Games And Informal Science Education
From Media and Informal Science Learning
More than $21 billion worth of videogames and related hardware were sold in the U.S. in 2008, up 20 percent from the previous year.[1] At those levels, interactive gaming is eclipsing theatrical motion pictures and rivaling home video as the preferred entertainment medium for tens of millions of Americans. These figures do not include the growing category of online interactive games.
While the majority of videogame sales are entertainment-focused (and more recently enhanced with "sports" activities, such as the Nintendo Wii games), for nearly two decades educational games - often in the guise of "edutainment" - have represented a sizeable sector of the videogame market. In the 1980s, games such as Math Blaster and Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego provided math and geography lessons and became part of the informal learning programs at schools that could afford the hardware (costly PCs in that era) and could devote staff to the task of overseeing videogame education projects.
During the past two decades, as videogame technology has escalated in functionality, learning games have become part of many schools' curricula. Extensive research into the value of in-school use of videogames has consistently shown that when used appropriately, the games are "effective tools for teaching complex ideas because they (a) use action instead of explanation, (b) create personal motivation and satisfaction, (c) accommodate various learning styles and skills, (d) reinforce mastery, and (e) provide interactive, decisionmaking context."[2]
Separate studies have shown that educational videogames are compatible with traditional methods of teaching in the classroom. According to Pablo Moreno-Ger, lead author of the study from Madrid's Complutense University (UCM), educational and technological aspects can go together and prove to be effective on educational platforms.[3] Video games are being used for a variety of purposes other than mere entertainment. The military uses them for training (and recruitment), surgeons use them for practicing on virtual patients, and teenagers can even battle their illness with a video game.
Scores of software publishers and independent videogame developers have flocked to the category, creating hundreds of titles--many of them aimed at enhancing math, science and technology studies. These efforts have won the support of government agencies and private industry. This year the Department of Defense has funded the distribution in ten school districts around the U.S. of interactive, educational computer games Dimension M by Tabula Digita. (See Tabula Digita profile report prepared by Gary Arlen for ILI conference March 10-11, 2009.)
For example, one military base that is using the Tabula Digita program this year is Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey. Picatinny's Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center and the Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center at Fort Monmouth have connected with 26 schools near their bases, using the Defense Department's National Defense Education Program Student Learning Modules to encourage students to enter into science and engineering fields.[4]
Similarly, Microsoft recently donated $1.5 million to start The Games for Learning Institute, a joint venture with New York University and other colleges. The goal of this research venture is to see whether videogames - and not just software specifically designed to be educational - can draw students into math, science and technology-based programs. The Institute has begun lining up middle school students for its first study.
Microsoft's project follows similar efforts to explore whether videogames can enhance education. For example, University of Wisconsin researchers have found that playing World of Warcraft can encourage scientific thinking. The researchers noticed that players used mathematics and models to deal with situations in the game's fantasy world.[5][6] David Williamson Shaffer,[7] an education science professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, says videogames could be a useful tool in helping prepare kids for the workforce. Shaffer and his team have developed a range of games that help students learn to think like engineers, urban planners, journalists, architects and other professionals.[8]
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Stand-alone versus Multiplayer Games
Among the aspects of in-school videogame usage that require more examination is the question of effectiveness of stand-alone games (i.e. games played by an individual) compared to multiplayer games in which many students take part at the same time. Each approach offers benefits and enjoyment, and some games fit more clearly into one category or the other.
Most research about the use of games for education focuses on student achievement and motivation - i.e. whether game use encourages greater understanding of, or interest in, the topic presented in the game. There has been relatively little research so far about the values of using each approach in science/math education. With the marketplace popularity of massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs), such World of Warcraft, Club Penguin and Webkinz (both of which are aimed at children), Gaia Online, and Guild Wars,[9] there is an expectation that in-school multiplayer games will be better received.
New research is needed to identify the differences in usage and success for science education delivered via either stand-alone or multiplayer formats. Each format presents several advantages and some hurdles.
Topics for Further Consideration
As we move further ahead in the use of in-school videogames for learning, several factors should be considered:
- Use of multiplayer games may require classroom or computer lab cooperation, which can tie up school resources.
- If the learning games can be played at home, there are potential problems of technology (e.g. network latency) that disadvantages some students/players.
- Multitasking activities in games (such as chats with other players) may distract some students from their primary objectives.
- Both formats (stand-alone and multiplayer) enable "user-generated content" - games or other components designed by students to further engage them in the games and to demonstrate creative opportunities in science/tech.
- Multi-player games can be designed so that students must work together (e.g. strategy, solution development) in ways that maximize the talents of each team member. This is a teaching opportunity that is not possible in stand-alone games.
Impact on Science Education
These considerations should also include identification of the types of games that are most conducive to science thinking and appreciation. This includes an understanding of how certain game mechanics succeed or fail in fostering scientific habits of mind and scientific literacy. Research should also identify whether commercial videogame providers favor the stand-alone or multiplayer format.
Overall, the games opportunity fits comfortably with the objectives of science education. The continuing role of games for in-school education will evolve as the technology and applications mature.
References
- ↑ An Industry Is Booming, but Not Just for Gamers by Seth Schiesel, New York Times, February 24, 2009
- ↑ Mansureh Kebritchi, Ph.D., Atsusi Hirumi, Ph.D. and Haiyan Bai, Ph.D. The Effects of Modern Math Computer Games on Learners' Math Achievement and Math Course Motivation in a Public High School Setting, June 2008. http://dimensionm.com/docs/UCFResearch_Brief_June_202008.pdf. These data quote findings from: Charles, D., McAlister, M. (2004). Integrating Ideas About Invisible Playgrounds from Play Theory into Online Educational Digital Games. M. Rauterberg (Ed.): ICEC 2004, LNCS 3166, pp. 598-601, and Holland, W., Jenkins, H., Squire, K. (2002). Video Game Theory. In Perron, B., andWolf, M. (Eds). Routledge. Retrieved February 15, 2006 from http://www.educationarcade.org/gtt/
- ↑ Educational video games could prove effective in classroom from Sindh Today, February 21, 2009.
- ↑ Math problems + video games = learning; Picatinny provides software for Jefferson Project, by Michael Daigle, (Morris County, NJ) Daily Record, March 2, 2009.
- ↑ Fostering scientific habits of mind in the context of online play (2006) Proceddings from the International Conference on Learning Science
- ↑ Linking education and video games, by Dave Kolpack, Associated Press, February 24, 2009.
- ↑ Author of the book How Computer Games Help Children Learn.
- ↑ Videogames and school: A perfect match? ZDNet from PC Magazine, January 12, 2007. http://gigaom.com/2007/06/13/top-ten-most-popular-mmos/
- ↑ GigaOM Top 10 Most Popular MMOs, by Blake Snow, June 13, 2007.
The original draft of this article was written by Gary Arlen, president of Arlen Communications.
