Computer Games: Educational Technology’s Next Frontier?, by John Cavanagh. ‘Academics currently researching the convergence of computer games and education are beginning to suggest that such games could play a significant role as an educational medium, as it is believed they help to develop skills important for children growing up in a technology-driven society. Needless to say, some educational computer games have an uncanny ability to hold the interest and attention of pupils far longer than more traditional teaching methods.
The negative opinion asserts that such games may impact negatively on the role of teachers. An even odder assertion is that introducing a computer-based learning system into the classroom would promote laziness amongst pupils. Computer game advocates believe that this opinion comes from the idea of computer games as being a non-social form of childsplay. They point to studies showing that even non-educational computer games can enhance a child’s learning by encouraging students to seek alternatives, make predictions and inferences, navigate through unfamiliar processes, and make calculated decisions. That being said, what could be achieved by designing games specifically for educational goals?’ [continue reading]
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