This document discusses the educational benefits of digital games. It notes that research has shown positive benefits of digital games and many students require interactive instruction. Games can engage students in new activities and sports strategies at home which builds confidence. Parents and teachers should provide guidance by setting controls and restrictions. Well-designed educational games can promote skills like problem-solving, collaboration, and perseverance. If games are selected appropriately, they can supplement learning.

1. The Power of Game
Based Learning
6-8th Grade School #6, Elizabeth NJ

2. Why Digital Games?
 1. Research
 Over the last decade dozens of books, articles, and essays
have proven to have positive benefits for digital games
 2. Disengagement for Traditional Instruction
 The “Digital Natives” now require multiple streams of
instruction, frequent quick interactions
 3. Popularity
 The digital gaming industry is a $10 billion dollar industry

3. Hours Spent Playing Video
Games

4. Effects on Extracurricular
Activities
 try new activities in the comfort of their home
 learn about sport strategies and the rules of the game
 develops confidence in sport skills from winning virtual
victories and are more willing to try the actual sport
 raises confidence which reflect into the real game
Students are able to….

5. Guidance in the Digital Age
 When?
 With Whom?
 Under what conditions?
Three Important Questions to Consider:

6. Digital Guidance…
The Gate Keepers…
 Almost all games have parental controls
 These controls must be developed when the game is
first set up
 Parents/Teachers have the option to set a password
and settings

7. Purposeful Restrictions
 Use game ratings to determine appropriateness
 Decide who they can play/connect with online
 Restrict playing with strangers
 Time limits
 Mindful limits

8. Games Offer Other Parental
Features …
 Block: decide who children can play with
 Mute: eliminate the chat option
 Monitor: some games allow you to log in and check on
child’s account
 Speak Up: any uncomfortable interaction can be reported to
the game administrator

9. Games Offer Situated
Cognition
 Games Have:
 Well established principles
 Modules for learning
Students must:
 Directly relate to environment in the game and then learn and
demonstrate the skills
 Apply skills and practice within game
 Games are learned via modeling not direct instruction
Any learning done in a meaningful context has more
relevance to learning

10. What Makes a Game
Educational?
 Assimilation: using prior information to form a
hypothesis
 Accommodation: being able to realize the hypothesis
is wrong and create a new one
 Resolution: solve the problem
When games have these factors constantly embedded
it is said to be educational.

11. What Makes a Game Fun
Continued…
 Challenge and Strategy
 Different ways to win and earn points
 Element of Surprise
 Variations
 Replay Ability
 Playing the game with different outcomes each time

12. What Makes a Game
Educational?
 New information
 Educational information is provided in text or graphics
 Memorization
 Being able to recall events from previous stages in the
game

13. What Makes A Game
Educational Continued..
 Context and Cognition
 Putting new information into use
 Gender and Ethnic Balance
 Offers character gender options or language diversity

14. Types of Educational Games
 Management Games
 uses critical thinking and math skills to create a business
 Role Playing Games
 Based on exploration and quest completion
 Requires reading dialog, directions, inventory, maps, and
decision making

15. Game Types Continued..
 Strategy Games
 Includes skills most scientists use today
 Discovers how things work or don’t work
 Creating something new
 Replaying old history

16. Main Genre of Video Games
http://www.duelinganalogs.com/infographic/conceptual-map-of-the-main-genres-of-video-games/

17. Parent Involvement
 Play Games With Your Child
 Create a family experience
 Connect no matter the location
 Don’t be Afraid to Say No
 Keep rating in mind for content
 Allow Your Child to Show/Tell About the Game
 Create projects using game characters to expand
learning
 Example: journal from characters perspective

18. Parent Involvement
Continued…
 Ask Questions
 Create conversation and dialog with children
 Ask higher order thinking questions using the characters
 “Can you relate these heroes to any others?
 Keep Gaming System in the Family Room
 Games now have clans
 Bonding
 Locations don’t matter connect via internet

20. Using Games as a Teaching
Tool…
 Perseverance
 Kids fail at games all the time but always try again
 Students can be reminded they can pick up and keep
trying just like in a game
 Acknowledging Achievement
 Video games praise children for a job well done activity
points, a bonus, or unlock secrets

21.  Working Together
 You must collaborate to solve problems

22. Using Games as a Teaching
Tool
 Healthy Competitiveness
 Independence
 Kids can figure out the game with subtle hints from the
game
 Piques Interest
 Students are exposed to historic cultures and worlds they
don’t know
 Prompts students to research further
 A drive to be better

25. Conclusion…
 Digital gaming has gained in popularity and has a large
market which can benefit education.
 Games can pique students’ interests in different histories
and topics they have not been exposed to before.
 Parents or teachers can set controls to ensure that students
are not exposed to questionable elements in the game.
 Virtual games can offer socialization opportunities.
 If selected appropriately, games can offer great educational
benefits.

26. Sources
 Gibson, Jayel. “Are Video Games Educational?” Feb 28, 2008. Education.com 2006. 6/15/15
http://setonworldwide.ecollege.com/re/DotNextLaunch.asp
courseid=11528617&userid=33963325&sessionid=cf6f141aeb&tabid=EfyQHCxeGuBX3yk83yCYr977N7eNKXoZ9kvbNiCr+yS
eNM+TAspoxA/3yda/fAx3&sessionFirstAuthStore=true&macid=L81l/FrPJaat5byiAfRyyMnTNkCAezhThQT5aGByvBaBY/rQMkl
imAWZn8OL2/o+hPw+c/oeQh0Lon+R+bCrJL//QAh3fcBNnKslfNDtxKwXjmN0PkpAHCfVQbhHXdybySwfwTxwNMOzXM25+eU
JNarcCR1ICP++GeNdoxwOBABhk68VAL+zFUcBcGBNT82wkB8fmGano3PUTAmnfRynjXWGrFlgoNvz3sBKZWpxhEM=
 Berkowicz, Jill and Myers, Ann. “Summertime Video Gaming” Education Week, June 17, 2015, Editorial Projects in
Education. 6/15/15
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/leadership_360/2014/06/summertime_video_gaming.html?qs=video+game+benefits
 “8 Ways Video Games Can be Educational” Education.com 2006. 6/15/15
 “Do Video Games Have Parental Controls?” Education.com 2006. http://www.education.com/facts/quickfacts-
video-games/videogames-parental-controls/
 Toporek, Bryan. “Sports-Related Video Games Linked to Children's Participation in Athletics” Education Week,
August 26, 2014. Editorial Projects in Education. 6/15/15
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/schooled_in_sports/2014/08/sports
related_video_games_linked_to_childrens_participation_in_athletics.html?qs=video+games