EDTECH 541: Relative Advantage of Using Digital Games for Content Area Learning

I currently teach 7th grade World History and have learned that the more active my students are in their learning the more information they retain.  The use of digital games in history can help students make connections to the content in a way simply reading the textbook cannot.  By using computers or video games, teachers can promote learning in a constructivist approach.  The relative advantage of using digital games is the fact they the games engage and motivate the learners (Coffey).  According to Heather Coffey, games can reach across various demographic backgrounds and if used effectively can increase the students vocabulary and mental quickness.

Some aspects of the games that teachers need to take into consideration are:

• Student's age
• Previous gaming/technology experience
• Can all students participate (do you have students with as disabilities?)
• Number of players
• Learning objectives
• Technology requirements

Some benefits of gaming in the classroom is the hope that the student has a better understanding of a new concept or idea.  It also allows for repeated practice to help students learn vocabulary or other terms.  According to Rebekah Stathakis, playing games help student form positive memories of learning and keeps their attention (2013).  As a history teacher my goal is to find interactive games that can work well in my content.  I remember when I was a kid playing Oregon Trail and how excited I was to learn more about that time period.  This past year I used a online version of Diplomacy in my 7th grade history class to teach my students about nationalism, imperialism and what the world was like before World War I.  My students enjoyed the strategy and learned geography and problem-solving skills.  The hope is that students will develop critical thinking skills and they are able to come up with well-thought out decisions.  A website I found helpful to start researching possible games for history is http://playinghistory.org/

Resources

6 Basic Benefits Of Game-Based Learning. (2013, March 15). Retrieved October 19, 2016, from http://www.teachthought.com/the-future-of-learning/technology/6-basic-benefits-of-game-based-learning/

Coffey, H. (n.d.). Digital game-based learning. Retrieved October 20, 2016, from http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/4970 

Stathakis, R. (2013). Why Use Games in Your Classroom? Retrieved October 19, 2016, from http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/reasons-to-play-games-in-the-classroom.shtml