Finding Education And Fun In Video Games
Parents, students, teachers, and researchers continue to discover ways that video games increase interest and participation in learning.
Hey there! You’re listening to the Mighty Mommy with some quick and dirty tips for practical parenting.
Today’s guest author, Jayel Gibson, is going to share some information with us about video games and how we can use them to enhance our children’s education and our families’ togetherness.
“Edutainment” is a word that has frequently been used to describe computer applications designed to make learning fun. With 45 million American families reporting ownership of video game consoles in a recent study, parents and educators are beginning to take a serious look at video games and the video game generation, and to reconsider the role of video gaming within the context of a child’s education.
In video games we have a technology which allows children to examine subject matter, to explore choice and consequence, to play with complex variables, and to simulate real world situations and processes. All of this is done in an immersive and highly motivating mode of learning. It is what makes video gaming enormously valuable for enhancing a child’s learning and creativity.
One of the ways that we learn is through play. As we grow up our play becomes more complicated and we learn to think and work in new ways. When we add rules and goals, our play becomes a game. Video games can be good for the brain. They can teach us everything from math and English to art and geography. Some games are specifically developed to teach; others teach through their requirements for solving puzzles or the need to read and navigate new environments.
But, can video games really be educational? More and more people are saying yes. Parents, students, teachers, and researchers continue to discover ways that video games increase interest and participation in learning. This is particularly true when parents and kids play together.
Sometimes, parents who have never played a video game fear they will look foolish. This is the moment to allow your son or daughter to shine. Ask them to teach you. It is rare that kids have the opportunity to show off skills and train an adult. They will love it. Even the surliest teen will crack a smile when Mom or Dad spins off the track and crashes into the rail in a Grand Turismo match, or fails to beat the clock during one of Tomb Raider’s many puzzle-solving activities required to enter a new level. Whether your child is a third grader or a high school senior, there are some great opportunities to learn while having fun with video games.
Several game development companies are devoted to designing video games that help kids learn. One of them is Big Fish Games; a company started by a group from Lucas Arts (the developers of the Star Wars games). From games that teach about animal habitats and the solar system, like Wild Thornberry’s Australian Wildlife Rescue and Chicken Invaders 2, to mind bending puzzle games and challenging word group associations such as BeTrapped and WordSearch Deluxe, offers entertaining and economical educational games.
Broderbund may have a funny name, but they make some exciting educational games. Elementary students can explore spooky museums and learn about bugs with Scooby-Doo in The Glowing Bug-Man. Middle and high school students can explore the features of shapes and solids and the relationship between length, perimeter, area, and volume with Mighty Math’s Cosmic Geometry.
If you want your child to become a math wizard, MathShark by , a handheld math video game console, will act as a tutor in the basic skills, from addition and subtraction to decimals and percentages; it’s perfect for your first through fifth grader.
Learning doesn’t just come from the video games that are designed specifically for education; there are some great learning experiences among the popular entertainment video games too. The most common types are action adventures, management, racing, real-time strategy, role-playing, simulation, and world-building games. What fun and challenging learning experiences can parents share with their gaming kids? Each of these types of games offers opportunities to develop new learning strategies and problem solving skills.
Action adventure games require players to use problem solving skills and information retention while exploring both imaginary and real world locations.
Based on creating a business in a simulated environment, management games, like the Zoo Tycoon series, involve players in activities to raise funds for daily repairs and to pay workers. This requires the use of critical thinking and math skills.
Racing games provide the exciting experience of high-speed racing in the safety of a virtual environment. Players must choose the right cars, develop quick eye-hand coordination, complete timed activities and use map data, if they want to win the race.
Role-playing games are usually science fiction or fantasy themed. Play is based on exploration and the completion of quests. Role-playing games require reading directions, inventory, and maps. There may be elements of fighting, but in many instances the player must decide whether fighting or avoiding the fight is the best choice. Online versions of role-playing games include the extremely popular World of Warcraft and long-running EverQuest series. Online game play offers the chance to create and play as a family clan, regardless of where family members are physically located. Families may play together long after kids are grown and have children of their own.
The simulation and strategy games range from building historical vehicles, flying a single prop plane, or a jumbo jet, to creating the history of new worlds or replaying the history of our own. These games allow us to experiment and discover how things work, or don’t work as we set goals and work to achieve them. Video game simulations and strategy games involve many of the same skills used in today’s science exploration.
The last category of entertainment games that provide opportunities to learn or practice real life skills is the world-building group of games. These include the Civilization series, SimCity 3000, Black and White, and The Sims. World-building video games cover a wide range of game styles. The player must control either a character or an environment to encourage growth and progress. The game’s goal may be open-ended. The fun is often in changing the virtual world around you. Combat is rare in these types of games.
It is important with all video games to know what your child is playing. Please be sure to check the Entertainment Software Rating Board or ESRB rating for each game or even better, review the games before giving your children access to them.
The video game industry offers a wide variety of player choices. Whether you are new to video games or a long time gamer, you are sure to find something fun and educational to share with your kids.
Thank you to Jayel Gibson for guest writing this episode of the Mighty Mommy. In addition to a full-time writing career, Ms. Gibson serves as an adjunct professor at Southwestern Oregon Community College where she teaches writing for publication. She is a two time Teacher of the Year award recipient for her innovative use of technology and video gaming in the classroom. Ms. Gibson is also the online book club moderator for Realms of Fantasy Magazine. She has been a contributor for Louisiana Parent’s Magazine, Dallas Child Magazine, Education.com and Thefatherlife.com. You can visit or for more information on Jayel Gibson and her award winning Ancient Mirrors fantasy series.
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