e-learning experiences

This is an interesting article I found outlining a case study undertaken in order to observe video game-making with children in an educational context. Of particular interest to me was the section outlining the constructionist viewpoint, in which 10 year old students were asked to make video games to teach fractions to younger students. One of the interesting outcomes of the study was the clear gender differences in designing the maths games, such as a violent feedback for wrong answers from the male authors. However, it was noted that these typical gender differences disappeared when students instead authored science games.

Gender differences aside, according to Kafai both boys and girls participating in the study enjoyed making the games. She argues that making video games offers students rich opportunities to develop programming skills and develop rich game worlds and characters. I believe that this experience would be valuable in the classroom when integrated with other KLAs such as maths and science as they were in the study. However, I also believe undertaking such a task would involve many other factors, such as ensuring students were already sufficiently technologically fluent, as well as the teacher facilitating the lessons was well organised and had an in depth knowledge of the programs used to author the games.

Jared wrote an interesting post on a topic that has aroused much controversy in terms of e-learning–the value of video games in an educational context. The arguments for video games having a place in education are of a constructionist nature, and, as Jared states, has the potential to enhance childrens’ planning and critical thinking skills. I think that video games may have a place in the classroom provided they are integrated in a meaningful way. Tokenistic use of education is never good, and I’m sure that if a teacher wanted to have students author their own games they would need to have a sound justification for this.