Video Games for Learning? Why Not?

Editor's Note: This post was originally posted on career advice expert, Penelope Trunk's Homeschooling blog. If you'd rather read it (and the comments) there, go here.  

The Atari-generation often defaults to an automatic mindset that books are for learning and games are for play. However, many have no accurate frame of reference. The types of games kids are learning with today, were not available to them when they were children. At their most basic level video games are similar to books. Books can be anything—trashy novels, historical fiction, non-fiction, textbooks, classic literature—each type with varying potential for learning. Likewise, today's video games offer different purposes and varying levels of usefulness when it comes to learning. Adults should focus on the type of learning they want to support in young people, and then consider if games are a good tool for that.

Here are some of the more popular types of games students use for learning today:

Preparing for Life with Real World Simulations

Guest post by Mike Kramlich

Innovation in education is about doing things better.

And it starts with imagination.


Imagine an education resource that lets you live out a life in someone else’s shoes. 


Imagine being able to experiment with different choices, see their consequences, and learn how it affects others. Imagine if there was a simple way to learn how to better set goals, achieve your dreams, consider a fuller set of opportunities and consequences in typical daily life situations, and gain the ability to “think six moves ahead” on the chessboard of life. Imagine if the purpose of all of this was to better learn how to live a happy and healthy life, how to raise a better family, be a better friend, a better community member, a better employee and business partner, how to be a better human being and contribute to a better society both politically and economically and ethically.

NY Times Reports on How Video Games Enhance Reading and Math

I had the pleasure this week of listening to Marc Prensky during the keynote I arranged for him to join us at for our first Software Expo. Those familiar with Prensky know that among the topics he speaks about is using video games in instruction. I first read about and heard Prensky (known for coining the terms Digital Natives/Digital Immigrants) in 2001 and have felt he was on the money in many of his ways of thinking. Lately, the New York Times has agreed with the value of video games in instruction, specifically math and reading and you can read about in two of this week’s articles.

New York Region

Video Game Helps Math Students Vanquish an Archfiend: Algebra

By WINNIE HU

Published: October 8, 2008

This fall, schools in the New York area will test video game prototypes focusing on math and science.

The Future of Reading

Using Video Games as Bait to Hook Readers

By MOTOKO RICH

Published: October 6, 2008

Publishers, authors and even libraries are embracing video games to promote books to young readers.