Hasten slowly

by Margaret McKay-Lowndes

Investigating video games for learning, there are three major aspects which have emerged for me as a contemporary educator: the need for students to develop media literacy around video games; the need for teachers to know about and understand the digital literacies that their students are engaging with outside of school; and the divergent nature of video games. There are probably many other considerations, but if we are to ‘approach with caution’ and set realistic goals for introducing new media into the classroom, it is probably wise to ‘hasten slowly’.

Video games are clearly embedded in 21^st century popular culture, and come in many different forms, whether strategy games, creative games or ‘shoot-em-up games’. Added to this, there are ‘edutainment’ games, where game producers have based the gaming activity around mathematics and spelling drills. It could be argued that many of the popular games have more educational value than the latter, because the popular games rely on team building, strategy planning and clear communication for success: skills which are necessary for developing 21^st century literacies. Jenkins (2006) advises that “new literacies almost all involve social skills developed through collaboration and networking". Furthermore, the New Media Consortium (2005) declares that unlike the traditional notions of language and literacy, which are primarily unimodal and textual, this new form of communication and self-expression occurs multimodally incorporating visual and aural elements with textual elements, and an immediacy which itself is a di­mension of the new language.

Given that video games are part of the new media, and are here to stay, it behoves educators to incorporate games into the critical literacy curriculum, to equip young people with the skills they need to negotiate their way around the information presented and the persuasiveness (Williamson, 2009) of these non-literary texts. An example cited earlier about Age of Empires III is relevant here – the history presented in the game is not entirely factual. Students need to be award of this to make informed decisions and develop factual knowledge. As an educator, my intention would be to include video games in lessons about media literacy, whether it be in the English curriculum or the History curriculum. Reviews, traditionally applied to books as an assessment strategy, could be applied to video games as well. Approaching with caution, the games and novels to be reviewed would be pre-selected to ensure appropriateness. There are probably many other ways to include video games in the conversation about media literacy, and awareness of this need will inform my future practice.

Secondly, educators need to know about and understand the digital literacies with which students engage outside the classroom, in order to plan and present engaging pedagogy. During this term, a survey of 180 students in Year 8 and 9 was conducted to discover how many students regularly played games; which games they played; and how often.  A news article from the BBC (2010) reported on the work of TEEM in the UK, and provided a list of commonly played games, which was used in the survey of Year 8s and 9s. Whereas much of the research around video games puts the game playing habits of teens around the 97% mark (Williamson, 2009), with the small local sample it was clear that while the majority of students did not engage at all with video games, a small percentage engaged to an extreme extent. Another group of students nominated games which they regularly played, and this provided a useful insight into the types of games which gain both parental approval, and teenage engagement. The information from the survey provided valuable information about this particular group of students, in this context, at this time. The results indicate that one way to introduce video games into the curriculum might be to offer them among other media, as texts to be studied, so that those interested would have the opportunity for engagement. In the future, my teaching practice will include similar surveys to find out where the students ‘are at’ in terms of digital literacies.

The divergent nature of video games, referred to earlier, is another aspect to be aware of as an educator. This points to the importance of game selection when designing pedagogy. Just as a class novel is chosen with great care, so must video games for the classroom be selected with care. Ideally the game would satisfy curriculum content, and be attractive to students; or be presented in such a way as the lessons would engage the students in higher order thinking skills, whether by actually playing the game, or thinking, analyzing, critiquing and communicating about it. Game creation, based on a model is another possibility which would demand careful selection of appropriate games as models.

Finally, awareness of video games (and digital media generally) will inform my future choices around professional development. Education Queensland’s web page “Games in learning” provides a blog for teachers where issues can be discussed and innovations shared. Video games will become yet another strategy to put in the teacher tool kit, in the never ending quest to engage young people in learning.

References

BBC News: Education. (2010). Video games stimulate learning retrieved 3 October, 2010, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/1879019.stm#map


Jenkins, H., Clinton, K., Purushotma, R., Robison, A.J., & Weigel, M. (2006). Confronting the challenges of participatory culture: Media education for the 21st century.  MacArthur Foundation.  Retrieved  18 July, 2010, from Queensland University of Technology Course Material Database


Education Queensland. (2010). The Games in Learning Project retrieved 1 October, 2010, from http://www.learningplace.com.au/defaulteqa2.asp?orgid=35&suborgid=614

The New Media Consortium, (2005). A Global Imperative – The Report of the 21^st Century Literacy Summi.  Retrieved  15 August, 2010, from  http://www.nmc.org/publications/global-imperative


Williamson, B. (2009). Computer games, schools, and young people: a report for educators on using games for learning. FutureLab. Retrieved 25 September, 2010, from www.futurelab.org.uk/projects/games-and-learning

The Jason Project

The Jason project is an online resource that contains  free downloadable curriculum packs and access to the corresponding learning video games and digital lab.  It is in partnership with National Geographic to make available earth sciences learning resources. The site has a range of science based units such as ‘Operation: tectonic fury’, ‘Operation: resilient planet’ for example.  The videos above show teachers incorporating these resources into their classroom.

This online resource gives participants the opportunity to become a member of an online learning community. This is an important learning environment as Shaffer, Squire, Halverson, and Gee (2004) suggests that online social and cultural worlds help students learn by integrating thinking, social interaction and technology that come about by them doing things they care about.  Johnson (2001) explains that in communities of practice constructivist techniques are present and this enables learning to take place.  The online community here gives students and teachers a valuable tool here to enhance their learning in a supportive active way.  I think that this would be a great link to a unit giving an authentic real world connection to the content being studied.  Students will have the chance to talk with other students and experts from around the world which will promote substantive conversations on these issues which will consolidate their learning.

This resource also contains smart board lessons, lesson plans, work books and video games to fit in with the unit topic as well as tutorials on how to use the video games provided.  This I believe is important as students can loose interest quickly when they can’t operate a game therefore compromising the learning.   Bourgonjon, Valcke, Soetaert & Schellens (2009) research suggests that ease of use of a video game has significant relationship with successful engagement and learning opportunities.  Overall I think that this could be a valuable resource when integrated into a science unit and is definitely worth a look.

It all started with a Big Bang

YouTube, The Big Bang Theory, World of Warcraft, The Sword of Azeroth! available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEkmO3gQQAs (embedding code not available)

The Big Bang Theory is a popular comedy about a group of four very intelligent friends who are physicists, scientists and engineers. The show presents the stereotypical ‘nerd’ and explores the interests which are widely believed to be in their domain. In this clip, the lads, Sheldon, Howard, Raj and Leonard are playing a computer game and demonstrating the kind of engagement that educators can only dream of. This presentation gives rise to many questions around video games in popular culture, and video games in education.

Firstly, the characters in the clip are all highly intelligent, at the top of the education ladder. Is it being suggested that this is the only type of person who engages in gaming? Schleiner (2001, quoted in Mitchell and Savill-Smith, 2004) says “at its most extreme, a new type of subject/player is emerging, who takes her or his game play very seriously. This person is often called a ‘gamer’”. It would be interesting to find out more about the ‘gamer’ – his or her typical academic ability and demographic for example. Anecdotally, at a local high school, the teenagers who report an extreme interest in gaming vary greatly in their academic ability. Bruno, quoted in Mitchell and Savill (2004) reports that "teacher defined 'at risk' students display strong preferences for non-directed time-consuming activities such as wathing television and playing computer games".

Secondly, does the clip suggest that gaming goes hand-in-hand with higher order thinking skills? And if so, which comes first, the skills, or the interest in the game? That is, do students who are capable of higher order thinking skills find themselves drawn to video games, or is it the other way around – does engagement in video games stimulate participants into engaging with higher order thinking skills?

Thirdly, the clip demonstrates the kind of knowledge base that gamers develop – how to get the Sword of Azeroth. While acknowledging that the strategy, team building and problem solving skills involved in achieving this goal are essential in the 21^st century (one only has to consult the current curriculum provided by the Queensland Studies Authority) how can this knowledge be usefully applied in the real world? In an ideal world video games could tick the boxes for QSA  curriculum content and still retain their interest for teenagers.

Finally, one note on the issue of online identity. Amusingly, Sheldon states “I am no longer Sheldon, I am the swordmaster”. The swordmaster is a ‘rogue knight elf’ ruthlessly opportunistic, immediately attempting to take advantage of his victory by selling the prize on eBay. The character of Sheldon is not as ruthless as his online persona. The ethical educator would not want to encourage students to participate in online activities in such a way that their own personality is squashed. In one jurisdiction’s recent implementation of the 1:1 laptop scheme, rules around online identities were clearly identified.

Reference:
Mitchell, A. & Savill-Smith, C. (2004). The use of computer and video games for learning: A review of the literature. Retrieved 18 October, 2010, from http://gmedia.glos.ac.uk/docs/books/computergames4learning.pdf

And here is the news….

by Margaret McKay-Lowndes
BBC News (Education) 2010 Video games stimulate learning available http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/1879019.stm#map accessed 3 October 2010

This news article stimulates thinking about a few roadblocks in the “education + video game” debate: mapping video games with the school curriculum; credibility; and the commercialisation of education. Furthermore, the list of researched games provided, invites speculation about which games might be played locally? Is there a participation gap (Jenkins, 2006) around video games? Therefore, how useful are video games in engaging all students in a classroom?


Earlier, a blog entry identified the problem of mapping video games with the school curriculum. Knowledge of facts is still a large part of assessment strategy, however, the choice of vehicle by which knowledge is gained allows for some flexibility. Therefore, students could gain knowledge about business studies and indeed, ethics, for example, from the game RollerCoasterTycoon, especially with teacher guidance.  As the article identifies, the choice of game is key when considering using video games in the classroom. Credibility could easily be comprised if poor game choice is permitted.
Imagine a teacher suggesting that some of the more graphic games could enhance learning? Against a background in which a back-to-basics approach is valued, exemplified by the execution of the NAPLAN, parental outrage would be likely, undermining the educational credibility that schools crave.


The commercial aspect of video games is also a concern. A recent discussion with a salesman from the local games store highlighted that video games marketers would rub their hands with glee, if they could have access to the education market. However, some would argue that this is no different to textbook publishers making a living from the needs of schools.


The list of games provided by the article stimulated some rudimentary local research. A teacher was inspired to ask 180 Year 8 and 9 students (12-15 year olds) whether they played the games listed by the BBC article, and to specify which games they were in the habit of playing. Overwhelmingly, the majority of students reported that they didn’t play video games, while a small cache of students admitted to playing Halo, World of Warcraft and Call of Duty. In some cases, the reported time devoted to these games was a little alarming. Although this research was conducted at a very simple level, it indicates a participation gap (Jenkins, 2006) –  therefore would video games engage all students, or just those who are familiar with them?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/1879019.stm#map

Why teachers should bother about video games

As some educational authorities such as Education Queensland and Learning Teaching Scotland are experimenting with the effectiveness of incorporating video games into classrooms the question of why becomes more important for teachers to understand (Williamson, 2009).  Why is it imperative to include video games in the classroom when teachers on the whole are not highly engaged in this technology and  why should this technology be accessed in classrooms when there are so many negative associations with video?   With such perceptions in the wider community fuelled by sensational news coverage and stereotyping of adolescent game players it is vital for education authorities and teachers to be very clear in their understanding and make a compelling case as to why video games can deliver significant and unique learning outcomes and why educators should bother with them. 

Loh  (2009) states that “… nearly all (99% of boys and 97% of girls) teenagers report playing video games regularly as a preferred pastime” (p.1).  The figures in the UK also suggest that although not all children play video games it is a significant culture activity for youth (Williamson, 2009).  If one is to accept many of their students are engaged with this technology and it indeed is part of popular culture does this alone make it necessary to teach video games in schools?  Buckingham and Burn (2007) argue that high participation rate requires games to be studied critically and this is best done by students being involved in creating games.   One could argue quite correctly for teaching critical literacy under the auspices of English or Media Studies however some scholars would posit that video games hold much greater possibilities than just text to be understood through critical evaluation. 

James Paul Gee (2008) proposes that good video games are a powerful learning medium and need to be understood by teachers because they integrate good learning doctrine and have much to teach us about learning.   Gee explains that we learn through experience which we use to run simulations that prepare us for “problem solving in new situations”, however certain conditions must be met in order for effective learning to occur (p. 21).    Gee argues that it is these conditions, namely, specific goals, immediate feedback, opportunities to practice, interpretation through action and learning from peers and experts, all found in video games, that make them powerful learning experiences.   In games this learning occurs within a social setting with particular cultural currency and gives learners points of reference in which to make sense of their experience.  If good games incorporate these learning features and afford the player such experiences then they become a powerful learning tool.   Katie Salen (2008) explains that the phenomena of learning about games must take place whilst involved in the playing of the games.  Teachers therefore need to at the very least, play games in order to externalise and deepen understanding of the elements of human thinking and effective learning and use the experiences to  reflect on applying these learning theories in classrooms (Gee, 2007; VanEck, 2007). 

Gee (2008) explains that when playing video games players are placed within a “situated learning matrix”, the very game itself, which allows players to take on an identity which permits “a way of being in the world” (p.24).   It gives opportunities for players to draw resources from authentic communities and their related practices and to inhabit worlds that would not be accessible in any other way (Shaffer, Squire, Halverson & Gee, 2005).  Games then are a powerful tool for our learners as it allows for alternative perspectives to be experienced and hence teach the thinking that is needed to tackle problems within specific domains.  Teachers have been using simulations and role plays effectively within classrooms as learning tools but good video games employ production values and technology with particular content and context that help to make the experience much more authentic.

                                                                                                                            

Video games incorporate models to assist with the games in the form of maps and plans and provide modelling through avatars that hold some of the knowledge that is necessary for the game (Gee, 2008).   In learning theory, models and modelling are a recognised form of knowledge  building as they allow for thinking to make the concrete more abstract and allow for generalisations to be formulated (Gee, 2008).   This ability to generalise allows for knowledge to be transferred and is evidence of learning.   Transfer cannot be taught by a set of rules but rather develops through continual exposure in a number of different contexts over a long period of time (Van Eck, 2007).    Video games allow for this exposure in a variety of domains and as such are powerful learning tools that should be harnessed within our classroom context (Jenkins, 2005).   Teacher should be concerned with planning many and varied experiences that help students make connections that illuminate and make sense of their world and their experiences within it.  They should be concerned with helping students with metacognition and video games provide one powerful tool for teachers to do this. 

Distributed knowledge is promoted when playing video games (Gee, 2008).  This is concerned with integrating an individual’s knowledge with tools or others’ knowledge which, when combined, allows the individual to “act smarter” than if the knowledge building was solely an individual endeavour.  This could be the very description of the 21^st century work place where an ability to work in multi-disciplinary teams, using the available technology to solve problems creatively is the model that will be valued (Sebastian Loh, 2009).  Video games promote this by the tools that are available within the game and the communities that build up around the game.  This facility can help to give currency to the experiences within a classroom. This coupled with the deep engagement by players, due to a perceived lower risk of failure, and the pleasurable competitiveness experienced when playing games, at least positions games as an avenue worth investigating for educators (Jenkins, 2005; Gee, 2008).  

Students today live in a technological age that allows the individual to experience the world in new ways.   Educators need to harness that technology, rethink practice and provide experiences that students need to engage in the rapidly changing environment.  Good video games might just be one way that this might begin to happen in the classroom. 

Transformational Practice for Moira

We are educating our students to live and work in a world that is more and more dependent on technology.  These technologies are the tools that our students will manipulate in order to engage with knowledge and the world of work.  Jenkins describes this as a “participatory culture”, one in which students not only consume media but produce and create using the same medias (Jenkins, 2006).  If students are to be equipped for the 21^st century then they need to be equipped with 21^st century skills.  How do we as educators incorporate these demands in the classroom?  

Good video games allows for innovative pedagogy in the classroom.  We could argue for their use as a means of teaching necessary technological skills that students will need in the world today.  These games are highly engaging allowing students to practice these skills in a variety of situations.   Some games also offer the opportunity for students to engage with specific content that is needed to build deeper understanding in particular subject areas.   But even more than these obvious uses of games in the classroom they encapsulate good learning theories and playing and using games offers teachers access to this (Gee, 2007).    

Incorporating video games in the classroom would be challenging for me as I have very little experience with this technology and have discovered that I do not possess the necessary skills to play even quite simple games adequately.  This would need to be the first thing that I focus on.  I need to play games in order to develop skills that would at least give me the opportunity to understand how games are constructed, their complexity and the learning opportunities that games afford.   To fully understand games potential I must first begin to become literate in games by playing and using the hardware and software associated with video games.  I also need to engage with the huge variety of genres to fully realise the potential.  It is this knowledge that will allow me to reflect on the opportunities that video games allow and to plan for effective use within the classroom setting.   

However I can begin to use games in limited way in my classroom whilst developing these literacies. Whilst understanding that games possess greater potential other than just as novelty for pupils, I would begin with using my expertise.  My expertise as a classroom teacher is designing teaching and learning opportunities to meet the needs of my students.    Using current teaching units I would look at games resources that are available and incorporate these as a way for students to learn necessary content.  An example of this would be the ABC Catchment Detox game whilst completing a unit on Human Impacts on Healthy Waterways.   In order for students to socially construct their learning these types of games can be played in groups with decisions being made collaboratively.  Keeping game journals would also allow the opportunity to reflect and compare decisions made in order to discuss the effectiveness of decisions. 

A second approach to use of games in the classroom is to use games as a text to be studied.  This would require that students were familiar with the various genres and requirements of games in order to critically assess the effectiveness.  Sights such as YoYo Games could be used as a means for students to play the various games.  To allow for the critical aspects of gaming literacy the students could review the various games that they play in order to rate them.   It would be necessary for students to be cognisant of the structure and purpose of games in order to rate them.  This would be the role of the teacher to help students to deconstruct the various components of games and decide what constitutes effective games.  This would involve developing for students a metalanguage in which to discuss games, which is the first step in critically evaluating games they experience.

A further application of games in the classroom would be challenging teachers allowing students to produce their own games in the classroom.  Developing their own games allows for students to develop greater understanding of content and deepens metacognition (Dipietor, Ferdig, Boyer and Black , 2007).  Many games provide software for students to create their own games and there are many web based sites which also afford students this opportunity such as YoYo Games.  Sebastian Loh (2009) makes the argument for teachers to use modding as a means of producing serious games using educational concepts that are to be taught.  These skills would be part of the literacies that I as a teacher would individually build around games. 

Mentoring has always been an effective form of learning and I would actively seek mentors who are already using video games in the classroom.  The OZ_TL listserv would be an excellent way to make contact with those teachers who are already using video games in the classroom and use their models of engagement as a starting point for a novice like myself.  This would also result in the sharing of online resources that are available to teachers as inspiration for further use.   Web sites such as Top 100 technology blogs for teachers are a good starting place. 

Gaming to learn

This article is from the Times of India looking at a couple of perspectives on whether video games can become a part of the school curriculum.  Initially this article describes current teaching practices in India to be only fit to produce factory workers. Poor India if this is the case! I have no personal experience with India’s education system but I don’t have quite the same dramatic opinion of Australia’s educational system. There is definitely room for improvement in the adoption of innovative teaching technologies here but a lot of teachers that I have come across are trying to design student centred, higher order thinking learning experiences for their students.

The article goes on to explain how video games are excellent learning tools that promote creative, thinking learning and improve comprehension, reaction time also providing students with the ability to handle failures and enhance intelligence.  Gee (2004) agrees and recognises that video games can provide powerful learning environments. I definitely see the potential for using video games in learning contrary to my limited experience with them. Yet this quote from the article “when will people realise that learning has to happen entirely from experiences in real life scenarios” (facilitated by video games) (Paul, 2010) made me wonder if there can’t be a balance of traditional and digital educational mediums. I agree that real world connections and authentic experiences consolidate deep learning but I still think that there is a place for traditional mediums and that they can successfully coexist with digital media and video games in an educational setting.  

Van Eck (2006) explains how today’s ‘digital natives’ have become disengaged with traditional instruction. If in the future video games and digital media are the only ways that children will be able to process knowledge successfully and learn are we doing our jobs as educators to equip them with skills they need to learn in a variety of environments and situations?  Does this mean students in the future won't be able to learn from the ‘boring old’ book?

Golda Mangan

Some Interesting News!

Check out this article.  
Is this the way of the future for education?  Can we envisage schools that so comprehensively plan for the challenge of our 21^st century learners?

Reading this article made me yearn for a learning institution that encapsulates so effectively the vision that the school holds for its learners.  Often schools do not clearly articulate their understanding about learners and learning and what the graduate of their institution will look like at the end of their schooling and in neglecting to do so often making decisions without the clear articulation of the most important underpinnings that should drive what is being enacted.   

The model of schooling outlined in this article not only challenges the very basis of traditional schooling but it reconfigures the very foundations of the role of school in the lives of its students.  It envisages the future and organises the school and the experiences of its learners to reflect this future.  This school is committed to preparing its learners for the 21^st century and does so by using 21^st century technology, specifically video games.   It not only encourages children to engage with this technology, it structures its learning to take advantage of what and how games can teach them. 

Such a school is not for the faint hearted.  It challenges to the very core our model of schooling, employing experts in game design to reconfigure the curriculum to reflect the essence of video games.  It is interesting to note that the educational authorities do not believe that the true value of this learning will be evident until standardise tests (a measure of the authorities effectiveness) are changed to reflect the “higher order” thinking skills.  The fact that the New York school authorities are in the process of enacting these changes points to a shift in what and how education needs to be delivered at least in this precinct. 

This model requires many resources and challenges fundamental educational tenets.  There are many reasons that can be given as to why this could not work in other settings however it is exciting that a future is envisaged and the educational institution is responding to this in such a creative and all encompassing manner. 

This video has James Paul Gee and David Shaffer chatting about Shaffer’s work on epistemic games. 

David Shaffer champions the development and use of epistemic games, a version of video games that allow for students to view the world from the epistemological standpoint of particular professions, that is, the way certain professionals view the world, how they use this view to solve problems and how that affects the way they view and perform in the remainder of their world (Shaffer, 2007).   

Such games in schools would allow for students to view the world in many different ways and allow for the development of an understanding of the values and beliefs that certain professions view and hence act in the world.   It would be exciting if such games could allow students to adopt a particular epistemological view and solve problems according to that view.  Imagine the ability of students to understand more deeply the knowledge that they would encounter if they understood that knowledge is value laden and they had some understanding of the value systems that informs practice. 

It would also be exciting for students if they could ”try on” different epistemological lenses when confronted with problems and understand that the choice will change the way the problem is indentified and solved.    After all isn’t this what academic endeavour is about - exploring a number of different ways in which to see the world and thinking and problem solving according to that particular view?   I remember in my training as a teacher when it came to studying philosophy it was difficult to engage with ideas in this way as I was so use to viewing the world from the view of behavioural psychology the basis for a lot of my training up until that point.  It made me realise that the epistemological viewpoint needs to be understood if deep understanding of solutions were to be understood.  Such games could provide powerful experiences for our students especially if they were attached to real world problems that students encountered. 

Golda's transformations / innovative pedagogies blog

I have only a limited experience using video games in the classroom that include using basic ‘educational’ type video games like Lexia-reading program and a couple of maths games.  During these times I have noticed that most students are eager to use these resources and for the most part are highly engaged in the activity.  On the flip side I did observe some students becoming frustrated and then not wanting to participate.  This I believe stemmed from their inability to use the game correctly and not understanding the objectives or rules of the game.  This reinforces my thinking that as fun and engaging as video games seem to students if we are to use them in an educational environment like any other resource or framework they need to be tailored to a broad range of students needs and have a high level of instructional support present for students to gain any educational advantage from it. 

I am excited to move up from my current level of experience and incorporate new ways of using video games in education.  From the perspective of a teacher librarian/classroom teacher I can see lots of potentially good avenues to explore this type of technology. There are two basic approaches designing new games or implementing existing games. I have seen a wide variety of games available out there on the Web to support learning in a very authentic way.  Also I think that a really rewarding experience is having students design and create their own computer games which would explore their creativity and knowledge on a range of topics.  A teacher librarian working closely with the classroom teacher could integrate video games and game making activities with a current unit as apposed to a separate, stand alone unit.  This would give the students a greater sense of purpose for the activity and clear learning objectives to keep them engaged and on task.  For example a game could be created in conjunction to a topic such as sustainability incorporating a variety of KLA’s such as Mathematics, SOSE, English, Arts, Science and Technology. 

Schools need a reliable network of computers with the capability to run these programs making it a potentially nail bitting and frustrating endeavour.  I‘m sure every educator has had experiences with technology in their classroom where there were glitches in the system, slow internet speed etc etc… So getting teachers to agree to use these technologies as apposed to a more reliable method might be tricky.  Convincing the teachers and wider school community that video game use and creation can be a valuable tool in education will be an important role for a teacher librarian to undertake.  I feel it will be important for me to provide professional development and support in the area of incorporating video games into the curriculum.  Introducing current games that have a wide spread capability to support a unit or a topic will be important to provoke enthusiasm and interest in this medium. I have included a video clip in the blog that I think would be a good resource to introduce the idea of video game learning to my colleagues.

Using a game such as PowerUp  or City Rain  which can be used in conjunction with the sustainability unit which would be a good start to initially introduce students to the way video games can fit in with their learning.  These games are motivating, engaging and contain that ‘fun’ element.  PowerUp asks players to save an imaginary planet Helios from ecological destruction by carrying out missions to supply solar, wind, and water power. Cityrain asks the player to reconstruct cities making them eco friendly before the world environment protection agency fines them.  It could be used both as a consolidation of learning tool and/or used throughout the unit successfully.  There are lots of other games available on the Web that can fit into a variety of topics for teachers to try out.

In another respect designing and creating a game to fit a certain unit or topic can be just as motivating and engaging.  I am eager to give this a try even though the thought slightly scares me in relation to my capabilities.  I initially aim to start small with simple achievable design tasks to get the ball rolling and build from there. A couple of free software downloads that I have come across seem to be able to deliver 3D game making capabilities. One of these software programs is Sandbox 3D game maker available free with plenty of support tutorials on how to develop you game and manipulate your landscape.  I would start with a program like this with the older students and then integrate it into younger grades.  Considering the sustainability unit students could make there own sustainability adventure game either in groups or as individuals.  I will be eager and excited to see what the students and teachers are able to produce and how it affects their learning. Also it will be interesting to see what problems they/we will encounter and how we resolve them to really tailor these learning experiences to our needs.

 

Golda Mangan

Do Students want video games in the classroom?

We have all seen the popularity of video games amongst youth and realise that it is an important part of youth culture but can this popularity transcend into the classroom in terms of learning?   A study undertaken in Belgium with 858 Flemish secondary school children was designed to study students’ perceptions of video game use in the classroom. Do students want video games in the classroom and what are the key factors that contribute to students wanting to use video games in their learning? Can student acceptance of video games in the classroom be taken for granted?

Whether video games are useful in a learning environment is a growing area of study and debate and research data is still quite limited.  Most research papers released focus on the benefits of their use in classrooms highlighting their ability to increase student motivation, problem solving skills etc… Yet little study has been done of students’ perspectives and willingness to use them as a learning tool in the classroom.  Bourgonjon et al (2010) regard students as important actors in the e-learning adoption processes hence it is important to engage in these types of studies that focus on student perspectives.  I feel this is valuable as without student motivation engagement and learning will be negligible. The main findings of this study (Bourgonjon et al, 2010) indicate that what influenced students’ preference to use video games in the classroom was:

·   usefulness of the video game

·   video game’s ease of use

·   learning opportunities the video game afforded

·   personal experience with video games in general

These findings indicate that students don’t just automatically accept video games as learning tools in the classroom.  Students prefer a game with the above qualities before they would deem it valuable to their own learning.  Do these findings challenge views and assumptions that digital game based learning in any form is going to be beneficial and motivational to all students of this generation?

This current generation dubbed as the ‘net generation’ or ‘digital natives’ is regarded as being different to any other generation before  supposedly influenced by this generation growing up never experiencing a world without ICT (Bourgonjon et al, 2010). This has lead to stereotypical assumptions being made that all members of this generation have grown up immersed in digital media and games.  This is not always the case from my experience I have encountered many children who are not regular users of ICTs and have only limited exposure at school. The study emphasises that all students can’t be put into one homogenous group of video game users as there are large differences in video game consumption (Bourgonjon et al, 2010).

A major finding in the study was that the experience that students had with video games affected their preference and engagement with video games in the classroom.  The students with limited experience proved more resistance to using video games resulting in the more experienced users benefitting more from the use of video games (Bourgonjon et al, 2010).   Jenkins (2006) identifies a ‘participation gap’ in relation to participatory culture were unequal access to experiences and opportunities with digital media including video games can stunt the growth of youth to engage in full participation in the world of tomorrow.  The interaction that students have with media in this case video games will take on the roll of a ‘hidden curriculum’ that as Jenkins (2006) suggests could be the difference between youth succeeding  and being left behind in school and the workforce.  Educators will need to consider if the lack of experience of some of their students will alienate them and if so come up with ways that they can compensate for this.  With this in mind educators should focus on giving all of their students’ opportunities to explore and become confident with using these medias in order for them to be effective tools in the classroom.

Can another reason for some resistance be the whole idea of video games as just recreational equipment designed for play?  Students can hold a false belief that play is incompatible with learning and therefore video games couldn’t be learning tools (Bourgonjon et al, 2010).  The element of play that video games can provide is an important tool for learning that shouldn’t be disregarded, it can be a crucial method of testing ideas, developing new skills and participating in new social roles (Robertson & Howells, 2008). I feel that educators can address these false ideas and support a play base framework by always introducing video games into the classroom not just as ‘fun’ activities but with clearly defined learning objectives.

If educators want to successfully use video games as learning tools first they need to select quality video games that have a strong purpose and usefulness.  There needs to be a harmony between the pedagogy and engagement with the resource to make it an effective learning device (Van Eck 2006).  I feel that video games just for video games sake would be a waste of time educationally without well defined learning opportunities. Robertson & Howells (2008) agrees and states that games in isolation are not effective and they need to be used in conjunction with other instructional support. The study suggested:

·   Lesson time dedicated to video game literacy

·   Literacy in media education lessons ( enhance level of confidence to use games)  

·   Comparing videogames with other media

·   Studying the content of video games

·   Designing very own game (Bourgonjon et al, 2010)

Yes, according to the study, the majority of students would like to use video games in the classroom yet the notion of play just for fun and play associated for learning needs to be identified.  It is also important that the video games selected by educators can be aligned with criteria of usefulness, ease of use and clear defined learning objectives.  Student experience needs to be taken in to account and strategies ought to be implemented to encourage and support the students that are resistant because of this.  A focus on instructional lessons with a high level of technical support will keep the students engaged and motivated. But the success of students perceiving video games as learning tools relies heavily on whether educators take video games as learning tools seriously and carefully plan and implement them to compliment their learning needs or have them just in the room as a fun activity with no real links to learning objectives.


Golda Mangan.

Video games in education - approach with caution

Video Games in Education – Approach with caution
by Margaret McKay-Lowndes

In the 1990s (answers.com, 2010), we called it the information super highway. Twenty years on, the highway has seen many improvements, additions, embellishments, re-surfacing and streamlining as well as an increase in traffic too voluminous to measure. And so we have arrived at video games for education. While some educators are keen to increase the speed limit to get there faster, others would advise us to approach with caution, as work is very much still in progress. There are many roadblocks which need to be overcome, as well as many incentives to arrive successfully at the desired destination – young people’s engagement in learning. These roadblocks and incentives are detailed very thoroughly in the report by Futurelab (Williamson, 2009) who identifies ‘four big ideas in games and learning’. The four big ideas make the argument for games in learning very compelling.  As the Futurelab report is based upon statistics from the UK there is a need for similar statistics to be documented in Australia. However, given that video games in education are seemingly desirable, given the number of educators worldwide who advocate for them (Education Queensland, 2010), what are the issues around equity of access of young people to video games? If games are contributing to higher order thinking skills and 21^st century competencies, then libraries must have a role in providing access for everyone to these games, just as the library has always had a role in providing access to books.


Because providing equity of access to cultural forms which promote literacy and learning has been a traditional role of libraries (Boyce, 2006) how might the school library contribute to young people’s equity of access to video games? As an adjunct to this, if school libraries are to be one of the on-ramps by which video games in education are added to the information superhighway, it would be interesting to discover if the playing of video games contributes to a student’s literacy in the traditional spheres of reading and writing; and the impact of playing video games on students with special learning needs. One final consideration is the impact inclusion of video games in the school library would impact on library practices – clearly there would be a need to develop a collection policy around video games, and answer potential parental concerns around the playing of video games. Just as school libraries have always had policies in place to deal with challenges to particular books being included in the collection, policies would need to be extended to include video games. As well, video games might be the subject of more rigorous assessment than books, in terms of violent content, given that video games are a graphic medium.


One recent experience highlights this latter point. Toward the end of last year, students started to bring the game Urban Terror to school on their memory sticks to play in the library at lunchtime. Hordes of 13, 14 and 15 year old boys would skip lunch and rush to the library hoping to secure a computer. It was observed that the social relationships among these students was enhanced by this practice, not to mention their collaborative and team playing skills (and their ability to conceal their activity from supervisory eyes). This practice, far from dying out as was expected, became extremely popular and excited debate among staff about the suitability of the game; issues around licensing arrangements; and possible parental concern. This in turn, raised issues of censorship – who has the right to say which games should be played and which shouldn’t? As the game was being brought to school by the students, one could reasonably assume that it was condoned by some but perhaps not all, parents. In the end it was decided that as the game had a strong component of violence, it was not suitable to be played at school.


In retrospect, rather than banning the game outright, some capital could have been made from this incident. If Urban Terror could have been replaced by something with more 'educational' content, the concerns around violence would have been allayed, with potentially a very positive outcome. For example, it is asserted by its marketeers (Microsoft Game Studios, 2010) that  Age of Empires is a real-time strategy game based on historical contexts and geographical settings. Wikipedia offers more information – that the game’s historical information is not always accurate (nor does it purport to be) and that the geographical settings are ‘loosely’ based on real settings.


Contrast this with the current Queensland Studies of Society and Environment criteria for assessment in Year 9 (The “Assessable elements") where extensive knowledge of facts is listed as a criteria for achieving an A standard. Obviously one of the main problems with using video games in education is the potential for confusion over what is true, and what has been invented for the sake of making the game more interesting. Education Queensland (2010) states “Purposefully selected games blended with carefully constructed learning experiences can be used to improve student learning outcomes.” Clearly, there is a need to approach with caution, temper the enthusiasm with wise words, and hope that young people listen well enough to emerge with accurate knowledge about world history.


Another side of the video games debate emerges logically from the above point – what of the game player who doesn’t have access to a teacher or education system which will ‘set the record straight’ about the accuracy of the version of history with which he/she is engaged when playing Age of Empires? Here, another side of the video games in education debate emerges – that of the need for critical literacy skills around video games, especially if they are extensively accessed by youth in a community.  The Futurelab report which has prompted these thoughts includes as one of its four ‘big ideas, the need to students to be equipped with media literacy skills to understand the cultural phenomenon of video games.