Video Games in the Classroom: The Future of Learning?

With summer upon us, droves of students will hit the beaches, streets, and game rooms to pass the time until they come back to school for another year.  While I will probably force my 5-year old to go hiking with me or to ride her Frozen adorned bike, many students will take up the game controller and spend hours traversing fictional worlds.  But, is that a bad thing?  The common assumption that video games remove children from valuable learning and create students who can’t concentrate on meaningful school work may be, after all, a myth! According to Freeman A. Hrabowski III, the president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, “Too many young people are bored at every level of education.” He suggests that games may be an answer to improving teaching and learning.

“Digital environments are second nature to today's young people. Playing well-designed games, as well as creating them, can pack an educational punch,” explains Hrabowski. At UMBC, student game developers put hundreds of hours into game development because they are engaged. Using a “STEAM” approach (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, combined with Art and Design), Team Huebotics created the game HueBots which “features friendly-faced, rainbow-hued robots.”

But the work team Huebotics has done is not only a reflection of their engagement on this game, it is a reflection on how the education system must change with the generation of students it is educating. Hrabowski suggests, “American education, from pre-K to college, must find ways to inspire similar dedication and to bring content to life.”

While I occasionally enjoy a good video game, I too wonder if creating games around content area topics may be a way to illicit critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and/or communication.  I also wonder if designing classroom lessons around popular video games is a great way to engage students in what might be mundane instruction. 

To address counter points on this topic, Hrabowski explains, “Since Oregon Trail made its way into elementary-school classrooms across the country, this approach has drawn skeptics who question whether students are learning or simply being entertained. To address such concerns, we must ensure that sound pedagogy forms the foundation of any gaming experience.”

I offer these quick suggestions to bring game concepts into the classroom:

1. Apply a “leveling up” concept familiar to video game players to your classroom management plan. 
(classroom management)

2.Write an essay that takes a stance on this topic: Which is better PS4 or Xbox1? 
(Language Arts)

3.Calculate/Analyze the yearly earnings of game franchises like Call of Duty or Madden over the last decade. 
(Math)

4.Evaluate how laws of motion affect game play in racing games. 
(Science)

5.Create a new “Oregon Trail” game that represents travel through a different historical time period. 
(Social Studies)

To read the article “Video Games in the Classroom? Welcome to the Future of Learning” go to http://www.cnbc.com/id/102550028.