New report supports use of games in classroom

***wraggster*** · October 2nd, 2006, 18:58

Via Gamesindustry

A new report conducted by research firm Futurelab and supported by Electronic Arts suggests that commercial computer games could act as effective learning tools in the classroom.

The report, which is titled Teaching With Games, argues that games can be used to motivate and engage students, and to improve computer skills, strategic thinking and problem solving.

However, the report also highlights technical obstacles which prevent teachers from using games in their lessons - suggesting that new approaches are needed when it comes to licensing and copy protection so that games can be run on school networks.

"We have long recognised the potential of interactive computer games to stimulate the learning process... [The report] has shown that commercial computer games have the potential to support education, which has raised the bar for ongoing collaboration between the industry and education sectors," commented EA's Gerhard Florin.

The Teaching With Games initiative, which is also supported by Microsoft and Take-Two, was established in August 2005. Two Ipsos MORI polls were published, focusing on students' and teachers' attitudes to games in the classroom, and 12 case studies were conducted using The Sims 2, Knights of Honour and RollerCoaster Tycoon 3.

Who else says we should play games at work or school

**hahahaha** · October 2nd, 2006, 19:03

im in, sounds like fun.

**lamo_PSP_king** · October 2nd, 2006, 19:04

MMEEE although its nearlly practical for me as im a plumber boiler in one hand and psp in the other lol anywayz a hope it does happen for the young ones

**gamesquest1** · October 2nd, 2006, 19:15

what a load of rubbish alls any body has to say nowdays is there has been a report into.....(insert load of weird crap here) and it makes news lets face it unless someway of restricting people from playin games on them which then removes the point of the games console its a load of balls such as.......there has been a report that having naked fit women walking around classrooms would improove concentration......yeah it would like but only on the women like

**jojotjuh** · October 2nd, 2006, 19:47

mememememememememe!!! 111 onme one two one three one pancakes shift

**MaxSMoke** · October 2nd, 2006, 19:53

Exactly how does "licensing and copy protection" count as a technical limitations? Would it really kill any video game company if more then 1 person used their game well in the class room? I seem to recall 3 copies of Oregon Trail being passed around the class room back when I was a kid and Sierra didn't go broke because of it. And how many copies of "Learning with Numbers" do they really expect kids to be bringing home?

Again, the software industry is busy shooting themselves in the foot trying to prevent the loss of a sale that would never happen anyways. This is like DOOM3 and it's INSANE copy-protection! It was so bad, you HAD TO CRACK YOUR OWN RETAIL CD TO PLAY IT! And the Warez version was more STABLE!

If I see "Rights Management" listed as a feature again, I'm going to kill somebody! I'm going to the store right now to get a BIG KNIFE. BLOOD WILL BE SHED!

**Emeriastone** · October 2nd, 2006, 20:09

Me!

**Broadus** · October 2nd, 2006, 20:31

Playing video games at work and school? That's stupid. There are already video games designed for education on computers in schools. I played them in Kindergarten in the mid-nineties, all through elementary school and in some parts of middle school. The video games were purely for educational purposes.
Games like first-person shooters, RPGs and RTSs in schools won't help with education, thinking, strategic skills, hand-eye coordination or any of that crap any more than they would at home. Plenty of people that are good at video games are complete retards. Take a look at half the people that play Counter-Strike. If they need to learn any of those skills, they can do them at home in their free time, because such video games are designed for fun, not education. I play Call of Duty because it's fun, not because I want or need hand-eye coordination, and I know damn well it's the same way for everyone else.
Though I must say, playing Starcraft online taught me how to type, though I must be the only one because plenty of people that play Starcraft still can't spell. Perhaps they should make a fun multiplayer game in schools for typing class and force everyone to type to eachother while they're playing it, instead of being allowed to talk, even if they're sitting right next to eachother.