Essay about Integrating Gaming Elements in the Classroom

In today’s society video games have a large influence on people. We also might be driven to the point of where we are dependent on them. In fact, being so engulfed in video games could help children become more focused.In fact, parents would probably disagree and say that video games wouldn’t be essential to learning because it would probably be considered a waste of time for children and time-consuming. Parents would also disagree with the content of what is in the game, but there is a great possibility that video games could actually make us smarter. Steven Johnson explains that the games we are used to playing can improve our visual intelligence and that it would be good to learn new strategies through gaming. Video games should be an

“All it took was once class period—Syllabus Day, at that—to convince me that the gamified classroom was an infinitely unique, innovative, and effective alternative to the traditional classroom” said Morgan Ebbs in his article on the “Benefits of Gaming in Academia”. When I saw the two words “Gaming” and “Academia” together I thought surly this must be a mistake or possibly a joke. I stood corrected. Morgan proved me wrong as the class “The Rhetoric of Gaming” proved Morgan wrong. I was utterly shocked when reading this article because It explained, what I thought to be the, impossible. The impossible was using the concept of entertainment as a tool for learning.

Using persuasive writing, Wright begins to influence his audience that game play is a beneficial source of entertainment not a wasteful one. Playing video games increases creatively, self esteem and improve problem solving skills of the players. Video games are becoming test runs that appear or feel close to the real thing. Where you can control everything with added effects like magic or future technology. Games have the potential to exceed almost all other forms of entertainment media. They tell stories, play music, challenge us, allow us to instantly communicate and interact with others. Encourage us to create things, connect us to new communities, and let us play with people across the world. Unlike most other forms of media, games are inherently tangible. According to Wright young children spend their days in imaginary worlds, substituting toys and make believe into the real world that they are just beginning to explore and understand. Wright states that games are the result of imagination and that they consist of rules and goals. Generation of teenagers has grown up with different set of games. Teenagers use the scientific method rather than reading the manual first. Games today maybe a person’s only place to express a high-level of creativity and growth. Older generations have a lot of criticisms for games, the games can help a person learn to think on his or her own.

The first part is about serious games, which are games that have a purpose other than for entertainment. The second part is called codification, which is when the exploration of a theme is shown in its representation. He believes that people that play games use these two parts to help them further their critical thinking skills. They are able to play the games for fun, but yet still learn from them even if they don’t realize it. The examples he gave for games that promote strengthening critical thinking skills were any first person video games that made an individual go through a campaign mode and have to strategize every move they make to make sure their next move doesn’t end up killing them. Some other games he made a reference to that helped younger kids were Monopoly and The Game of Life. These two games teach people what the real world is like and how you have to live in that world to be successful. It teaches you how to manage your money and invest it.

Everyone enjoys the sweet taste of victory and the feeling of accomplishing a goal, especially in a video game. However, video games are not just about winning. Video games are a good method to enhance our educational experience and create a career pathway for us to take. By creating a video game course within schools around the world, we are able to create a whole new generation and future that incorporates the advanced technology that is constantly improving.

For several decades, video games have been cast aside as detractors of student learning in the classroom. According to the research done by Mifsud, Vella, and Camilleri (2013), there is yet still an abundance of research that needs to be conducted, in order to determine the usefulness of video game application in schools. This research synthesis collects data on several different viewpoints and uses of video games in regards to complementing student engagement and learning. The research of James Gee (2005), hypothesized that good video games use good learning principles, of which there are a several. These learning principles include identity, interaction, production, risk-taking, challenge and consolidation, and system thinking. The specific descriptions of each principle will be dissected throughout this synthesis.

James Paul Gee, a professor of education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, dove into the world of videogames to see

During Jane McGonagall’s 2010 TED Talk video “Gaming can make a better world”, she states “the average young person today in a country with a strong gamer culture will have spent ten thousand hours gaming by age 21”. Such numbers alone should pique the interest of every educator in our country. Young people today spend the same amount of time learning at school as they spend gaming (TED Talk, 2010). Many people view video games as fun, exciting, and adventurous outlets where they can escape reality and be creative innovators. As educators, we want our classrooms to accomplish similar outcomes. We want learning to be fun, exciting, and adventurous. We want our learners to be creative, critical-thinking innovators who strive to change the world. This brief dissertation will evaluate the influences gamification can have on teaching and learning, the science behind learner motivation and its connection with gamification, analyze how gamifying supports differentiated ways to teach and learn, and discuss how technologies and gamification are being used to enhance teaching and learning.

The U.S. public education system has been a controversial topic for many years; by virtue of budget cuts, overcrowding, and lack of innovation which negatively impacted the effectiveness of schools. According to a report by Education Week, “29 nations and other jurisdictions outperformed the United States [in mathematics] by a statistically significant margin (Heitin). Coupled with the 19th and 22nd ranking of literacy and science respectively, it is evident students are not receiving a quality education (Heitin). In conclusion, a reform is necessary for the U.S. to remain prevalent in tomorrow 's economy. To resolve the problem and secure economic prosperity for upcoming generations, a reform needs to reconcile the relationship between schools and students. Some of the reasons students dislike school are that it revolves around the prospect of failure, not gaining knowledge, or solving problems (Erik Martin). Therefore, this method is not very effective as the extrinsic motivation it relies on, demotivates [students] in the long term (Egenfeldt-Nielsen et al). Many educators have played around with the idea of using video games in the classroom; as students love to play these simulations where one must learn the game and fail, in order to succeed. Even though they are usually viewed as an expensive entertainment medium, recent technological advancements in hardware capabilities have resulted in better and more immersive gameplay and have lowered the cost of each unit which

Preview: Today, I will discuss why video games should be part of a class curriculum, and how it benefits students struggling academically.

Video games in today’s society have become very popular. Every new game that comes out to be played and conquered by the average gamer has its own category. There are several other types of genres of games that people play but because of big hit titles and the new popular game systems like the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, people become more interested in a game that is well known than a game they have never even heard of before. Every game has its own storyline and own way of how it unfolds and where the game ends according to game play. Some of the biggest reasons people sway to certain genres of games is because of the game titles released under them and the demand of people who want a good game under that category. The top three most

Current education systems are failing to give learning material to students in a way that they understand. Most students don’t care about their education because they think it’s boring and unnecessary. Students feel if the homework or lesson is too hard they won’t give it their best work. We should use video games as a new source of teaching. Students can benefit from video games because it’s a fun interactive way of learning, improves a student 's thinking ability, and increases participation.

Video games are and interactive environment with a low cost and absolutely no risk. Games allow the gamer to have an active role in creating to the fullest extent (Video games act as educational tools). Games are worlds in which anything can be done, and the player is exposed to creativity with no limitations. When this creativity is exposed over and over, the creativity becomes stronger. Even very violent games like Grand Theft Auto 3, have educational background to them, this game allows the player to determine what type of person he will become. Gee goes on to say that “everybody plays that game (Grand Theft Auto 3) differently, they’re getting to explore identities, values, and ideologies.” (Video games act as educational tools). Also historical games such as Medal of Honor and Battlefield 1942, involve players into battles that happened in World War 2. I have learned about many battles while playing these games. I realize after playing, what type of climate the solders endured, what they fought against, and what was need to be done in order to win. These games give an accurate portrait of what the battle may have looked like, including bullets, expulsions, and historically accurate vehicles. Games like these show the students what they are actually learning. Also when the students tend to want to learn more about a particular battle, and remember information easily. Some other video games, such as

Video games can be used as instructional tools as well. They have positive elements and add value; they create a micro world of their own. The players act based on natural tendencies towards learning. Therefore, learning occurs while playing (Rosas et al., 2003).

Games have a great educational value and can be used in the classroom to make learners use the language instead of just thinking about learning the correct forms. They involve students in the process of learning. Lee(1979) says that games are enjoyable and that the essence of games lies in the goal which is visible and stimulating, and that is, among other things, to improve one’s own performance. Because the activities in the class are interesting, learners look forward to their language lessons. Lee adds: “it’s hard to see any difference between ‘work’ and ‘play’ – there is a pleasant, informal, and often relaxed atmosphere, favourable to language learning… A language is learnt by using it – and this means using it in situations and communicatively” (Lee, 1979: 1). Most language games distract the learners’ attention from the study of linguistic forms. They stop thinking about the language and instead use it productively. Repetition is basic to the language learning, but not the repetition of mechanical drills, although they should not be entirely eliminated. By