America's Army As a High School Education Platform?

GamePolitics reports on a recent press release from the US Army which says they will be partnering with various military, education, and non-profit organizations to bring an education curriculum to high school students via America's Army. Quoting the press release: "The partnership ... will incorporate Army technology, gaming and simulation resources to enhance student achievement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The platform for the new curriculum is the America's Army PC game, a free online game that provides civilians with a virtual role in the US Army by introducing them to Army technologies, Rules of Engagement, training and missions. Used as a communications tool, the game has also been adapted for use within the military to produce effective and engaging virtual environments that enhance Soldier training in a number of areas including force protection, convoy survivability and nuclear, chemical and biological detection."

Comments

The militarization of education?

[whitroth]

So, will all military references be removed for educational purposes, or is this an attempt to militarize education, and sucker more kids into the US military, for more colonialism and adventurism?

And before anyone starts arguing, are *you* in the military? If not, and you agree with the miltitarization of education, and you are in your 20s or thirties, and not incapacitated, what excuse do you have for *not* being in the military, right now?

Oh, I see, like Dick Cheney: you have "other agendas" (read, get rich, and risk somebody else's kid's neck for your money).

                mark

Re:The militarization of education?

[Anonymous Coward]

At school, we learn to follow a regimented schedule set by our superiors and accept their judgment as to our worth (grades). There are also military recruiters on campus. I agree that education should not be militarized. I just disagree that it hasn't happened yet.

Re:All you need is a science MMORPG

[Bragador]

I actually am hoping for such a game to eventually exist. And if nobody makes it I might do it but I don't have the skills...

Look at websites like http://www.hackthissite.org/ where you basically learn many things. When you find the solution to a problem, you are awarded points. This pushes you to learn more and achieve more.

Instead of having HTML, javascript, programming, etc challenges, why not make something like that for general science?

Make learning FUN!

Also, I'd LOVE games to learn languages like http://www.tbns.net/knuckles/.

Again: MAKE. LEARNING. FUN!

Re:Just what every American high-school student ne

[Anonymous Coward]

This was just High School ROTC and we covered things like war crimes and how saying "I was just following orders" is not an excuse.

My how times have changed...

A word from a Major...

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm an Air Force Major, and this is a terrible idea. I would never want my child to join the US Armed Forces under the current regime.

Most of our enlisted people are gung-ho, but (frankly) we officers are paid to think.

And many of us think that Iraq was a way for certain corporate entities to profit through sweetheart contracts and the like.

The way our leaders think is this: "Even if we spend $3 billion of taxpayer money, if we can make $100 off it - hey, that's $100 we didn't have".

Sorry - got a little off track there. But I did not join to be a mercenary for Cheney and Rumsfeld, inc.

Re:Group-think hypocrisy?

[Dutchmaan]

I'm wondering if the same people who are supporting this would have issue if oh say, a school required a child to participate in a class that uses Grand Theft Auto as a learning tool with a curriculum by a gangster rapper?

It's not about the video game (no one had/has issue with kids playing AA on their own time), it's about the teaching of ideology.

Re:Just what every American high-school student ne

[Half-pint HAL]

Ah, the old "at least our inhuman b@st@rds are less inhuman than their inhuman b@st@ards" argument.

Inhuman b@st@rd.

HAL.