Forums → WEPR → Teaching Through Video Games
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I've seen how people train dogs by giving them treats after saying a word and making them sit then giving them a treat. I've also noticed how I am trained to raise my hand and sit down after entering a classroom and I recieve a good grade for doing that, so I continue. (except in this case, the good grade is always rewarded unlike the treat)
My question is, do you think video games could be used to teach things like that also? And if you think it can then do you think that you can make it so they use the lesson in real life as well.
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wouldn't an educational video game kill the point of it being a video game? If i knew i was learning, the game would have to be ****** for me to play it. By the way, this really should be in the video game section.
idk about that. manz video games teach things. most of my english and some of my german come from video games. some video games even have side quests of minigames that are connected to math. you learn many different things. you also learn about life itself and video games also help you to think in many different ways. it teaches alot of logic and thinking in a creative way.
wouldn't an educational video game kill the point of it being a video game?
Depends on how you do it.
By the way, this really should be in the video game section
Not really. The video game sections is for talking about specific games. This is talking about using games in general to teach.
I've already learnt a huge deal from video games, through the sheer fact that I analysed parts of them which is one of the best ways of learning because YOU see it, and you discovered it.
Games I've learnt from in particular include:
1) Fable I - I learnt a MASSIVE deal about morality in this case, and it was a milestone for me becoming a dignified person, as silly as it may sound.
2) Mass Effect 2 - Looking at how Commander Shepard negotiated, being nice or confrontational about it, I looked at how oration worked in even more depth than I usually did (which, not to toot my own horn but that was pretty deep anyway).
3) Age of Empires II - it didn't teach me about something so fundamental to my development but it did teach me about History, which was very useful. I could actually use historical examples presented in this game with the ethical justifications (or measurements, as I began to learn) I had myself. Interesting to say the least.
Using games to teach? I use them as examples much of the time and I think they have potential but unless it is properly integrated into the core gameplay, via story or elements of the game, or another way, I think it would otherwise fall flat on its face.
- H
i learned a lot about history in the Age of Empires series.
i also learned some military stuffs playing Americas Army.
I don't think you can use only video games to teach, that wouldn't be enough. You can use them as complementary help, but you need some conventional teaching too.
wouldn't an educational video game kill the point of it being a video game? If i knew i was learning, the game would have to be ****** for me to play it. By the way, this really should be in the video game section.
I don't mea learning math, I mean like always look both ways before crossing the street, things like that.
I see that my title had a flaw in it now since most asociate teaching with school.
I don't think you can use only video games to teach, that wouldn't be enough. You can use them as complementary help, but you need some conventional teaching too.
What would you consider conventional teaching?
What would you consider conventional teaching?
Like actually going to class. The game won't be able to give explanations beyond its programming. Learning games are good, such as the ones that help you refresh basic math skills, but the game won't be able to answer questions or explain everything or help you directly.
Well Strategy games can make you think, just like chess does, so it become a skill, like learning science, math...
Also playing fast paced video games does improve your reflexes.
I must admit... I learned a lot of vocabulary and history through playing video games. The Total War games was mostly history, and just about every other game I've played taught me a new word.
Like actually going to class. The game won't be able to give explanations beyond its programming. Learning games are good, such as the ones that help you refresh basic math skills, but the game won't be able to answer questions or explain everything or help you directly.
^this. The kids need a person to which they can turn to if they have more specific questions, someone who can see what problem the kids have and how to react, more importantly someone who will teach HOW to learn that matter and not only the theory itself.
Well Strategy games can make you think, just like chess does, so it become a skill, like learning science, math...
Yeah, but that's not replacing the courses, it's just improving the way we handle new information.
Also playing fast paced video games does improve your reflexes.
Don't know how well studied it was, but I read a study saying that watching fast-paced cartoons like spongebob temporarily reduced childrens abilities, like concentration and such^^
I must admit... I learned a lot of vocabulary and history through playing video games. The Total War games was mostly history, and just about every other game I've played taught me a new word.
When I started playing Morrowind in English version, I didn't understand a word and my brother had to translate everything for me. With time, I could understand the basic message even though I didn't udnerstand each word (misinterpretations were still frequent :S). By my first English course I already had a good basis^^
I also learned a few historical things with Empire Earth, though those were just details and really didn't help at all for the exams :P
I'm not saying to teach people math or geography and stuff, I'm saying like teaching someone to sit down after entering a classroom, or like my previous example, to look both ways before crossing the street.
I'm saying can you teach them something that they will later do by instinct, which could be taken as whenever you see numbers, you try to find something to do with them.
Not geography, I guess vocabulary could fit in there since you just have to recall the way it is used.
Also playing fast paced video games does improve your reflexes.
That never helped me, I find that I actualy have no reflexes when it comes to playing video games, like I can't play fast paced games because whenever I find enimies poping out of nowhere, I have to figure out what character to point my screen at first.
Like actually going to class. The game won't be able to give explanations beyond its programming. Learning games are good, such as the ones that help you refresh basic math skills, but the game won't be able to answer questions or explain everything or help you directly.
Plus one of the things I found about learning is how effective social interaction is when doing it. It is sooooo useful to think of how to explain something to someone or to talk about something with another person, especially for revision.
Well Strategy games can make you think, just like chess does, so it become a skill, like learning science, math...
Looking at the intricacy of why Zerglings are ineffective later game isn't really all that beneficial - a great methodical way of thinking, surely, but still.
Zergling = Fast melee unit, cheap and fragile, spawn in twos.
Two Zerglings beat one Marine - thus the Zergling is cost efficient.
But because Marines are ranged, if they're say, in a group of 10, where 1-3 of them are not targetable and a full surround on a single Marine is impossible, it could screw over the 14 Zerglings because of the relatively shorter surface area available to attack from.
Also playing fast paced video games does improve your reflexes.
Not necessarily. Keeping the idea of shooting a guy in your head will just maintain your reflex rate, but being alert as usual and simply being ready for what could come at you is equally effective in my opinion.
Yeah, but that's not replacing the courses, it's just improving the way we handle new information.
Kind of. But that's one of the things I mentioned - social interaction. Why is it remembering things about actors/resses, games or TV shows is significantly easier than quadratic equations or Pythagoras' Theorem? You generally talk about it and because:
1) You're not confused about it
2) You enjoy it.
I've learnt to enjoy the work I do and to see its practical use aside from simply school (even though some / many I may not use), and draw from that. Already I'm intrigued by the subject, but my last year of school I was confused as hell with Maths, when all I had to do was swipe my memory and think about it a little, it took such little time to pick everything back up this year and all the information is firmly locked into my head because I was not confused.
Talking about it with my teachers and on occasion my friends (generally with homework, but most lessons I help explain) has been SUCH a significant benefit. Half the gargantuan lexicon I may include in my vocabulary on Armor Games isn't acceptable in common terminology and thinking of unique ways to explain the formulae has been essential for me to think of things in new ways and generally (happily) dwell on it. Great way of revision for me.
And it helps them, which is great in itself.
Don't know how well studied it was, but I read a study saying that watching fast-paced cartoons like spongebob temporarily reduced childrens abilities, like concentration and such^^
Games are an interactive media. I think one that requires you to pay attention would be cool but even so... meh. :/
When I started playing Morrowind in English version, I didn't understand a word and my brother had to translate everything for me. With time, I could understand the basic message even though I didn't udnerstand each word (misinterpretations were still frequent :S). By my first English course I already had a good basis^^
I also learned a few historical things with Empire Earth, though those were just details and really didn't help at all for the exams :P
Nice, I want to learn a secondary language, though it would probably be Korean being as I am interested in Taekwon-do and the Starcraft II professional scene (Taekwon-do is deriven from Korea and Starcraft I / II is a national eSport in Korea), learning a secondary language would always be interesting to me.
Right now I'm trying to learn to type with all 10 digits though.
That never helped me, I find that I actualy have no reflexes when it comes to playing video games,
When I'm playing a relatively foreign game (which for me is Call of Duty 4) I am nowhere near accustomed to it and my "skill" in general dwindles down to nil, including common reflexes. Being as I play Battlefield as my FPS I think it's worth mentioning that I have not yet experienced a moment where I didn't aptly expect something (although in FPS's if I'm going into unknown territory I am always alert and expecting something) and was able to quickly respond.
Even if I know an enemy is around the corner on CoD though I go braindead because they generally do an action that I would expect from a CoD perspective (and do expect) but because reacting to it is now so alien to me I just... die.
like I can't play fast paced games because whenever I find enimies poping out of nowhere, I have to figure out what character to point my screen at first.
Try to learn doing that sub-consciously because I don't think that you'll do well in a fast-paced game deciding which pretty face you want to take off...
If you do want to do it more methodically then I would suggest simply being calm as you do it, with little adrenline going through you because rational thought (or the idea of using such a thing) goes entirely out of the window - keeping a cool head is key in any video game and of course I have stayed completely on topic discussing this.
- H
Try to learn doing that sub-consciously because I don't think that you'll do well in a fast-paced game deciding which pretty face you want to take off...
I usualy hide behind a wall, and if the game has a good engine, I shoot a couple of times to make them stay back for a few. For some reason I can't act fast cause I always MUST think through every single action I do in games, although it does help when in serious 1 to 1 games, it is a horrible tactic in things like cod.
I've learnt to enjoy the work I do and to see its practical use aside from simply school (even though some / many I may not use), and draw from that.
I can only learn something if I see a use for it.
Plus one of the things I found about learning is how effective social interaction is when doing it. It is sooooo useful to think of how to explain something to someone or to talk about something with another person, especially for revision.
I've found that after learning something, relating to it somehow, even if its making a joke using it, helps me remember it or better understand it.
When I'm playing a relatively foreign game (which for me is Call of Duty 4) I am nowhere near accustomed to it and my "skill" in general dwindles down to nil, including common reflexes.
I've found that all multiplayer FPS games have the same type of people playing them, and since they all pretty much think alike, they have the same weaknesses and can be easily exploited, like people never expect you to rush them with a pistol and have their machiene gun equipt for cover firing so the pistol always wins. Also once after playing about 5 hours straight of FPS games each weekday (I had very easy homework back then) I found that gamers all do the same things and go the same ways and are very predictable (sadly most don't relize they move like clockwork and consider me a hacker).
So after getting very off topic and to conclude this, switching FPS games dosen't throw me off balence in skill unless I play with a controler at one of my friends houses (I play pc).
But no one is addressing what I actualy ment the thread about, and that is can a game make something become an instinct on a person to a point where they dont even relize they are doing it, example, looking both ways before crossing the street, sitting in a chair after entering a classroom.
Don't know how well studied it was, but I read a study saying that watching fast-paced cartoons like spongebob temporarily reduced childrens abilities, like concentration and such^^
Well i read a study that games (and internet in general), increases the reflex of a human being. I'll explain the study more in detail if I can find where the scientific magazine i read it in is.
Yeah, but that's not replacing the courses, it's just improving the way we handle new information.
I'm not saying it's going to replace the courses (why should it?), I'm just saying that being really good at a game should be viewed to be as much of a skill as, for example, winning a gold medal in the olympics or being a scientist.
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