Should Video Games Be Used in the Classroom?

When I was in 2nd grade I played Math Blasters for hours on end, and to this day, I am still terrible at math.

My son is autistic, and he finds being involved with video games a safe haven. If you could help him learn math through Ninja Turtles, I am all for it.

School is meant to be boring. Duh.

While in school studies must be given importance and just nothing else.

just like cable in the class room there using what is popular among kids to teach them I'm all for it.

he wants them to be dullards?

Things that make kids actually want to learn and enjoy learning are good in my book. When I was little, my mother bought us this video game system called Socrates. Its only purpose was education. My siblings and I loved it, even the math games, and I hate math. But because of these types of games and a couple of old programs on the ancient computer my uncle gave us back then, I had a head start on learning some things and was able to improve in other areas so much so that I was recommended to be put in the gifted program. I think folks should keep in mind that this is talking specifically about educational games, not the normal kind of video games most kids play, and I'm pretty sure that they mean them to be used as a supplemental thing, not to replace regular classroom curriculum.

they can be helpful for making kids learn without them realizing it.

I think it's a bad idea.

I guess it more depends on the video game. because it does make you use your brain on how to win. but on some games such as black ops or modern warfare it really shouldnt.

not as the main form of education...but as long as it will help them learn it, and remember it i don't see why not

We've already used them

As long as they are a supplement and not the main form of education, why not?
Also make sure the games are age appropriate (i.e. not having high schoolers play games more suited for an elementary school age) and have an interesting enough plot line or objective and no real cheat codes to get unlimited ammo, ect.

Video games have been used in the classroom since *I* went to school, back in the 80's. I remember playing Oregon Trail at least once a week in computer class. They'd teach us for 30 minutes, then let us play for 30 minutes. I also remember games on the TI computer we had at home that *could* have been used in classrooms for teaching math, spelling, and geography. I see no problem with this. And hell - one computer, loaded with all the information a kid would need for a year, is cheaper than the 6 or 7 textbooks they'd need! And if it's a laptop, it'd be lighter, too.

These kids should have a basic problem solving skills first, don't you think? This idea is great but, I think these kids won't have the opportunity to think and learn independently, the video is basicly telling them what steps and all they have to do is click, etc...

My son had an eye condition where one eye was almost not working because it was so far-sighted the brain had cut it off - and the prescribed a patch over the good eye and video games. His eye got better, and now he can read better. They are good for eye-hand coordination as well.. Everything in moderation though.

Absolutely. Who says they can't be educational? I grew up playing Number Munchers, Mathblaster, and The Logical Journey of the Zoombinis. Those games were fantastic logic/math games, and they helped me quite a bit.

I am sure they can learn something but I am sure what.

I thought we are supposed to get our kids off those things because it causes obesity and couch potato syndrome,so why bring them into schools.The kids will go home and say that they have to play with the games due to "homework".Just defeats the object.

aw yeah! Mario Kart DS in class baby!

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You can certainly learn from video games - I remember playing "Maths Circus" at school, which was really fun & also obviously about maths. However, we only played it once or twice a week, which is the most video games should be used in the classroom.

But not as a main form of education.
As a supplement to standard education.

Yes

Video games? What happened to reading, writing, and arithmetic?

Video games can teach those things and more.

What video games teach reading, writing and arithmetic? That's laughable!

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What is laughable is your all-too-easy dismissal of technology being able to teach.

The question did not ask about "technology" in the classroom. It asked about "video games". Go back to the beginning. You have distorted the subject and lost all credibility.

If a video game is not the product of technology then what is it?

All of the links I provided you are video games. And they all teach reading, science, math, history - you name it, they teach it.

I think there is a distinction between instructional videos and video games. Don't you?

Not anymore. Little Big Planet is a game. Pure and simple. It's a popular game, too. And there are lots of games on the Wii and NDS that help teach things.

I learned how to do math quickly using the game Math Magic on a TI Computer back in the 80's - and it was very much a game, not an instructional video. I learned spelling from similar video games - and I was often ahead of my class because of it. Using video games makes learning FUN - and if it's fun, kids will want to continue doing it.

One of the most educational video games ever made:


You hunt down a super-criminal... using math, science, vocabulary skills, and most importantly - your geography skills:

You just are not reading what I have said. You missed that class.

>.>

I read what you wrote perfectly well.

My point is - those are GAMES I listed. Not 'Instructional Videos'.

Video GAMES. You're incredibly haughty for someone who has failed to accept that technology has gone far past 'Instructional Videos' and into using games as teaching tools.

Why are 'Instructional Videos' superior in your mind? Why allow them, but not games that can do the same thing? Some do so even faster and more thoroughly than any video could.

Did you read what I said about video games and instructional videos? Instructional videos may be fun. But there are video games that are not instructional.

Now go take your ADD medication.

So now you're redefining 'instructional video' to suit your argument? A video is just that. A VIDEO - a cassette or disc with non-interactive information on it that can be played for a viewer, but allows for little direct interaction outside of 'stop', 'play', 'pause', and 'rewind' or 'fast-forward'.

A Video GAME is a game - with copious amounts of interaction, with a goal (or goals) for the player. There are multiple platforms a video GAME can be played on, but it is NOT an 'instructional video'.

And of course there are SOME video games that are not instructional - but that does not discount the fact that there are plenty that ARE instructional. Or are you conveniently omitting those from your argument because you know you are wrong, and to allow for those video games to exist in your mind would PROVE you wrong?

And nice. Argumentum ad hominem, and irrelevant at that. Does this mean you have nothing better to counter what I've said that you must resort to such attacks?

there would be reading, writing, and math, but different kids learn in different ways. if a kid learns best through educational games why not let them? i mean as long as it doesn't take over their lives

Then put the video games OUTSIDE of the classroom.