Games in education – an overview

June 4, 2007

This is the content of the final assessment for EDGI911 – I.T in Education. It takes the form of a website (for reasons that slightly escape me other than perhaps for the fact that the Uni thinks it’s a good idea for us to have a basic knowledge of web-design) which you can find here

It’s a simple site but I a couple of nice things with it – the background image of Pacman is fixed so that he stays in place when you scroll and on the page of references, I provide anchored links to the ones that I in annotated form.

This is the initial spiel – it was meant to be longer but I didn’t have anything else to say and I ran out of time.

Games in Education – an overview

As the use of information and communications technology in education grows apace, it is only logical that teachers and educational designers will focus their attention increasingly on the world of computer games.

Computer games offer a rich and engaging environment that can cater to any educational approach, from the simplest drill and practice exercises to the development of high level problem solving and collaboration skills in sophisticated three dimensional worlds.

According to the TEEM Report (2002) on the educational use of games, they “provide a forum in which learning arises as a result of tasks stimulated by the content of the games, knowledge is developed through the content of the game and skills are developed as a result of playing the game.” (p.4)

Computer games have been shown to provide benefits ranging from dramatically enhancing the eye-hand coordination and spatial perception of surgeons undertaking laparoscopic procedures (Rosser, 2007) to sparking significant improvements in understanding of mathematical concepts among primary school students.

They offer a choice between purchasing off the shelf commercial games and building your own using any of a suite of game building software tools currently available, they allow for simulations of complex situations that are often impossible to replicate in a classroom – such as coping with a spill of dangerous chemicals in a large city.

Games also stimulate and motivate collaborative behaviour as a result of naturally occurring interactions in online environments such as Massively Multiplayer Online Games which emphasise an experiential model of learning which is favoured by many learners. (Steinkuehler, 2004)

Games are an intrinsic part of the Information revolution and their full impact on education is yet to be seen, however every piece of research points to a very interesting future.

From here, I wrote four annotated references for the following papers.

#1 The Impact of Video Games on Training Surgeons in the 21st Century.

Rosser, J., Lynch, P., Cuddihy, L., Gentile, D., Klonsky, J., Merrell, R., (2007) The Impact of video games on training surgeons in the 21st Century. The Archives of Surgery, 142. 181 – 186.

Central theme and scope:

This research examines the influence of playing video games – both immediately before a task as well as playing them regularly over longer periods of time prior to the task – in the development of a range of perceptual and motor skills useful in surgery.

It has a fairly narrow scope in comparison to a lot of the research into the impact of videogames on game players however this works to the researches advantage as it takes a highly focussed approach and makes excellent use of available medical technology used to assess performance and measure neurological activity.

Intended Audience:

This paper was published in the Archives of Surgery (Feb 2007), a respected medical journal published by the American Medical Association and aimed at surgeons and other medical professionals, including teachers of surgery.

Description:

The hypotheses being tested in this study were that “surgeons with past video game experience will peform better in a standardised laparoscopic skill and suturing program” and that “video games are correlated with better peformance in a standardised laparoscopic skill and suturing program”.

To test this, 33 surgeons participated in The Rosser “Top Gun” laparoscopic skills and suturing program. This measures their speed and accuracy in a simple surgical procedure, by making use of “an inanimate electronic proctor that controls for economy of movement errors in addition to time”.

The surgeons were all surveyed about their history of game playing, surgical experience and speciality. These factors as well as gender and hand dominance were all noted.

The surgeons then spent time playing games which emphasised non-dominant hand dexterity, two-handed choreography, targeting and 2-d depth perception skills. They then undertook practice drills which involved suturing and laparoscopic procedures.

The results of the study (after all factors were considered) showed that current video gamers scored 40% better in the Top Gun suturing course. Surgeons who have played video games in the past were 33% better at laparoscopic drills and suturing. Subjects who played video games for more than 3 hours per week had 37% few errors than those who had never played. If subjects played video games for more than 3 hours per week, they were 27% faster at laparoscopic drills and suturing tasks.

The researchers behind the study came to the conclusion that video game skill and past experience with video games are significant predictors of laparoscopic skills and suturing capability. They attributed this to several neurological processes that occur during game play. There are substantial increases in Dopamine release in the stratium and prefrontal cortex – areas associated with eye-hand coordination. Dopaminergic neurotransmission is also involved in learning, reinforcement of behaviour and attention.

Relevance:

This study provides evidence that playing videogames offers benefits in the development of eye-hand coordination and visual depth perception. It differs from the other studies that I have cited in that it focuses on these factors in relation to skill development and takes a particularly clinical approach.

#2. Learning in Massively Multiplayer Online Games

Steinkuehler, Constance A. (2004) “Learning in Massively Multiplayer Online Games” In Y. B. Kafai, W. A. Sandoval, N. Enyedy, A. S. Nixon, & F. Herrera (Eds.), Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference of the Learning Sciences (pp.521-528). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

Central theme and scope:

This study investigates the nature of learning in Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOGs), networked 3D gaming environments that allow players to interact with objects and characters in the game as well as other (real) players.

Steinkuehler posits that players of MMOGs have rich learning experiences as a result of the “situated meanings people construct and the definitive role of communities in that meaning making process”.(p.4) She notes that it is the interactions of the members of the community in these types of games that promote learning far more than any embedded content might and that designers developing educational MMOGs need to give in-game social practice as much (if not more) attention as instructional content.

Intended audience:

This paper, which presents the preliminary findings of nearly two years research is targetted at educators interested in using games as well as developers of games for education.

Description:

Steinkuehler has taken an ethnographic approach to this research, immersing herself in an MMOG called Lineage for 19 months. Lineage is a game set during medieval times and is centred around guilds (a.k.a blood pledges) which vie for control of castles in a virtual kingdom.

She devised four key questions to structure her research, these being:

• What are the social and material practices of MMOGaming?
• What forms of participation mark community membership in such settings?
• What means for learning are embedded not in the game as designed but rather in the community practice of those who inhabit it?
• What import does participation in this community have for the situated (on and off screen) identities of its members? (p.2)

Her investigations involved participating overtly in the daily life of the game while taking “field” notes and screen capture video, noting conversations and asking questions. She interviewed other players informally in-game, through semi-structured topic specific phone interviews as well as in structured formats.

In addition to these primary resources, she also gathered data from community sources including player-authored user manuals, fan discussion boards, chatrooms and fan generated fiction.

Steinkuehler found that players learn primarily in collaboration with other, more experienced players. “During collaboration, the focus is on the activity, with information (e.g., manuals, guidebooks, websites) playing only a secondary and supporting role.”(p.7) Feedback comes from the game system (e.g., error-produced death) as well as other players and pushing yourself beyond the edge of your current competency is highly valued by the community.

Relevance:

This research is of a more qualitative focus than most of the other papers and it again focusses on a relatively specific area of the use of games in education. It’s inclusion emphasises the wide ranging benefits to be found in this field and the need to consider the existing strengths of games when applying educational goals to them.

#3 Computer games in education project

BECTA (n.d), Computer games in education project: report Retrieved May 30th, 2007 from BECTA website : http://partners.becta.org.uk/index.php?section=rh&rid=11207

Central theme and scope:

Becta is an agency of the British Government with responsibility for providing advice on the use of information and communications technology (ICT) in education. This report offers an overview of the potential uses of computer games to support teaching and learning in schools.

Its scope is therefore necessarily quite broad and focuses on:

• investigating what aspects of computer games are of value to education

• investigating if and how existing games might be used productively in schools

• encouraging the educational software industry to continue the development of high quality software which addresses the requirements of teachers and learners

• developing a dialogue with the games sector.

Intended audience:

British Education Department, managers, school administrators, teachers, computer game industry

Description:

This is broadstroke report based on anecdotal evidence from the schools that participated in this national project. A pool of commercially available computer games (not specifically designed for education) previously reviewed by Becta was made available to teachers to use in class.

The teachers were provided with a study related template for each title which covered issues directly related to the National Curriculum, technical issues, language comprehension and content suitability for different ages/year levels. Teachers had to specify their intended learning outcomes but beyond this were free to use the software in the manner that they felt was most appropriate.

The games chosen (and their purposes) were:

• The Sims (building a simple model, describe how rules govern models)
• SimCity 3000 (building a simple model, describe how rules govern models)
• Championship Manager 2000/01 (databases and data manipulation)
• Age of Empires (thinking and essential skills)
• City Trader (trading of stocks and shares in business, modelling economic activity)

The report describes in some detail the experiences of the learners with the games software and the different applications derived by the teachers.

As a small pilot study, no particularly definitive data has come from this report however it is worth examining for the insights developed by the teachers and the learners in the process of introducing games into the classroom. These include:

• Simulation based games can be very useful for stimulating class discussions by providing authentic contexts
• Teachers need to frame the activity to ensure that learning objectives can be met.
• Teachers should be familiar with a game – both in terms of content and control before using it in class.
• The immediate feedback offered in games acts as a strong motivator for learners
• Games can offer activities with greater relevance to learner interests – such as football in the case of Championship Manager
• Games can act as “platforms for social interaction”(p.5) and stimulate collaboration
• The option for licensing games to use on a school network was considered important, given the limitations of running games on a single computer.

Relevance:

This report differs from the others listed here in that it looks at the issue of games in education from a more organisational level and considers issues of practical implementation in the classroom. As such, it makes an important contribution to this overview.

#4 Supporting Learners in a Remote CSCL Environment: The Importance of Task and Communication.

Graves, D. & Klawe, M. (1997). Supporting Learners in a Remote CSCL Environment: The Importance of Task and Communication. Proc. of CSCL ‘97, Toronto ONT

Central theme and scope:

This study looks at two important factors in the design of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) learning resources – the degree to which tasks are structured and the nature of the communication tools available to learners – and their impacts on learning and engagement with the material.

As an early instance of research in this particular field, the study is centred on the experiences of a relatively small (134 participants) sample of elementary school learners.

Intended Audience:

This paper is targeted at educators, instructional designers and other people with an interest in the use of I.T in distance education.

Description:

The researchers used an education computer game called Builder, which “allows two players to design a house using various 2-D layouts and view it in 3-D.”(p.4)

Builder is designed to improve understanding of a number of mathematical concepts including additive and subtractive areas and volumes, tiling of surfaces and the relationship between perimeter and area.

It can be set to provided structured tasks with clear goals or more open ended tasks with undefined goals. It also offers two systems for networked communication – a simple, text chat only version and a second which adds voice chat as well as personal avatars, creating a “virtual presence”.

Pre/Post tests were devised (differing only in numbers and words used in similar equations) to measure learning and a questionnaire developed to examine the socio-motivational effects of the game and the collaboration by distance model.

Additional data came from log files from the game (tasks undertaken and completed, times taken and scores) as well as anecdotal reports from teachers observing the students.

A control group of students who only took the Pre/Post tests was also established.

Learners were pre-tested during the week of the research and on the day worked in pairs in separate rooms. Each pair was given a 5 minute orientation to the system and then were allowed to play for 30 minutes. Some pairs were able to use the simple communication system and others the enhanced version. Some were given structured tasks and others the open tasks. After this the students were given the questionnaire to complete and after all learners had played Builder, they were given the post-test.

The research demonstrated significant improvements in the desired mathematical skills in the learners that had used the game. Learners preferred the enhanced communications tools however they didn’t increase academic gain. Learners did benefit more from the structured tasks than the unstructured ones. Anecdotal reports indicate that learners using the unstructured tasks struggled more with the concepts of the game.

Relevance:

This research complements that of Steinkuehler in some ways, offering a statistical counterpoint to her ethnographic approach. The value of collaboration in learning and particularly in learning through online and networked games is an important example of the benefits of games in education.

Here is the complete list of references – there is some interesting reading here if you are interested in the research going on into game use in schools.

# 1. The Impact of Video Games on Training Surgeons in the 21st Century. (annotated)

Rosser, J., Lynch, P., Cuddihy, L., Gentile, D., Klonsky, J., Merrell, R., (2007) The Impact of video games on training surgeons in the 21st Century. The Archives of Surgery, 142. 181 – 186.

#2. Learning in Massively Multiplayer Online Games (annotated)

Steinkuehler, Constance A. (2004) “Learning in Massively Multiplayer Online Games” In Y. B. Kafai, W. A. Sandoval, N. Enyedy, A. S. Nixon, & F. Herrera (Eds.), Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference of the Learning Sciences (pp.521-528). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

#3.Computer games in education project (annotated)

BECTA (n.d), Computer games in education project: report Retrieved May 30th, 2007 from BECTA website : http://partners.becta.org.uk/index.php?section=rh&rid=11207

#4 Supporting Learners in a Remote CSCL Environment: The Importance of Task and Communication. (annotated)

Graves, D. & Klawe, M. (1997). Supporting Learners in a Remote CSCL Environment: The Importance of Task and Communication. Proc. of CSCL ‘97, Toronto ONT

#5 Report on the educational use of games.

McFarlane, A., Sparrowhawk, A., Heald, Y., (2002) Report on the educational use of games. Retrieved May 30th 2007 from TEEM website : http://www.teem.org.uk/publications/teem_gamesined_full.pdf

#6 Use of background music in electronic learning environments

Sedighian, K. & Sedighian, A. S. (1997). Use of Background Music in Electronic Learning Environments. ED-MEDIA 97: World Conference on Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, Calgary, Canada.

#7 A classroom study : Electronic games engage children as researchers

Klawe, M. M. & Phillips, E. (1995). A classroom study: Electronic games engage children as researchers. Proceedings of Computer Support for Collaborative Learning ‘95 (CSCL), Bloomington, Indiana.

#8 Playing together beats playing apart, especially for girls

Inkpen, K., Booth, K. S., Klawe, M. & Upitis, R. (1995). Playing Together Beats Playing Apart, Especially for Girls. Proceedings of Computer Support for Collaborative Learning ‘95 (CSCL), Bloomington, Indiana.

#9 Environmental Detectives – The Development of an Augmented Reality Platform for Environmental Simulations

Klopfer, E. and K. Squire. 2005. Environmental Detectives – The Development of an Augmented Reality Platform for Environmental Simulations. In Press for Educational Technology Research and Development.

#10 Teaching with games – using commercial off-the-shelf computer games in formal education

Sandford, R., Ulicsak, M., Facer, K. & Rudd, T. (2006) Teaching with games – Using commercial off-the-shelf computer games in formal education Retrieved May 30th, 2007 from: http://www.futurelab.org.uk/research/teachingwithgames/findings.htm

Entry Filed under: 911, collaboration, games in education, multimedia. .