonaro, M., et al. (2008). Interactive Story Authoring: A Viable Form of Creative Expression for the Classroom. Computers & Education 51(2), 687-707.
Owston, R., et al. (2009). Computer Game Development as a Literacy Activity. Computers & Education 53(3), 977-89.
Prensky, M. (2006). Listen to the Natives. Educational Leadership 63(4), 8-13.