"digital games: what teachers should know"
A digital game is an interactive computer game originally designed for entertainment, and now includes games for educating. Digital games for learning (also known as serious games) are web-based games that have been designed with educational rather than entertainment goals in mind (Malloy et al., 2014). The term originated in 2006 when the Federation of American Scientists convened a Summit on Educational Games. (Malloy et al., 2014). Digital games can be broken down into three categories: entertainment games that are played for fun, edutainment games that are fun but also have an educational value, and educational games that are more focused on an educational objective. Educational games promote higher levels of learning by immersing game players in more complex situations in which problems must be solved using inquiry methods and imaginative thinking (Malloy et al., 2014).
The advantage of using digital games to educate students is that they hold the attention of the student and can make learning fun. Robert Appleman, a professor doing empirical research on game play at the Indiana University School of Education, says “That’s why we are studying games, it’s because want to be able to give [students] content assignments where [they] are playing a game and having just as much fun learning as [they] are [when] playing a game” (Indiana University, 2015). Most students do not like homework. [Students] say when they are playing a game it’s fun, but when we give [them] homework it’s not fun (Indiana University, 2015). Why not connect the games children play at home with the work they are doing in school? A teacher could talk about a game that both the student and teacher are familiar with, then discuss the educational aspects of the game. “This is the principle you were working with … go back and play the game some more. See if you play better knowing the mathematical principles.” That sense of moving the game playing at home back to the discussion in the classroom allows you to begin to integrate a math game into the teaching of mathematics (PBS.2010). Some believe there are also drawbacks to using games for educating. The problem is, if you do too much of that kinda thing and a student thinks every activity he does, when he learns math or history or science has got to be fun. The problem is, the real world doesn’t work that way. (PBS.2010).
Trial and error learning is when you try different ways to do something until you succeed or stop trying. Thomas Edison and the light bulb is probably the most commonly known example of this. Often with digital games, the player uses this tactic to figure out how to navigate through the levels of the game. “Give me something to play with. I’ll try it, I’ll die, I’ll fail …, but I’m going to learn and I’m going to understand. Actually, I’m going to have a broader knowledge by feeling and by trying out what works” (Indiana University. 2015).
The age of new technology including the use of gaming is quickly moving into the classroom. There are less and less schools that are not trying to fully integrate it into their curriculum. Secretary of Education Arne Dunkin commented, “If we can deliver, not just entertainment, but knowledge and content and a love of learning though these games, why wouldn’t we embrace that?” (PBS.2010).
References
Indiana University. (2015, January 1). Gaming in education. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rafVQgiXoI
Maloy, R. W., Verock-O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S. A., & Woolf, B. P. (2014). Transforming learning with new technologies. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
PBS (2010). Learning how to educate children for the digital age. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/digitalnation/learning/games-that-teach/ (Links to an external site.) (Links to an external site.)
The advantage of using digital games to educate students is that they hold the attention of the student and can make learning fun. Robert Appleman, a professor doing empirical research on game play at the Indiana University School of Education, says “That’s why we are studying games, it’s because want to be able to give [students] content assignments where [they] are playing a game and having just as much fun learning as [they] are [when] playing a game” (Indiana University, 2015). Most students do not like homework. [Students] say when they are playing a game it’s fun, but when we give [them] homework it’s not fun (Indiana University, 2015). Why not connect the games children play at home with the work they are doing in school? A teacher could talk about a game that both the student and teacher are familiar with, then discuss the educational aspects of the game. “This is the principle you were working with … go back and play the game some more. See if you play better knowing the mathematical principles.” That sense of moving the game playing at home back to the discussion in the classroom allows you to begin to integrate a math game into the teaching of mathematics (PBS.2010). Some believe there are also drawbacks to using games for educating. The problem is, if you do too much of that kinda thing and a student thinks every activity he does, when he learns math or history or science has got to be fun. The problem is, the real world doesn’t work that way. (PBS.2010).
Trial and error learning is when you try different ways to do something until you succeed or stop trying. Thomas Edison and the light bulb is probably the most commonly known example of this. Often with digital games, the player uses this tactic to figure out how to navigate through the levels of the game. “Give me something to play with. I’ll try it, I’ll die, I’ll fail …, but I’m going to learn and I’m going to understand. Actually, I’m going to have a broader knowledge by feeling and by trying out what works” (Indiana University. 2015).
The age of new technology including the use of gaming is quickly moving into the classroom. There are less and less schools that are not trying to fully integrate it into their curriculum. Secretary of Education Arne Dunkin commented, “If we can deliver, not just entertainment, but knowledge and content and a love of learning though these games, why wouldn’t we embrace that?” (PBS.2010).
References
Indiana University. (2015, January 1). Gaming in education. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rafVQgiXoI
Maloy, R. W., Verock-O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S. A., & Woolf, B. P. (2014). Transforming learning with new technologies. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
PBS (2010). Learning how to educate children for the digital age. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/digitalnation/learning/games-that-teach/ (Links to an external site.) (Links to an external site.)
"sites for digital games"
FUNBRAIN
Funbrain has a lot of different educational games to play. On the homepage you have the choice of Games, Books, or More Fun. The games area breaks down into five areas: Math Arcade, Reading, Fun Arcade, Reading, and All Games. Pretty much every game that I played was primarily educational. Most are fun, using a lot of color and animal characters. There are fun games that children would not know they are learning having to do with physics, like having to tilt a canon to get the correct trajectory. Some of the games were not very fun because they were mainly exercises, like choose the correct word to fill complete the sentence.
The site is for elementary school level students. When you go into the math arcade you are asked what you grade level is. I cannot tell if this information id always used to provide a difficulty level.
This site is primarily an EDUTAIN site. The primary focus is on having fun while learning at the same time. It seems that had I coordination in many of the games is more important to moving forward than knowing the answer._
UTAH EDUCATION NETWORK
This is a site that links a child to educational games sites all over the web, like Edhead, Cyberchase, and Kids Numbers. You begin by choosing from three grade areas: K-12, 3-6, and 7-12. Once you have chosen a grade area, you have a choice of subjects like Math, Language Arts, and Science. In the subject area you can choose a specific grade and topic. The math area breaks down into four areas: Basic math, Algebra, Fractions, and Measurement. I like this site because it allows the user to pinpoint specific areas like graphs or measurements.
This site is for all students K-12.
The types of games and activities vary greatly from mostly fun to a site that asks basic math equations and donates grains of rice for every correct answer. Because you have the ability to get into specific areas like graphs or measurements, I am going to say the main purpose of this site is to EDUCATE.
BRAIN POP GAMEUP
This is part of the Brain Pop website that focuses on educational games. There are six sites: Science, Math, Social Studies, Health, English, and Engineering and Tech. This website is probably one of the best educational sites. Everything from the quality of the graphics to the design of the games it is top notch. Users of all ages will enjoy this site.
You cannot chose a specific grade level, but it looks like there are games for kids in grades 1-6.
Most all of the games appear to have some educational value. I did play one that seemed to be for entertainment only. Because of this I see this site as primarily being developed to EDUTAIN.
YAHOO GAMES
This is a good site for playing entertaining games. It has something for everyone, from card games to arcade and action games.. There are fantasy strategy games like “Rise of Mythos” and sports games like “Goal Line Blitz” As far as I can tell the games are free and seem to be well designed.
There are games for elementary school kids through adults.
There is some, but very little educational value except the critical thinking you get in strategy games and the word knowledge you get from playing crossword puzzles. This is definitely a sire meant to ENTERTAIN.
Funbrain has a lot of different educational games to play. On the homepage you have the choice of Games, Books, or More Fun. The games area breaks down into five areas: Math Arcade, Reading, Fun Arcade, Reading, and All Games. Pretty much every game that I played was primarily educational. Most are fun, using a lot of color and animal characters. There are fun games that children would not know they are learning having to do with physics, like having to tilt a canon to get the correct trajectory. Some of the games were not very fun because they were mainly exercises, like choose the correct word to fill complete the sentence.
The site is for elementary school level students. When you go into the math arcade you are asked what you grade level is. I cannot tell if this information id always used to provide a difficulty level.
This site is primarily an EDUTAIN site. The primary focus is on having fun while learning at the same time. It seems that had I coordination in many of the games is more important to moving forward than knowing the answer._
UTAH EDUCATION NETWORK
This is a site that links a child to educational games sites all over the web, like Edhead, Cyberchase, and Kids Numbers. You begin by choosing from three grade areas: K-12, 3-6, and 7-12. Once you have chosen a grade area, you have a choice of subjects like Math, Language Arts, and Science. In the subject area you can choose a specific grade and topic. The math area breaks down into four areas: Basic math, Algebra, Fractions, and Measurement. I like this site because it allows the user to pinpoint specific areas like graphs or measurements.
This site is for all students K-12.
The types of games and activities vary greatly from mostly fun to a site that asks basic math equations and donates grains of rice for every correct answer. Because you have the ability to get into specific areas like graphs or measurements, I am going to say the main purpose of this site is to EDUCATE.
BRAIN POP GAMEUP
This is part of the Brain Pop website that focuses on educational games. There are six sites: Science, Math, Social Studies, Health, English, and Engineering and Tech. This website is probably one of the best educational sites. Everything from the quality of the graphics to the design of the games it is top notch. Users of all ages will enjoy this site.
You cannot chose a specific grade level, but it looks like there are games for kids in grades 1-6.
Most all of the games appear to have some educational value. I did play one that seemed to be for entertainment only. Because of this I see this site as primarily being developed to EDUTAIN.
YAHOO GAMES
This is a good site for playing entertaining games. It has something for everyone, from card games to arcade and action games.. There are fantasy strategy games like “Rise of Mythos” and sports games like “Goal Line Blitz” As far as I can tell the games are free and seem to be well designed.
There are games for elementary school kids through adults.
There is some, but very little educational value except the critical thinking you get in strategy games and the word knowledge you get from playing crossword puzzles. This is definitely a sire meant to ENTERTAIN.
the evaluation of an online game: ICIVICS
ICIVICS
Grade Level - 4th and UP
What You Do
All of the games appear to be produced by the same game ware company and the structure of the games and the characters is the same for all. Players pick a character to represent them in the games. The process is mainly clicking on icons or characters for instructions or movement. Most of the games are designed test your knowledge of government and civic responsibility.
What Students learn
Students learn about how the government works. Areas include The Constitution, The Bill of Rights, the three branches of the federal government, the budget, personal responsibility, and immigration.
Below is an evaluation of this game using this rubric for evaluation of online games.
Organization and Design
Layout and Design – 3
Navigation – 3
Instructional Design and Delivery
Objectives – 3
Different Learning Styles – 0
Higher Level Learning Skills – 3
Game Based Learning
Rules – 0
Goals – 3
Feedback – 3
Interaction – 3
Subject – 5
Total Score – 26
1 Criteria were rated “Exemplary”
7 Criteria were rated “Effective”
2 Two were rated “Baseline”
The game has an overall rating of baseline to Effective