Evidence Posting #3

Are you a gamer? Are your students gamers? Do they enjoy playing the computers games that are educational? Do these educational games help your students to master facts? Do they help to encourage learning?
The article I read entitled Speaking Out Edugaming-A Bad Idea for All Ages

The idea of computer games being educational or edutainment is not really a new idea. Corporations have poured millions of dollars into this media and it has been fruitless. I did some research on this subject last semester. When I first began my search I thought the only games that fell into this category were the Everyday Math, Kidspiration type games. In my research I found that "educational" games that were geared toward older students (jr. high and up) had the greatest potential for students to actually learn something. These particular games were games that simulated real life work experiences. For example the game Urban Science is based on urban development. The game allows users to build towns and cities from scratch by this I mean Economic, social and the physical look of the city. In this game, players learn to interpret documents, conduct site assessments and they create a land use plan. They learn how to create a proposal for the development and renewal of their city.

I feel these types of real world type games do have educational value. I am not sold on the educational games for the younger students. These seem more like games than a learning tool.
As the article states I believe we can learn a lot by watching students play video games.
What do you think? Are any of you using games in your classrooms?

http://www.districtadministration.com/viewarticle.aspx?articleid=1172
Speaking Out Edugaming-A Bad Idea for All Ages
By Gary Stager