003Videogamesinschools

 Harlie Warden and Stephanie Gardner: Frostburg State University Spring 2011

Video games are becoming more and more popular in the lives of today’s children. Although they may be addicting some research has shown that video games, depending on their type, can be educational and help improve children’s hand eye coordination. It has also shown an increase in some children’s physical health and is helping to decrease the number of obese children in our society. There are many types of video games out there that children today are playing, but which ones are the right ones for them to improve education and physical health.

//How Video Games improve learning//

Video games are becoming more and more popular within the classroom setting. It has been shown that the games are helping the students to improve their learning, more so now than ever. Some of the games are helping students to improve their ability to learn. For example a game may be set up so that the student needs to get the answer to a problem as quickly as possible and in doing so, they get to move their character or game piece ahead in the game. Some research has shown that these video games are helping train students to master certain abilities that they may need for a future employer or job. The use of video games is teaching them good hand-eye coordination as well as teaching them logical or theoretical ways of thinking or doing things. It is all around helping them to become a more rounded person.

//How Video Games can affect the classroom environment//

Video games can affect the classroom in quite a positive way. It can get students to focus on the task at hand, even if they are not in the mood to learn. It can also be a good way to get the students to work together in partners or in groups, especially when there is tension between the children because they might not be in the same group of friends. Video games can also be of use to the teacher when they have a class who seem tired and cannot focus. The teacher can use it as an energizer for the class to get them motivated. The classroom environment can be drastically changed when technology, especially things used by children, is added to the classroom. It can make the students feel as though they want to be involved in a classroom that they can relate to as a child and as a student.

//What types of video games can be used in the classroom?//

Any type of video game that involves movement can benefit a classroom setting. The three major video game systems that dominate the market are Nintendo Wii, Sony Playstation 3, and Microsoft XBOX 360. Each of these systems provides an additional accessory that can be attached to the system for a more interactive experience with its games. Sony has the Playstation Move, which is a controller that follows your movement, forcing you to control your avatar’s movements via arms and endurance. Microsoft has the Kinect, which allows the player to control an avatar by using their entire body. It uses a motorized sensor to track the player and have it project onto the screen. The Nintendo Wii’s entire controlling interface is controlled through a motion-censored controller, forcing players to use their arms to control the movements of their avatar. There are many companies that have developed game for each system that extenuate movement of the players. Games include //Dance, Dance Revolution, Bowling, Kinect Adventures,// and //Tennis//. These games require the user to use physical movements to control the characters on screen to complete tasks and compete in competitions against the computer.

//How do video games affect the health of students?//

In today's society, individuals have become dependent on technology to satisfy their needs. The advancement of technology has created an ever an increasing rate of laziness among Americans, especially within the school system. Students have developed addictions to video games outside of school hours that leave them to childhood obesity and decrease social skills. Integrating video games into the classroom may only influence the problem more-so than prevent deteriorating health within children. Children may become accustom to relying on technology to understand certain concepts rather than learning without the assistance of video games in the classroom. Although video games have determined that it does increase cognitive development within students, it may be more likely to hinder a child's physical performance in the long-run.

//Conclusion// Technology has altered the way teacher’s approach interacting with their students and encouraging furthering learning techniques to that allow their students to grasp concepts easier. Although many teachers are still against the idea, studies have shown that introducing video games into the classroom has increase cognitive development in the learning process. Students understand concepts easier, comprehend subjects quicker, and actually enjoy learning. On the other hand, with the ever-increasing rate of obesity on today’s youth due to the decrease rate on physical interaction and exercise, educators are concerned that an introduction of video games may only promote the laziness and addiction to video games. Video game developers have designed games that test physical endurance and require players to over exert themselves in order to complete tasks, while learning at the same time. Technology in the classroom has come a long way since its introduction through overheard projectors decades ago, in which was highly successful. Video games are another alternative that teachers can benefit from to help their students succeed.

 References:   Silverberg, D. (2008, April 12). Why educational video games should be part of every school's curriculum. Retrieved from http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/253058  Landau, J. (2011, January 20). Millville teacher spices up math with wii video games. Retrieved from http://www.thedailyjournal.com/article/20110120/NEWS01/101200318  Locke, S. (2011, January 11). A new school teachers students through videogames. Retrieved from http://www.popsci.com/entertainment-amp-gaming/article/2009-12/new-school-teaches-students-through-videogames  Scibielli, R. (2010, October 11). USA Today. Retrieved February 7, 2011, from USA Today: http://www.usatoday.com/yourlife/fitness/2010-10-11-justdance11_CV_N.htm  Chaplin, H. (2010, June 28). NPR. Retrieved February 7, 2011, from NPR: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128081896 Yi, M. (2006, February 20). SFGate. Retrieved February 7, 2011, from San Fransico Chronical: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/02/20/CLASSROOM.TMP



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References: Silverberg, D. (2008, April 12). //Why educational video games should be part of every school's curriculum//. Retrieved from http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/253058 Landau, J. (2011, January 20). //Millville teacher spices up math with wii video games//. Retrieved from http://www.thedailyjournal.com/article/20110120/NEWS01/101200318 Locke, S. (2011, January 11). //A new school teachers students through videogames//. Retrieved from http://www.popsci.com/entertainment-amp-gaming/article/2009-12/new-school-teaches-students-through-videogames Scibielli, R. (2010, October 11). //USA Today//. Retrieved February 7, 2011, from USA Today: http://www.usatoday.com/yourlife/fitness/2010-10-11-justdance11_CV_N.htm Chaplin, H. (2010, June 28). //NPR//. Retrieved February 7, 2011, from NPR: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128081896 Yi, M. (2006, February 20). //SFGate//. Retrieved February 7, 2011, from San Fransico Chronical: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/02/20/CLASSROOM.TMP

Stephanie Gardner

Video games in schools

Silverberg, D. (2008, April 12). //Why educational video games should be part of every school's curriculum//. Retrieved from http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/253058 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Technology has slowly been making its way into the classroom over the past decade and teachers have seen extensive results of the positive impact it has on students. David Silverberg, author of the article, “Why Educational Video Games Should Be Part of Every School’s Curriculum”, explores teacher’s opposition and concerns incorporating video games into the classroom due to the skepticism of video games influencing school violence. After a survey was conducted in 2008, it “reveal[ed] a strong disconnect between what kids want and what teachers prefer—while most students believe educational gaming would help them learn, few teachers in the U.S. are willing to explore that option (2008).” Recent studies have concluded that a little over half of “students in grades 6 to 12 said games would make it simpler to understand difficult concepts (2008).” Teachers are seemingly disagreeing with the idea of integrating educational video games into their classrooms. Silverberg claims, “students are looking for some way to be inspired by education, but the adults in charge think they know what’s best (2008).” Teachers fail to see, however, the benefits of video games that are specifically designed for educational purposes. For example, one game in particular, DimensionM, “embeds math lessons in a virtual world, allowing students to learn about pre-algebra concepts while completing game-based ‘missions’…The result? Increase in student motivation, increase in time on task, and the ability to apply their learning in real world situations that have meaning for your student (2008).” There may be some hope in store for the future of video games entering the classroom, as Silverberg declares. “According to the survey, two-thirds of teachers said ‘gaming will help engage their students in the coursework and provide them with an effective tool for teaching to students with different learning styles’ (2008).” Including video games in the classroom could have positive results, claims from many students, according to Silverberg.

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 1.65pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Landau, J. (2011, January 20). //Millville teacher spices up math with wii video games//. Retrieved from http://www.thedailyjournal.com/article/20110120/NEWS01/101200318 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">One elementary school in particular is altering teaching with a new tool to help motivate kids to learn. Joel Landau, author of the article, “Millville Teacher Spices Up Math With Wii Video Games”, highlights a fourth-grade math teacher, Robert Drewnowski from Bacon Elementary School. This teacher bought a Nintendo Wii system with the $300 grant money that was presented to him and “32 faculty members in nine schools in the district…through a special math and science mini grant offered through the Millville Board of Education (2011).” Drewnowski incorporates the video game system into his three classes by allowing “up to four students [to] play a game such as bowling, tennis, or basketball, at one time. As they play, two other students record the scores and other statistics during the game (2011).” Drewnowski states, “We use it as an incentive in math. If the kids do all their work, they can play with the Wii (2011).” He strongly implies that he wants his students to understand that they can have fun while learning.

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 1.65pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Locke, S. (2011, January 11). //A new school teachers students through videogames//. Retrieved from http://www.popsci.com/entertainment-amp-gaming/article/2009-12/new-school-teaches-students-through-videogames <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">A new school was opened up in Manhattan, New York which bases their lessons solely on video games. Susannah Locke, author of the article, “A New School Teaches Students Through Videogames”, describes this new school as a “new generation for kids (2011).” The school, Quest to Learn, “opened last September in Manhattan, welcoming the first class of sixth-graders who will learn almost entirely through video-game inspired activities, an educational strategy geared to keep kids engaged and prepare them for high-tech careers (2011).” Game designers and professors at the new institution illustrate that these video games “drop kids into complex problems where they fail and fail, but they try again and again (2011).” The students rotate between five courses daily, all video game based, that cover all subjects. “Instead of slogging through problem sets, students learn collaboratively in group projects that require an understanding of subjects in the New York State curriculum (2011).” The new way of teaching allows for students to have a stronger understanding on all subjects and is picking up concepts better than at other schools. Katie Salen, professor at Quest to Learn, says “building games teaches students about complex systems, which will prepare them for growing fields such as bioinformatics (2011).”

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Harlie Warden <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Video Games in Schools

<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">[]

Scibielli, R. (2010, October 11). //USA Today//. Retrieved February 7, 2011, from USA Today: http://www.usatoday.com/yourlife/fitness/2010-10-11-justdance11_CV_N.htm <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">This website is about a school in New Mexico that has gotten its student’s involved in 5 minutes of physical activity every morning by having the students play Just Dance. The entire school plays it as a whole. They play the game over the T.V.’s in each classroom every morning. Teachers and school Administrators then noticed a decrease in tardiness from their students in the morning. The school is not only decreasing the tardiness it is also providing good physical activity for the students which helps them be more awake for their studies throughout the day.

<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">[]

Chaplin, H. (2010, June 28). //NPR//. Retrieved February 7, 2011, from NPR: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128081896 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">This website is about a school in New York that has built its educational foundation based on video games and how they are helping students to become excellent learners. They have built this program to have students “use video games and design them as part of their class work.” The program is called “Quest to Learn.” The idea is to use the video games as a basis for teaching students.

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Yi, M. (2006, February 20). //SFGate//. Retrieved February 7, 2011, from San Fransico Chronical: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/02/20/CLASSROOM.TMP <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">This article is based on students learning to love their education. An eighth grade girl is quoted as saying that she used to run a mile in 11 minutes but since starting to play this dance game she can now run a mile in 7 minutes. She also goes on to say that she used to think that physical education class was boring, but since playing this she now loves the class. The game has been allowed in all the public schools in Virginia to help prevent childhood obesity.