Conduct a Google Search for “educational computer games” and no less than 27.7 million entries appear.
Are all of these educational? Who decides? Is a game that teaches a child how to manipulate a mouse considered educational? This debate has as many answers as the Google search engine has links. Educational games are activities that teach people something; a concept, an understanding, a skill. They are not new, even if the format is. For example, growing up we played the board game Monopoly. Today you can play the same game…on the computer. Does it suddenly become more educational because its on the computer, or does it become more isolating because no one else needs to be there in order for you to play?
When deciding if a computer game is educational it is important to look at the reason for the game. Is it solely to entertain the user? Is it teaching the user a concept or skill, or is it reinforcing problem solving and critical thinking in a new format?
Since there are literally thousands of titles available selecting educational computer games takes work on the part of the adult in charge. It is important to keep in mind what the overlying goal is: are you looking to teach a concept or skill or simply to occupy a student during some spare time?
The following are some examples of games I have found to have educational value.
Big Brain Academy for Wii
The Oregon Trail
Quest Atlantis
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Nicole those are great examples, I really enjoy Big Brain. Your points on who or what decides of something is educational are valid. I think that if you are trying to teach a kid how to click a mouse properly then any computer game might be ok. However there are many other ways to teach mouse use. I think there are many websites and computer games that have great educational value. But like anything else if its used improperly then they will not be very effective.
ReplyDeleteGood point. We can all argue that Jenga and Monopoly teach strategy, focus, and ofcourse good sportsmanship. But these would be EXTRA-curricular games and not meant to teach curriculum within itself. I agree with you that we should be honest about the purpose of the playing the game in advance, as opposed to smacking the "its educational" label on it afterward.
ReplyDeleteGood post!
-Lindsay
I went back and forth on this one. I enjoyed your point about looking at the games we used to play and how we play the sames one now just at a different venue. We do need to identify our goals before we begin computer games but really that's no different than what we do....or are supposed to do with any lesson we teach. It's interesting though, all of the speculation that is out there now when it comes to technology. I hear many teachers say they want to "get back to the basics". I think our kids are anything but basic and we need to follow their lead to some extent.
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