Online gaming has become a concern for some parents in the past few years, and there are also worries children might become addicted, with negative effects on their socialization. This has led some parents to think of creative ways to reduce gaming, including rationing the time children spend online.
It’s important to remember though, that not all the research into children playing video games paints a bleak picture. In fact, there is a growing body of research that suggests such worries might be unfounded and that gaming could be an incredibly useful educational tool which might actually make children more sociable, not less.
In the same way that many schools use other forms of technology to get students more excited about learning — such as interactive whiteboards and tablets — both of which seem popular with students, video games might also offer similar benefits.
How Gaming Could Help
Language learning in particular seems a perfect place to try “gamified” classes. Some schools are already using Minecraft in French classes — the idea is that students work together to build a “learning zone” in the Minecraft space – finding new words to help them along the way.
Role-playing games offer an ideal learning space.
Indeed, James Paul Gee, a leading researcher in the area of video games as language learning tools, suggests that role-playing games such as The Elder Scrolls series or World of Warcraft, offer an ideal learning space for what he calls “at-risk” learners. In theory, there is just enough challenge, just enough support, just enough room for players to be themselves and, possibly most important, students have just enough “ownership” of the learning process.
“At-risk” language learners, by Gee’s definition, could be anyone. They may be learners with special educational needs, but equally...
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