Tonight I skipped out of class early to go see Jim Gee interview David Williamson Schaffer about his new book, "How Computer Games Help Children Learn" at Borders. It was an "Inside the Actor's Studio" kind of interview, and there was an interesting mix of people - about half academics and half parents concerned about their kids' computer game habits.
What the book is about is how Schaffer and others in the Learning Sciences dept. of UW have created a series of simulation type games currently being tested and researched as they are used by students in schools. The games imply Schaffer's vision (shared by many) of what schools need to be: tailored for the digital age rather than the industrial age (for which our schools were designed). Schaffer stated that 50 years of cognitive science research indicated that our schools are not working. By "working" he seems to mean that our industrial age schools are not adequately preparing students to compete, express themselves, and contribute in a digital age - where global economy and communication is a reality.
I like that his educational games (he calls them epistemic games) are Vygotskian and Dewey-an in nature: they place students in professional, social roles, like journalist, urban planner, business owner. Why are these computer games educational? They give students power (which, Schaffer added, equals fun), they have goals embedded in authentic contexts - meaning facts are learned out of necessity to accomplish said goal.
So what hit me tonight was that a major value in playing video and computer games is that we learn how to look at life from different perspectives because of this technology. Perspectives that for students would otherwise be difficult if not impossible to experience. Why is that good? If we're talking about Schaffer's epistemic games, games are good because after "being" an urban planner working with a community to improve Salt Lake City, for example, the student will often perform better in routine aspects of life - conversing with adults better, problem solving better, expressing opinions on current events better. All because he was able to experience a role in a simulated world.
Anyway, I'm starting the book, and thinking about the question: Of all the simulated perspectives we can experience, which ones matter?
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6 comments:
The idea of using video games to train students is really interesting. Ender's Game and Star Trek come to mind. In Ender's Game, they use an actual game in a simulated environment to train young soldiers/generals in the art of war. In Star Trek the Next Generation, they use the Holodeck to simulate difficult situations. And who can forget the infamous Kobyashi Maru simulation in the original Star Trek?
What strikes me is that these games would need to be incredibly complex in order to be able to teach effectively. Some games like Sim City or Risk put you in the role of a professional like a city planner or a general, but they are very simple and one-dimensional. I don't know how much you really learn about city planning/leadership/responsibility from playing Sim City.
It's nice to know there are educational focused games like these. It sounds like you're learning a lot of interesting things Cblakes.
hey...my kids could give a litany of the educational value of video games!
xoxox
c
off topic...just noticed your cool bookshelves! how did you do that?
xoxox
c
katie - thanks, a lot of really interesting things are happening here. I'm loving it.
Chantalle: Maybe I could interview your kids for a project sometime??
For the bookshelf, go to "shelfari.com". you sign up, pick books, and then there's an option to add it to your blog. If you figured out google analytics, this is similar. You copy code, and then paste it into a (after going to "settings" then "template") page element. Let me know if you run into trouble:)
ian, I'm suprised I haven't heard people talk at all about Kobyashi Maru in education/simulation academia. But Prof. Schaffer did talk about a ST:TNG episode where a classroom of the future is shown and it is a classroom with desks facing forward towards a teacher. The consensus seemed to be that that was ridiculous for education of the future. I thought immediately of the Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith scene where Yoda is teaching mini Jedis and they are in a very non-hierarchical environment. I agree that classrooms of the future should be differently structured. I also have a hard time imagining how schools can avoid the structure - perhaps because it's what I know.
About Sim City, Prof. Schaffer addressed your point, and it seems (I haven't played them yet, though) that his games have simulations in them that are very complex. They use a program that interacts with Google Earth, and actual cities are worked with. I know they build in authentic political, geographical, and business realities that aim to make the experience true to life. Authenticity is their biggest issue, said Prof. Schaffer.
So my impression is that they are really onto something great; far above and beyond sim city.
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