Do Video Games Really Teach?
And other important research.
Research increasingly proves that games do offer significant and effective learning opportunities for learners of all ages. Endorsements for this methodology continue to grow:
National Education Association
"The potential (of video games for education) is enormous."
Source: CNN.com
Federation of American Scientists
"Video games can reshape education. (It's the) the next great discovery, a way to captivate students so much they will spend hours learning on their own."
Source: CNN.com
How video games can make you smarter
Excerpts
Critics often accuse video games of making players lazy, inept and socially awkward. Contrary to popular belief, though, many build, not burn brain cells by requiring extensive problem solving, teamwork and dynamic decision-making skills. Also capable of building players' confidence and helping them see the world from multiple viewpoints, games can be powerful learning tools.
According to Dr. Jeffrey Taekman, the director of Duke University's Human Simulation and Patient Safety Center, "serious games and virtual environments are the future of education."[Simulations] offer the abilities to make choices, see results and apply information immediately. "The traditional textbook will soon become passé," he suggests. "Gaming platforms will offer an interactive way for students to learn and apply information in context."
Businesses and universities are increasingly turning to interactive simulations and virtual worlds as training tools to educate employees.
Source: CNN.com
R. Blunt
A causal-comparative study was conducted at DeVry University to examine the difference in academic achievement between students who did and did not use video games in learning. Over 2,000 students participated in three courses: 1st Year Business, 3rd Year Economics, and 3rd Year Management. Half of the students played a video game as part of the curriculum for two hours every two weeks. The other half did not. Identical testing situations were used and final exam scores where compared. Students in classes using the game scored significantly higher means than classes that did not. There were no significant differences between genders, yet both genders scored significantly higher with game play. There were no significant differences between ethnicities, yet all ethnic groups scored significantly higher with game play.
Source: R. Blunt
IBM
Virtual Worlds, gaming environments, and 3D Internet were identified as one of the top 10 advanced research technologies of over 46,000 explored during the IBM Global InnovationJam. More than 150,000 people from 104 countries participated in the world's largest online brainstorming session.
Source: IBM
"Success will depend on how you play the game — literally."
Source: IBM Global Innovation Outlook
Gartner
"A quiet revolution has been occurring inside leading enterprises worldwide. For mission-critical jobs (high skill or high turnover), simulation-based learning has become a standard part of an enterprise's operating model and a competitive differentiator."
Source: Gartner 2006 Global Research Meeting
"Games can transform learning into a more-engaging and dynamic process, enhancing people's work performance and driving business results.
"Academic research and on-the-job experience have demonstrated that when students learn by experience, their understanding and retention are higher. Highly immersible learning techniques (such as simulation, virtual reality interfaces and role playing) enable students to do just that."
Source: Gartner Research
BBC News and Teachers Evaluating Educational Multimedia (Teem)
BBC News reports that "Video Games Stimulate Learning" according to the Games in Education report published by Teem. The report studied the habits of 700 children aged seven to 16, and concluded that simulation and adventure games developed children's strategic thinking and planning skills. Parents and teachers also thought their children's mathematics, reading and spelling improved.
Source: BBC News and Teem
MediaSpark
"Over the years, technology advancements have changed where and when we learn but not how well we learn — until now. Educational games and simulations will revolutionize education more in the next 10 years than anything else has in the past 100. Soon, all learning, whether classroom or Internet-based, will include a game or simulation component that enables the learner to apply their knowledge in a way never before possible. This will impact people of all ages, cultures, and geographies."
Read Gamification - what it is and what it means for you.
Source: Mathew Georghiou, Founder and CEO,
MediaSpark — Producers of GoVenture
US National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE)
NASBE recommends financial and investor education be adopted throughout K-12 schools. Key excerpts from the Who Will Own Our Children report and news release:
"Americans do not have the knowledge and skills to properly manage their finances even as more fiscal control — and risk — is being shifted onto them.—' This fundamental disconnect is putting the economic security of families and the country at grave risk, and is prompting a national call for states to establish financial education as a core academic subject in all grades — from Kindergarten through graduation — by the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE).
"[The] financial future of today's high school/college generation has never been more insecure. In a world in which fierce global competition and terrorism grab many of the headlines, the answer to the question of 'Who will own our children?' may actually present the greatest single national security challenge to the nation. State boards of education, with responsibility for establishing curriculum standards and guidance, hold one of the keys to determining our children's — and ultimately, the nation's — financial future."
Source: NASBE
And More ...
A variety of research is being conducted around the world to demonstrate the highly effective and engaging learning experiences that can be delivered through educational games and simulations. Many believe that this methodology is revolutionizing education and training.
A simple explanation of why games and simulations provide powerful learning opportunities 