I believe computer games had already changed the educational process in a way we can't measure because it's already so much disseminated.

To design a computer game intentionally for an educational purpose I believe has to be something done by a multidisciplinary team since a teacher would be focused on the educational part and might disregard fun part a bit.

Hi Юлия

I think computer games have definetely potential, but as Carla wrote, it is important to keep the educational part in mind by not neglecting the fun part. Also it is important to create a flow state in the users, to keep them motivated.

However, you do not need to implement a whole new game, there are also e.g. Quizzes like Kahoot, where you can use an already existing environment and just add your own content.

Kind regards,

Patrick

Hey, I just recently read this paper, it gives a nice example of what can be done and who should do it.

Barr, M. (2017). Video games can develop graduate skills in higher education students: A randomised trial. Computers & Education, 113(Supplement C), 86-97. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2017.05.016

I'd follow the answers of Carla and Patrick with an important addition. It always depends on what you want to do, what you want to train, what do you want to teach. Practical skill, knowledge, social skills etc.

computer games are useful at low level education, because different academic objectives can be achieved using computer games as children take interest in them. computer games or cartoons are often used these days for social and moral awareness. So, in short computer games can be used in different ways in education like skill improvement, awareness, virtual environments can be developed before stepping into the practical environment. So overall computer games are the main testbed for achieving different goals particularly in the field of artificial intelligence.

Hello, Julia!

I have found an interesting study concerning utilization of computer games in learning process. I hope it would be useful for you.

With best regards,

Grzegorz Bielec

Dr. Daniel Livingstone provided a short list of journals that might be of interest to you.

http://lg.dlivingstone.com/2013/01/05/game-based-learning-serious-games-journals/

To answer your questions - In my opinion, games have always had training potential, how the game is used to deliver that training is what might vary. But, subject-specific training might be more difficult than subject exploration. For example, it may be more difficult to motivate a player to memorize chemical compounds than it might be to give a player a player a "lab" to experiment, discover, and learn about them freely.

Plot and game development should be negotiated between parties before the development process starts. However, if a game that is meant for entertainment is used as a teaching tool (utilizing tangential learning, or specific parts of game-play, game mechanics, plot, etc) then the developer has already created the game and institutions might have to purchase rights to use it.

If educators are building the game for the specific purpose of student learning (serious games) then they, by all means, have the right to determine the plot of the game. However, very few educators are also game designers and it would be wise to consult one when developing games.

Some of the reasons that games are effective teaching tools are their ability to engage players. Player investment, associative and dynamic meanings of elements, and intrinsic and extrinsic motivators all play a role in engagement. Game designers jobs are to ensure that these elements work together to provide the experience intended.

Serious games are games intended for education, health training, etc. other than entertainment.

Related materials on Serious Games:

(1) https://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=2983519

(2) Article How to build serious games

Thank you

If we see the trend in computer games, it is very evident that they do cover a lot of mathematiCal operators, imaginary geographic locations and characters. If we try and substitute these gradually by real locations hero’s from the past etc then it is educative.

when they discuss the game with their peers it is reinforcement of the concepts learnt

experience created is always conducive to learning with understanding

this is my view from the interactions with school children that I have been observing

I am not an educator, but I am a parent of a dyslexic, very visual 14-year-old son. Over the years, I've used a variety of computer games to help my son learn.

www.spellingcity.com has been a godsend for us. I have him plug in his weekly spelling and vocabulary test words, and they are repeated in a variety of games and tests that help keep his attention much better than reading the words off a static sheet of paper do. He is able to take practice tests, and the words he misses are automatically repeated over and over again until he gets them correct. There is a limited free membership as well as a more robust paid membership, for about $30/year.

I often use quizlet.com as well, to help him with other subjects. I imagine he would benefit from just about any learning game which requires him to be interractive, therefore keping him engaged.