In his article, Simmons seems to be reporting on gaming consoles used in homes for entertainment. However, as video games are becoming more accepted as an educational tool I began to contemplate on what the implications would be for classrooms if indeed gaming consoles became obsolete. Simmons explored some general issues including compatibility and speed, but there are still further issues that we as teachers need to consider.
One obstacle that came immediately to mind was that if the future of gaming lies online, government and school policy on internet access for students and teachers will need to change. Already teachers become frustrated when we and our students cannot access websites and applications online due to enforced blocks. As online gaming becomes more accepted as part of best practice and integrated into curriculum, availability of online resources will need to be less restrictive.
One positive aspect of total online gaming for learning is that it can contribute to home-school connections. For example, currently, for students to continue using games they play at school, it is often the case that they need to borrow the CD-ROM. Online gaming allows students to continue these studies at home or in libraries without restriction.
As with any new technology which becomes available in schools, training for teachers is essential to ensure that relevant and meaningful learning for students is taking place. Hardware-free gaming in schools may only be part of the future of learning but the more training and experience we receive with all forms of video games that are being used at present, the easier it will be to integrate new aspects into our classrooms. We should take opportunities to plan for the future of video game learning by building our confidence in what is available today.
When we think about using something in our teaching, we need to first ask ourselves two questions: “What’s the good of using it?” “What problem may arise form it?”
ReplyDeleteWhat’s the good of bring on-line games into teaching and learning compared with other forms of video games? As you mentioned above, I also think the best of on-line games lies in home-school connections. It is convenient and economical as long as the Internet is available. Students can get access to the video games used in class at home via the Internet and continue their studies after school. It makes sense especially when the game used in class is time-consuming and teachers can leave students finish the game playing after class.
However, once the Internet is completely open to students, low grade students, in particular, online safety is one element that needs consideration. In China, students below junior middle school have certain restrictions on the use of the Internet. And in most of the family, parents have restrictive control on students’ access to the Internet at home because it is believed that young children have poor self-control. It’s easy for them to get addicted to the Internet and receive information involving sex and violence. How can we guarantee students spend most of time playing the school videogames online and keep away from the harmful resources? It is a practical problem faced with us when we think about using on-line games in our teaching. (by Ronda)