Teaching with
Video Games
Jennelle Kesteloot (Richie)
Madonna University
RDG 5410
NYU Child Study Center
http://www.aboutourkids.org/articles/video_games_cons_pros#
“the typical American child watches
28 hours of television a week and
by the age of 18 will have seen
16,000 simulated murders and
200,000 acts of violence”
WOW! That’s a huge number!
According to the NYC
Child Study Center
http://www.aboutourkids.org/articles/video_games_cons_pros#





PROS
“first-person”
shooter games
(military training)
High level of quick
gratification
Enhance motor
coordination and
ability to think
quickly
Stress relief
Relate to one
another via healthy
competition






CONS
Violence in the
games
“first-person”
shooter games
(violence)
Takes away from
school work
Excessive play
Over stimulated
Likely to behave in
aggressive or
harmful ways
According to Want to Know It…
http://wanttoknowit.com/pros-and-cons-of-video-games/








PROS
Visual acuity
Social activity
Teach more about
life (virtual games)
Problem solving
and logic skills
Assist in education
Increase attention
span
Fun
Reasonable
workout (Wii)




CONS
Addiction
Does not
constitute a proper
physical workout
Desensitized to
violence
False expectations
of real life
Evolution of Video Games
My how technology
has changed…
NYU and Want to Know It…

Have valid arguments in regards to
video games

There are many positive and
negative aspects of them
My opinion: Playing video games at home can be ok (I
do it sometimes). However, parents need to be
involved and aware of what their child is playing
(each game has an age level rating on it) and not use
it as a babysitter.
Educational Learning Games
Your Baby Can Read!
Leap Frog
Tag Reader
Educational Learning

There are many educational learning
games out there

They are rated highly by teachers

Children can learn while playing
(without realizing they are)

Children as young as a few months
can use these programs
Educational Learning


Each system
costs money
(plus additional
fees for books,
etc.)
Used in
moderation, can
be successful


With batteries,
they can go
anywhere
Teaches
children letters,
sounds, colors,
shapes, etc.
My Opinion: These are great extensions for parents to use to help
their child learn. However, I have seen these used as a babysitter
where the child is just pressing random buttons instead of
following the directions (age wise, they would have been able to
follow along). In my eyes, it takes the place of one-on-one
interaction with the parents when used this way.
Four Ways to Teach
with Video Games
http://currents.cwrl.utexas.edu/2010/lieberman_four-ways-to-teach-with-video-games
Games that Teach Content
1)
•
•
•
•
Align with existing school curriculum
Students naturally learn better while
using technology
There are too few games built
around school-appropriate content*
“creating a good game is hard
enough; creating one based on
educational content is even harder”
(legendary game designer Will
Wright)
*1971 – three student teachers created the classic educational game
The Oregon Trail for use in a U.S. History course (Max Lieberman)
Four Ways to Teach
with Video Games
http://currents.cwrl.utexas.edu/2010/lieberman_four-ways-to-teach-with-video-games
Games as Text
2)
Complex narrative game involves
exploring, learning rules, taking risks,
developing and testing hypotheses,
and reading words, sounds, and
images
Sociolinguist James Paul Gee
•
•
•
“…games not only build literacy skills,
they teach players new ways to learn
and to think about learning”
World of Warcraft (five literacy skills)
•
•
Critical analysis, multicultural
communication, collaborative writing,
and reflection
Four Ways to Teach
with Video Games
http://currents.cwrl.utexas.edu/2010/lieberman_four-ways-to-teach-with-video-games
Students Making Games
3)
•
•
•
•
Students enjoy and benefit from
the experience
There is a variety of software
available for developing games
Mini-game development
Reach the same goals as
teaching with content-aligned
games
Four Ways to Teach
with Video Games
http://currents.cwrl.utexas.edu/2010/lieberman_four-ways-to-teach-with-video-games
Game-Like Motivational System
4)
•
•
•
•
•
Deep familiarity with video game
design conventions
Willingness to rethink pedagogy from
the ground up
Least explored in academic literature
Same lines of Vygotsky’s theory of
scaffolding and the zone of proximal
development
•
Social constructivism
Setting clear goals, allowing for
healthy competition, and providing
immediate feedback
Video Games are a
New Teaching Tool
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCaZrnstw8g
School Uses Video Games
to Teach Thinking Skills
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128081896

Quest to Learn School

Learn in game-like environments

Game-based learning is integral to
21st century literacy

Most students do not need any
instructions about video games

Video games are key to a new kind
of literacy
School Uses Video Games
to Teach Thinking Skills
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128081896

Creepytown
Imaginary city
 Learning math (economics) and
literacy skills


Students at Quest to Learn take
the same standardized tests

around 500 applicants for 80
slots in next year's class
Ms. Jennelle’s
Preschool Classroom

Would I use video games to teach?



Not in a preschool classroom
If I were in a higher grade, I would
highly consider it. They would be
teacher-monitored and appropriate in
both age and content area.
Preschool is just the beginning…the
children are having their first
experience at school. We explore
using manipulatives the way older
grades explore using technology.
References

Chaplin, H. (2010). School Uses Video Games to Teach
Thinking Skills. NPR. Retrieved from
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128
081896

Gallagher, R. Video Games: Cons and Pros. NYU Child
Study Center. Retrieved from
http://www.aboutourkids.org/articles/video_games_cons_
pros#

Lieberman, M. (2010). Four Ways to Teach with Video
Games. Currents in Electronic Literacy. Retreived from
http://currents.cwrl.utexas.edu/2010/lieberman_fourways-to-teach-with-video-games

Want to Know it (2012). Pros and Cons of Video Games.
Retrieved from http://wanttoknowit.com/pros-and-cons-ofvideo-games/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCaZrnstw8g