{"id":3688,"date":"2013-09-02T15:40:50","date_gmt":"2013-09-02T21:40:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/minkhollow.ca\/beckerblog\/?p=3688"},"modified":"2014-09-12T11:46:34","modified_gmt":"2014-09-12T17:46:34","slug":"video-games-becoming-required-coursework-in-schools-technology-science-cbc-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/minkhollow.ca\/beckerblog\/2013\/09\/02\/video-games-becoming-required-coursework-in-schools-technology-science-cbc-news\/","title":{"rendered":"Video games becoming required coursework in schools – Technology & Science – CBC News"},"content":{"rendered":"Approximate Reading Time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

Video games becoming required coursework in schools – Technology & Science – CBC News<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, they got my institution wrong. I’ve got a request in to fix it, but I’ve had no response yet. Below is an edited excerpt (with the correct institution named).<\/p>\n

I have to say I am disappointed at how many people are *still* dead set against the use of games in the classroom. In most cases they are classic examples of what Harlan Ellison<\/a> calls “idiot hearsay<\/a>” – forming opinions based on second hand information at best, and uninformed knee-jerk reactions at worst.<\/p>\n

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Experience without consequences<\/h3>\n
\"Screenshot<\/a>

Screenshot from Animal Crossing New Leaf<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cIf the outcome is learning in the end, then why not?\u201d says Katrin Becker, an adjunct professor at Mount Royal University who researches and designs educational video games.<\/p>\n

She added that games can provide students with learning experiences that could be “painful or dangerous or expensive” in real life \u2014 such as running their first business or performing surgery on an animal.<\/p>\n

“In a game, they can find out what happens if you do it wrong without any negative consequences to the real world,” Becker said. “And that’s really very valuable.”<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, game-based learning modules are still are far less popular in the classroom than traditional methods.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe shift that needs to happen \u2026 is the reawakening of the idea that learning can and should be fun and entertaining,\u201d she said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Challenges for teachers<\/h3>\n

That may all be encouraging to teachers, but incorporating games into coursework can be more challenging than it looks.<\/p>\n

Wershler said he is mindful of the fact that many games take longer to complete than a book, can be expensive and sometimes must be played on expensive technology. Because of that, he chooses older, cheaper games that can be downloaded and played on a computer or mobile device.<\/p>\n

Becker said commercial games can also be challenging for teachers, because they don\u2019t come with lesson plans.<\/p>\n

\u201cTeachers don\u2019t have time to develop their own courseware,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Despite the difficulties, Becker said she is a huge proponent of games in education, as they provide new options for learning.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s yet another tool to use,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd I think the richer the environment, the better off we are.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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