Most people are well aware of the violence found in some video games, but less people know about games that can bring about positive change. Serious Games, described as a new movement in gaming whose purpose to “raise awareness, instruct a new generation of good citizens, create new business models, train military personnel, or model surgery for doctors,” is one such breed.
Michelle Boule, Social Sciences Librarian at University of Houston, writes an interesting article on Serious Games that gives several examples of fascinating games that produce public awareness on various issues. These games include:
Darfur is Dying(mtvU and Reebok Human Rights Foundation). A Flash-based game that promotes awareness about the genocide in Darfur. Players take on the role of a villager in Darfur and try to survive by foraging for water without being captured and killed Janjuweed. One soon realizes how dire the conditions are; you can’t really win, and that’s ultimately the point.
Escape From Diab. This is a game that is meant to teach kids how to eat healthy. One plays a healthy youth who becomes trapped in Diab, a land where everyone eats exclusively junk food.
Planet Green Game (Starbucks). This game creates an awareness of how one can change his or her lifestyle to slow global warming. One travels through a fantasy city and finds ways to decrease CO2 emissions.
James Paul Gee (2004) devotes a chapter to “affinity spaces” — online and/or face to face interactive spaces consisting of people held together because of shared activities, interests, and goals — in his book, Situated Language and Learning: A Critique of Traditional Schooling. Affinity spaces are sustained by fans of all sorts of things (e.g. comic books, movies, celebrities), including video games. For video games, these include the enormous number of websites of all kinds — sites featuring tips and strategies, artwork and fan fiction, game patches and modding resources, and all the other kinds of online and offline interactions centered around a game (e.g. World of Warcraft, Lineage, etc.). Gee notes eleven defining features of an affinity space:
A common endeavor is primary, not aspects such as race, class, gender, or disability that can often hinder communication.
Newbies, masters, and everyone else share common space
Some portals are strong generators (whatever gives the space some content)
Content organization is transformed by interactional organization
Both intensive and extensive knowledge are encouraged
Both individual and distributed knowledge are encouraged
Dispersed knowledge is encouraged
Tacit knowledge is encouraged and honored
Many different forms and routes to participation
Many different routes to status
Leadership is porous and leaders are resources
Gee contrasts these features with those of the spaces found in typical classrooms, and (more…)
Looks like eBay prices on the Nintendo Wii are finally starting to drop to around the $320-$330ish range. As of yet, there aren’t too many software titles to choose from besides Zelda, Madden NFL Football, and the pack-in Wii Sports game. When will we see a Wii game that makes learning a primary goal? As Nintendo is trying to market the traditional “non-gamer” market, could a fun, engaging educational game — say, to teach history or some kind of detective game to promote scientific inquiry — be the one of the first console game to get both parents, teachers, and researchers excited? Will we see Wiis in classrooms (because of the learning opportunities) anytime soon? What kinds of learning does the motion sensitive “wiimote” lend itself to? So many questions, so few answers..
Charles Reed, chancellor of the California State University system, has an interesting perspective on the future of education, as described in this recent cnet article. Responsible for over 400,000 students and 46,000 employees over 23 campuses, Reed envisions students becoming more like telecommuters. They might “meet with faculty and peers one day a week on campus, and then use simulations, virtual worlds and information downloaded for coursework the rest of the week.”
With Reed expressing concerns over expanding enrollment numbers and limited classroom space, it seems that the next logical place to look is in virtual space. Over 70 universities have already built island campuses in Linden Labs’ virtual environment, Second Life. It seems to me that virtual environments are a great way to learn some things — e.g. business (e.g. virtual real estate, intellectual property concerns), economics (virtual economies, competition, cooperation), art and architecture, social science issues like diversity and discrimination, and game design among a host of other topics — but there also seem to be some serious limitations and concerns that come along with an increased reliance on online class sessions. Will the open-ended anonymous nature of the world create more distractions (e.g. what if a student comes dressed as a chimpanzee in the virtual classroom)? If the teacher becomes more like a facilitator in a virtual world, is authority undermined too much? How much guidance/control does (and should) the teacher have? Then there are all the technical issues and high bandwidth requirements, not to mention equity issues — which schools can afford the technology?
Nintendo of America recently demoed their game, Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day at a recent AARP convention, of all places. Many people consider playing video games a kids’ activity, but soon people might be thinking of getting grandpa and grandma video games when it comes to Christmas time. How so? As this Time magazine article (January 3) indicates., gaming companies are looking to tap into the baby-boomer generation as a largely untapped (and potentially lucrative) market that might be interested in products claiming to help sharpen memory and cognitive ability. A game based off a Japanese neuroscientist’s research, Brain Age features a host of quick memory, math, logic puzzles, and other kinds of activities that are intended to sharpen one’s mind. The game has easily sold well over half a million copies since its U.S. release for the Nintendo DS handheld system in April.
Can brain games stave off senility? Hard to say, as little research exists as of yet. But it’s interesting to see games (and educational games) continue to reach a wider audience. Brain Age is a product of Touch Generations, makers of other educational games such as Big Brain Academy.
Consumers spent $3.7 billion on video game software and hardware during the month of December, up 28 percent. Sony Corp. plagued by supply issues, sold 490,700 PlayStation 3 game consoles in the United States according to NPD Group. That means Sony sold about 687,700 PS3s from the Nov. 17 U.S. launch to the end of the year. Microsoft Corp. sold 1.1 million Xbox 360 consoles in December, while Nintendo Co. sold 604,200 units of its new Wii system. Sony sold 1.4 million units of its older, cheaper PS2. The most popular game sold was Microsoft’s Gears of War.
Now that all three major next-generation consoles have arrived (the new Microsoft Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, and Playstation 3), an important question is to consider which one carries the best learning potential. A comparison of all three next gen systems leads us to believe that the Nintendo Wii system seems to be best suited for educational game development, with its intuitive remote control interface and lower price tag ($250). Recent Nintendo systems have emphasized gameplay and novel interaction rather than the latest high-definition graphics, which is fine for edutainment since most educational game developers have limited budgets anyway. Developers can focus on the learning instead.
Nintendo’s portable DS Lite system (now about $129 MSRP) also has high potential for collaborative activities in classrooms, as it offers both a local and global wireless internet interface (known as Wifi Connect) built in. This opens up possibilities for in-class group activities and also international communication. The DS Lite features a stylus and touch screen for innovative interaction and gameplay. Trauma Center: Under the Knife is an example of a game in which players become an aspiring young surgeon who must apply antibiotic gel, use scalpels and forceps to treat patients. While its primary purpose is entertainment, it serves as an example of educational possibilities new systems can provide.
An increasing number of educators are using a multiplayer virtual environment called Second Life to promote learning, even to the point of holding classes online within the game world. Now with over 1.3 million members, Second Life has been gaining popularity partly due to its potential for improving distance learning and “introducing international perspectives.” Many different kinds of “virtual classes” have been held within the game, with applications for simulations, new media studies, corporate training, and subject matter ranging from law (e.g. a course by Harvard Law School), business, social sciences and architecture.
Second Life has more information on their Second Life Education Page. In their own words, “Second Life provides an opportunity to use simulation in a safe environment to enhance experiential learning, allowing individuals to practice skills, try new ideas, and learn from their mistakes.”
With the release of the Nintendo Wii, XBox 360, and Playstation 3, the video game industry has been capturing a lot of interest lately. But is it just entertainment? Researchers today have realized the educational value of games. Exactly what is it about video games that makes them potentially useful for learning? Here are a few reasons:
They’re engaging. Unlike a traditional classroom where students passively listen to a talking head, kids and adults both want to participate actively when it comes to video games — and they might not even realize that they’re learning as they are having fun.
They can promote computer and digital literacy. In a day where most of the jobs are increasingly dependent on technology, having a gateway to computer familiarity and comfort is a good thing.
They can be used to promote knowledge construction. Games like Civilization 4, Zoo Tycoon 2 or Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? demonstrate games’ ability to promote a player’s learning about animals, history, geography, and so on.
They promote ill-defined problem solving and decision-making skills. The real world is often about choosing between tough choices. Many video games are no different, with multiple choices and players deciding which path to choose.
They can instill leadership skills. Particularly in online multiplayer games, opportunities for leadership abound.
They typically feature characteristics that are known to be good for learning. For example, researchers highlight the importance of immediate feedback and reinforcement - seeing the results of one’s actions. And scaffolding — assisting the learner just enough to understand a concept or to learn a skill — is good for learning and found in games.
They are a relatively safe environment to learn things. People can practice skills, try new ideas, and learn from their mistakes as they go.
They can be used as real-world simulations. For example, surgeons can train using simulations; leaders can practice their decision making when faced with various scenarios; and software that can let people (like doctors) practice their skills when it is expensive (or deadly!) to make mistakes. Even the US Army has started to take notice — they recently released a game called America’s Army, a semi-realistic game that has been used to simulate army life. It’s been effective as a recruitment tool. When gamers refine their skills — whether it’s as a soldier, surgeon, or scientist — learning takes place.
Hi! Welcome to learninginvideogames.com. This is a new website that will provide current news and resources on a growing phenomenon: the use of video games for learning and educational purposes. Interesting articles, game reviews, scholarly papers (an online bibliography related to learning and video games), and other thoughts will be regularly posted here. Thanks for visting, and don’t forget to bookmark this page!
Charles Reed, chancellor of the California State University system, has an interesting perspective on the future of education, as described in this recent 
Nintendo of America recently demoed their game, 
at a recent AARP convention, of all places. Many people consider playing video games a kids’ activity, but soon people might be thinking of getting grandpa and grandma video games when it comes to Christmas time. How so? As this 
An increasing number of educators are using a multiplayer virtual environment called Second Life to promote learning, even to the point of holding classes online within the game world. Now with over 1.3 million members, Second Life has been gaining popularity partly due to its potential for improving distance learning and “introducing international perspectives.” Many different kinds of “virtual classes” have been held within the game, with applications for simulations, new media studies, corporate training, and subject matter ranging from law (e.g. a course by Harvard Law School), business, social sciences and architecture.