...Then Others Promote Games for Education

In my previous post, I highlighted an article about the Missouri Governer pulling video games from prisons because he believes those violent games have a great potential for shaping the minds and attitudes of prisoners (in a very negative way).

Then there are those that feel that video games offer great value in education. That kids can learn a lot about physics by playing racing car games, assuming that they are specifically designed for learning and not for entertainment. NESTA Futurelab is one such company. (BBC Article)

Remember though, even though you're introducing something that might show potential benefits, you have to consider what value is lost in displacing other activities. Will these games supplement, or replace text books and real life, hands on physics labs?

I've seen tech zealots who refer to text books as being expensive and boring, and think that games could do better because they are more engaging and interactive. I'm not one of them. I don't think we have any computer-based learning that can replace a textbook and a hands on lesson.

But I do believe that computer technology, done right and used in moderation, can certainly enhance the learning experiences we have. I'm looking forward to see where Futurelab is going to take this.

Required reading: Failure to Connect and the reports at Alliance for Childhood