Transcript Are Video Games a Worthwhile Educational Tool?

Are Video Games a Worthwhile
Educational Tool?
Winston Harrington
Kristen Lapi
Karen Wissig
Do education methods
need to change?
 Recently, scientist have realized the education system
is not fully reaching students, and believe that video
games way be a way to reach them.
 Teachers today did not grow up in the video game era
and maybe reluctant to change, without taking into
consideration the best form of education for their
students.
 Popularity of video games are increasing. The release
of the most desired video games have made
significantly more money on first day sales than almost
any movie released.
 Some researchers believe there is a connection
between video games and learning, if it is the right kind
of games.
 The computer generation is stimulated differently then
former generations.
 Students today have grown up in an environment that is
highly stimulating, frequently changing, and where they
have grown accustom to instant gratification.
 The responsibility of educators today is starting to
change. They tend to teach in a manner that takes things
one concept at a time, but students today are responding
to using patterns and grouping concepts as a better way
to interpret and hold information.
Benefits of Video Games
 Video Games are interactive and can hold a
students attention longer then listening to a
teacher lecture.
 By forcing students to participate through the
video games, lectures become more beneficial.
 They contain motivational tools such as being
able to obtain high scores and reach higher
levels.
 Korzeniowski states that a video game never
loses patience with a student.
Video Games in the “Real World”
Many businesses, the medical profession, and the
US military have often used games as a training
tool for their employees.
Many researchers agree video games assist in
improving and developing real world skills.
The U.S. currently ranks #6 in the 2006-2007
World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness
Index
Researchers believe using video games in our
education systems can help improve the nation’s
competitiveness.
Negative Effects
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Excessive play by user
Children must learn the value of playing in a
social setting for developmental reasons, and to
be physically healthy should get a certain amount
of physical exercise.
The cost of educational video games is too high
for private companies to take on because the
market for educational video games is no where
near as high as the market for traditional games.
Video Game Use for Kindergarten
Students
Two researchers, Din and Colao did a
study of the effects of educational video
games on kindergarten students.
 Their first set of results show that there
was only slight improvement in math skills

 Not do to ineffectiveness but to maturity level of
the students
 They came to the conclusion that if students were
too immature to learn the material an “external
push” would not help
Video Game Use for Kindergarten
Students
Results showed a good amount of improvement
in reading and spelling
 Concluded that if the content was age
appropriate, educational video games may be
helpful.
 Another study stated “that playing educational
video games on a PlayStation console for 40
minutes a day at school did lead to some
significant improvements in reading and spelling,
but not in math.”
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Some Educational Video Games
 Muzzy Lane Software's ‘Making History’ is a
computer role-playing game where students
take on challenges faced by significant
history figures.
 Games2Train’s The Algebots’ helps students
understand basic algebra concepts.
 V-Smile has a variety of different games that
help children develop in different areas.
Are these video games
worthwhile?
In Conclusion
• Individual schools need to make a
decision on whether or not they tools are
cost effective in their schools.
• Schools will not begin to invest their time
and money on educational video games
until further research is completed.