EDT616 Video Games as Learning Tools
Lead Faculty: Dr. Everett George Beckwith
Course Description
Introduces students to game pedagogy and to mainstream, entertainment-based games to enhance learning. The overall goal is to increase games literacy and through hands-on exploration, demonstrate how video games can be effective learning tools. Students apply this knowledge to integrate a video game into training or into standards-based K-12 curriculum.
Learning Outcomes
- Increase their "games literacy" by playing and analyzing a variety of video games and simulations.
- Identify game genres, platforms, industry statistics and other terminology.
- Discuss the latest academic research on video games and their role in learning, motivation and education.
- Understand games from the inside out by having created their own games to use in their classrooms.
- Analyze how video games can be used as effective learning tools to help motivate students and facilitate knowledge, understanding and retention.
- Apply constructivist principles by using software such as Squeak, an object oriented programming language that helps illustrate powerful concepts by allowing students to create their own games.
- Attain step-by-step practical knowledge on how to use video games as effective teaching tools.
- Discuss hot topic issues and how they relate to the role of games in education and the world.
- Examine various impending products that look to be the future of games in education.
