Computer Games in Modern Education

Can pupils play games during lessons? Can they learn mathematic or physic creating new game? It is possible and very good example for this is Quest to Learn. This is school for digital children, where they can play, learn and develop themselves. They use there new technologies because children like them and use them in everyday life. I have to say that Quest to Learn is an educational experiment, which have been continuing for two years. This school was created by Katie Salen, who is a professional video game designer. She has wondered how to fit in education with young people’s needs.
Students use new technology, such as computer, Internet, cell phones to study. They have special lesson, which called Sports for the Mind. Students learn how to design games, which is very important for their development, because they do what they like and they develop their spatial reflection, cooperation with another students and logical thinking. Design and complex problem- solving are the most important ideas of Quest to Learn.
We can ask why video games? The answer is simple: games are composed of plenty of problems, which players have to first of all made up and then solve. The more difficult is the game the better it is. Games are interesting and most of people, especially youth, like them. Students spent a lot of hours playing games. Quest to Learn decided to use this phenomenon. In this school students have to create their own games, play games, which are created by their friends or schoolmates and write review of those games. Professor James Paul Gee argue that games offer children not only knowledge, but also experience in solving problems by using this knowledge. Eric Schmidt, the Chairman of Google, said playing video games, specially online and in multiplayer mode, teach cooperation, which brings more innovation. I agree with this statement and in my opinion computer games are very good teaching aids, which we (Polish teachers) should use in education in our schools. This is the future of modern education, because Polish student read fewer books year by year. On the other hand they like playing games, so why should not we use games in schools? Maybe because teachers have got little knowledge about computers, games or Internet. I think this is the real reason for this situation in Poland. I do not say that all teachers, but most of them. They are like said Marc Prensky digital immigrants and they have to learn because old teaching aids are not enough nowadays.




About Quest to Learn

Idea

Hmm..., I think I have an idea for my first refleksive post. A couple day ago I read very interesting article about using games in school. So maybe I write my reflection about using games in educational process. What do you think about it? Please write your comments. :)