Book review
The use of computer and video games for learning:
A review of the literature
Published by the Learning and Skills Development
Agency 2004
Authors: Alice Mitchell and Carol Savill-Smith
Review by John Harris, Director of Education, Epic
Anyone with children who play video games will have
been surprised by the many hours of sustained engagement and enjoyment
they get from playing a single game. If only lessons were as much
fun as games. If only school could harness the power that games
hold over children’s minds. Surely games can be harnessed
to serve the needs of education. This report is a comprehensive
review of the published literature relating to games and learning.
The report addresses some key questions, including: What is the
impact of the use of computer and video games on young people? Why
use computer games for learning? How have computer games been used
for learning? We learn that on the one hand excessive gaming can
produce severe negative psycho-social effects, including aggressive
attitudes and behaviours, but on the other hand aggressive play
can have a relaxing effect on the user. We should consider using
games for learning because, according to Prensky, games can incorporate
as many as 36 important learning principles and, through the combinations
of video, audio and text, accommodate different learning styles.
Games have been used to serve a variety of functions in training
and education. Simple games have been used to address specific learning
outcomes such as the recall of factual content. Complex games have
been used to support cognitive processing and the development of
strategic skills.
Although this report is comprehensive, it reminds us of how research
often lags behind the actual behaviour we observe in our own children.
In interest in games is often the glue that cements relationships
between children and is the springboard for lots of social activity,
whether playing games together or discussing them. It leads to the
development of high level critical thinking skills as they make
complex decision around which games to invest their money and time
in. This report identifies a few of the many additional areas of
research that learning designers would find valuable. An accessible
introduction to games and learning recommended for learning designers,
teachers and anyone with games-playing children of their own.
Read the Epic white paper on Games
and Simulations
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