Educational Games

After doing the reading about educational games several ideas came to mind. I was intrigued by the statement “children are establishing a relationship to knowledge gathering that is alien to their parents(P. Klopfer, Osterweil, Groff, Haas, 2009, P.5).” This statement highlights the fact that teachers must be provided with professional development to help them incorporate education games into the classroom. A spirit of collaboration must be fostered in which parents, teachers and children are all learning and sharing.

The article then continues on to say “Undoubtedly, without these recent technologies (i.e. digital games, Web 2.0, etc.) in the classroom, strong lessons can still be achieved, but there’s a sharp disconnect between the way students are taught in school and the way the outside world approaches socialization, meaning-making, and accomplishment. It is critical that education not only seek to mitigate this disconnect in order to make these two “worlds” more seamless, but of course also to leverage the power of these emerging technologies for instructional gain" (Klopfer, Osterweil, Groff, Haas, 2009, P.5).

Teachers can promote collaboration by encouraging students to speak about the games they play at home. In thinking about my classroom, I think that using educational games in the classroom will help increase many students motivation in academic areas. Some of my students say that their favorite thing to do is “sit home and play video games.” The students’ passion and enthusiasm for games may help them embrace an area of academic difficulty. By drawing students in and helping to bridge the gap between home and school students will feel empowered since they all have something to teach and learn.

While it is important for school to be a place where students can share what they do at home, it is also important that the games that are played in school be used for an instructional purpose. Technology should not be included in the classroom just for its own sake. Teachers must critically examine the games that are out there and consider the needs and interests of the learners in their classrooms. Technology should be used to enhance instruction. In order for teachers to be critical of the games that are out there, they must spend a significant amount of time ensuring that they have a defined and measurable teaching goal. Then, teachers can consider how each student will meet the objective of the lesson. Once teachers are clear about the connection between the material and the learners, technology can be included.

The task of determining which games are appropriate is not simple. Beginning teachers may wish to collaborate with grade level teachers, special education teachers and service providers in order to make an informed decision. They may also consider making observations of how each student interacts with the software. Non-bias observations may help teachers find out what works and what doesn’t work. This will enable teachers to continue to reflect on their practice as they embark on the journey of incorporating educational games into the classroom.