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Games Are Better Educators Than We Think

Posted by simoniker on from the watch-out-for-monkeys-with-barrels dept.

Thanks to the IGDA for their new Culture Clash column, which discusses how education can work through gaming, and suggests that "mainstream, top-shelf games - especially story-driven games" are already letting us "learn volumes from our game experiences." As an example, it's argued that "Any one of us who played through Morrowind could easily ace a quiz on Vvardenfell geography, religion, politics, flora, whatever", although there's one major snag to those wanting all their classes playable: "Corporations and schools interested in educating through games look at the price tag, project length, and lack of scalability in a Fallout or Morrowind and cringe."

2 of 47 comments (clear)

  1. Sid Meier's Pirates by Prien715 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I was sitting in 6th grade class and my teacher was talking about pirates during the Spanish empire. Someone asked why they didn't use large warships like galleons and instead preferred smaller vessels. I raised my hand and answered that larger vessels are often at the mercy of the wind. Smaller vessels, like Sloops, typically had oars. Even if the wind weren't going your way, it was possible to board a ship.

    The teacher asked where I learned that, and I felt kind've embaressed. I couldn't really say a Nintendo game could I?

    Anyway, the article begs one question: with so much history, why must we often make fictional battles and fictional plots in otherwise realistic games?

    --
    -- Political fascism requires a Fuhrer.
  2. Interesting read, but... by ePIsOdEOnline · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I find it interesting that the article fails to mention the research that is going into seeing if this is entirely feasable at all. Not only the work at MIT, but also a host of othe colleges all around like UTA and some others.

    http://cms.mit.edu/games/education/

    http://www.wired.com/news/games/0,2101,59855,00.ht ml