This five minute clip from Futurelab would be a great resource for teacher-librarians who were interested in running an inservice on the use of video games in the classroom or wanting to generate a discussion amongst staff as to whether or not there is value in using them.
It outlines why Futurelab is interested in researching video games, “video games offer certain principles that constitute good educational practice i.e. challenge, feedback, engagement, participation in new worlds & practices”. The clip combines interviews and examples of games and how they have been utilised in the classroom. Interestingly, the team at Futurelab look beyond just playing games and discuss having software developed that allows students to easily develop their own games, much in the same way that music composition software is available.
Overall, the clip provides food for thought and it ends with citing research evidence that, “games offer engaging and very effective approaches to learning,” this is something that I believe but other teachers may not. So, this resource would be a great tool for a teacher-librarian to use initiate interest in the use of video games and demonstrate that games are another pedagogical tool that teachers are able to utilise. It would be a good springboard into getting teachers who may initially be reluctant to use games, to actually have a go at trying them in their classrooms.
Yes FutureLab has been doing interesting work about new media in education for some years now. I suggest people consult their website. Also Andrew Burn, pictured here briefly talking about children as producers of games, has published with colleagues about a 3-year project on that topic.
ReplyDeleteSee his work in:
Carr, D., Buckingham, D., Burn, A. and Schott, G. (2006) Computer Games: text, narrative, play. Cambridge: Polity.
Burn, A. (2009) Making New Media: creative production and digital literacies. New York: Peter Lang.
Burn, A. and Durrant, C. (eds) (2008) Media Teaching. AATE and Wakefield Press.
Burn, A. and Durran, J. (2007) Media Literacy in Schools: practice, production and progression. London: Paul Chapman.
Thanks Helen for the list of Andrew Burn's work. I was amazed at what Futurelab was doing & the plans they have for future research when I came across their site.Exciting & inspiring!
ReplyDelete