Nov 01 2009
In some of the games literature this model of learning is sometimes called ‘constructionism’. Constructionism is chiefly associated with the work of Seymour Papert and colleagues at MIT in the US. Indeed, Papert’s writing on computer games suggests that they are “empowering children to test out ideas about working within pre-fixed rules and structures”, and [...]
Oct 25 2009
Seeing games as a persuasive medium reinforces their importance within the school curriculum and in classroom practice: games, like any other medium, help shape the way people act in the world, and therefore need to be understood as an effective communication technology. It demonstrates that players need to be aware of what messages games developers [...]
Oct 18 2009
A good place to start when considering the big ideas for using games in schools is to recognise that games are highly persuasive media products. Simply put, the ways in which a game is composed to be played establishes sets of routines, rules and actions that the player needs to learn in order to succeed. [...]
Sep 28 2009
The motivations for young people to play computer games, and their overall playing habits, are too diverse for generalization. An interview-based study in the UK found that children start playing games between 3 and 7 years of age. Most young people report playing games because they are fun as well as challenging, and competitive as [...]