How do games affect learning?

In this week’s tutorial, we were exposed to the significant advantages as well as shortfalls within gaming in education. Within the education community, gaming and the use of games within a classroom to promote creativity has been controversial (Mayer, 2014). Students have the unique ability to be motivated when supplementing computer games as a learning task, however ensuring learning can be outweighed by cognitive consequences (Mayer, 2014). The alignment of gaming and learning outcomes within the classroom has been negating factor when teachers use gaming as a teaching tool. Curriculum outcomes do not align smoothly with gaming and pedagogy when available games should be targeted towards specific outcome to ensure learning. The confusion between students enjoying a lesson and learning a particular curriculum outcome can create a blurred line when building engaging experiences Moreno & Mayer, 2002)

Does gaming stifle creativity?

Gaming within an educational and non-educational context can lead to the sacrifice of collaboration, which is a crucial concept when fostering creativity on students (Mayer, 2014). The trap of students becoming consumers of technology is also formidable. These constraints can be negated through the employment curriculum while using gaming . Through creating lessons where students need to develop plans to ensure successful outcomes, creativity can be fostered (Gee, 2005).

How can we foster creativity through gaming?

Pedagogical applications for gaming.

A game I’ve found that aligns with Stage 5 living world outcomes: how contemporary society can influence the focus of scientific research such as an epidemic or pandemic disease in humans is Plague Inc (NESA, 2019). Plague Inc. allows students to become a pathogen with the main task to wipe out all human life on earth. Students can consider transmission methods, resistance, symptoms and abilities like environmental constraints. This unique game can foster creativity through students, requiring the evolution of the pathogen (student) to consider how to ‘outsmart’ the government and researchers through employing multiple evolutionary variables. This game can turn either a very dry or dangerous lesson into an engaging topic allowing students to engage metacognitive context through a flipped perspective of a pathogen. Students’ can collaborate ideas to ensure the success of their pathogen. Differentiation practices can be employed, changing the difficulty variables to challenge students’ capabilities when considering epidemics and pandemics. This game incorporates Gee (2003, 2004, 2005). Fundamental learning principles of a good game for the learning of identity (pathogen), interaction (consequences of decisions), production (decision making), risk-taking (evolution of the pathogen) and customisation (building pathogens skills) (Gee, 2005).

References:

Duchesne, S. & McMaugh, A. (2016). Educational Psychology for learning and teaching (5th   ed.). Victoria, Australia: Cengage Learning.

Gee, J. P. Situated Language and Learning: A Critique of Traditional Schooling. London: Routledge, 2004. 

Gee, J. P. What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy. New York:            Palgrave/Macmillan, 2003. 

Gee, J. P. Why Video Games Are Good For Your Soul: Pleasure and Learning. Melbourne:          Common Ground, 2005. 

Mayer, R. E. (2014). Computer games for learning: An evidence- based approach.             Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. 

Moreno, R., Mayer, R. E., Spires, H. A., & Lester, J. (2001). The case for social agency in             computer-based teaching: Do students learn more deeply when they interact with            animated pedagogical agents? Cognition and Instruction, 19, 177-213. 

NSW Education Standards Authority [NESA]. (2019). Science and Technology      Syllabus.         Sydney, Australia: Author.