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On the other hand they would come usefull when learning foreign language, history or music on introductory level because games might enhance ability to remember facts.
Refering to questions stated in OP:
1. Lecturers don't use games to evaluate skills at schools, at least in Poland.
2. I wouldn't include them in any examination scheme with one exception. On the PUZ exam(1st term of Master level studies) it would make sense if lecturer included game which is puzzle at the same time. However, the subject itself didn't make much sense.
But I also agree with Robert. I don't see much educational use for the Sim City game. The video actually looks more like a promotion for the game - "Let's buy it for all the schools!". Actually from what I've heard the game didn't sell very well.
By the way I personally really hated that in the new Sim City game you could only build really small cities.
Unfortunately, educational games can cause laziness in young people. What can later affect their worldview. They believe that in life everything is always cool and pleasant. The games do not have to make up homework and only need eg. do puzzles and solve some boards.
Also i agree with Robert. I think that these games unfortunately will not work for adolescents and adults. I think that they are too old for such a type of game.
On the other hand, these games can have very interesting wizualicację tasks theorems and problems. They can greatly facilitate the understanding of these tasks.
I like the idea that education and technology collaborates, so learning is easier and more understandable to students. I guess it really might work. But like you all said, on the other hand it develops laziness.
I think some examinations can use games, for example driving license test.
And Robert, I think it is design for kids and teenagers not for students at University ;)
It's main usage would be probably making lessons more interesting for children. Basically, it is a very good addition to the all kind of subjects but it should not replace the traditional way of teaching.
As for SimCityEDU, right now the game seems to be in very early phase and it does not offer anything special. As final product it probably would be good tool to teach children logical thinking.
Personally, I have never been evaluated by games or anything similar at school and I would not include them in examination scheme. I do not believe it is good way to evaluate students at school. However, I think it would be a great way to practice before exams.
Games like SimCity can create a model of real-life situations, so every decision we make during the game can be used for analysing our way of thinking and assessing e.g. our problem-solving skills.
Similarly, a game based on air traffic control simulator can be used in the enrolment process for the real job, because it can test our perceptiveness and reaction time. On the other hand, the air traffic controllers can use it as a training platform, to improve the above-mentioned skills.
From my own experience, playing games (e.g. Diablo III) with language set to Spanish can teach you new phrases and vocabulary in no time :)
However, in my opinion, stating that SimCity can prepare children for future jobs is a great exaggeration. It can definitely make some lessons more exciting , but like Robert wrote, the real knowledge comes only through hard work.
To sum up, I agree with opinion, that computer games can be a great addition to learning path, but I would never consider them as a replacement.
I think yes. Young children learn new technologies so fast because they like it.
In my opinion learning by gaming can have much more good than bad. We think about education like about something we should. Why we can't think: education playground, or just fun. This is one side of my vision.
The second are the possibilities which children can gain. I agree with previous speakers, that is great way to learn creative thinking. Typical education can offer that type of knowledge, education have always is the same schema. In games it depends on creative authors, and can change in time.
Is it good idea to include them in the examination scheme?
I'm not sure. Evaluating is enough not fair, that adding another level of abstractions where you can do much more than typical schema, would increase the complexity to much.
To sum up I am big fan new technologies in creating new educational opportunities.
Is it good idea to include them in the examination scheme?
Seriously speaking I don't know. I think it is worth a try at least, but I can't really tell if it will be a great thing. We learn something to be able to use it in different kinds of situations. Using games to both learn and examine can shrink this idea, to be only appliable in the very specific situations. In the most funny situation it can lead to kids not being able to use what they have learnt without a game
HOWEVER.... This goat simulator seems to be completely useless (I've seen it in top 10 products of Google Play Store): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9CiufkGVQk
It seems to me that better effects would be by learning programming that significantly develop the ability of thinking and abstraction. You do not need to encourage children to play. Nowadays they are practically born with the tablet in his hand.
Spend time playing on tablets and computers for them is just as natural as it was for us to play outdoor. An important issue is the selection of games for kids. Not just SimCity can be educational. There are many games that force you to combine, predictions and drawing conclusions,
but the problem may be the selection of the level of the game to the age of the child.
As mentioned @Micha Kulesza very good form of use games are simulation F16 flight, whether it is for pilots or simulation battle for GROM soldiers.
Is it good idea to include them in the examination scheme?
I agree with @Michał Wągrodzki. It seems to me that you do not need to add exams of computer games, but definitely a good use of games can have a positive impact on students.
http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cashflow_101
Also driving simulators help to learn rules etc.
A good motivation can be for example challenges and achievements like in a typical game. Students learn something(vocabulary, statements etc) and get remuneration or something like that.
Also, keeping in mind the article, SimCityEDU sounds like a great idea to me. If HS kids could have a chance to play with it, the schools could raise awareness about pollution control, human interactions with the environment and these subjects' should be well understood by everyone.
When I had to learn by heart parts of the periodic table for my chemistry classes I’ve found some game that allowed me to create flash cards and play it in the way, that during flying a space ship there were question’s displayed and I had to ‘shoot’ the answer.
I did learn chemistry in no-time.
When it comes to this favor of SimCity… Please remember that i’s made by EA. I’m afraid that to be graded with A (or 5) you will have to pay for DLC (Downloadable content):
http://i.imgur.com/0DnSCxs.png
Getting back on topic: I would love to see exam where you would have to complete some RPG game using knowledge from the lectures. Like your character is meeting dragon, and to kill it you have to use some math equation to properly cast the spell :)
Of course learning by playing game works best in… programming ;)
I’ve played the game CodeCombat: http://codecombat.com/ where you can learn object programming in JavaScript by finishing game. Another example is http://www.jsdares.com/ where you also play games by writing short JavaScript code.
I also believe that it can be useful both for children and adults. What needs to be considered is the amount of learning vs entertainment. You know, educational games should really teach us something, not only bring fun.
As for the Sim City, I'm not a big fan of the latest instalment and prefer the earlier, 2003 version, but I believe the game can teach some basic rules of how the city functions.
I imagine this game to allow students and teachers to play simultaneously. Obviously, teachers should score the highest points while students would follow their teachers to learn the best practices. The teacher could also possibly reward good students using in-game prizes/etc...
On the other hand, from my own experience if I am forced to do something, no matter how fun it seems, after some time I will get bored and discouraged - just because I have to do it and have not chosen to do it. If gaming is homework, it will still remain homework, no matter how fun it is. Also, this system is developed to make the exams a more pleasant experience. One of the things that children learn at school is that not everything in a real world is pleasant and sometimes we just have to do things that we do not enjoy. Even now people leave school almost completely unprepared for real life. They have to be prepared for some stressfull times and I don't think this is the right way.
As for the games and their educational use, I'd first like to remind, that video games are a part of greater family, gaming as a whole. So, what do we do with games? We play them. What better way of learning, than by having fun? I've played several games on PJIIT hosted by lecturers and the whole class enjoyed them. Moreover, I'm confident they had much deeper impact on the students than 90' of technical insight of the problem.
Video games are pure entertainment, and there's nothing wrong with that. As such, they are medium for information, as tv, radio or the internet. All of this media can be used for educational purposes.
Actually, the theoretical part of Polish driving licence exam is a game. You mark correct answers in a computer program and you get the score at the very end.
I'm quite astonished, as some of my predecessors in this topic responded in a rather traditional manner: 'games are fun, knowledge comes from books and hard work'.
Really?
Btw. if someone want to try game that test your mind, I recommend playing Antichamber :)
I mean a combination of practice, in this case, "action" in the virtual world of the game, with the theory, which would complement the tasks in the game.
If games were developed with more functionalities like theory , verficitaion or various task methods, teachers would be able then to use it to verify students skills. The game should include specific vocabulary to tame children with difficult words which could be used as something necesseary in their future jobs.
Game may be more inetersting form than traditional so students may can learn more and more. It is good.
Lecturers still rather don’t use games to evaluate our knowledge and skils. It may be matter of time.
Including game in the examination scheme is a good idea. It is more interesing than old methods.
A very interesting game, which I would reccomend everybody to check out, is Democracy 3, For me this was a much better lesson than all the years of so called „Wiedza o społeczeństwie” that I had in my schools. It really shows how hard it is to run a community and make as many people as possible happy and content.
To sum up, I do believe that the future of teaching is connected with games, however I don't think it would be possible, or at the very least wise to completely replace traditional teaching.
I always liked strategy games - building my own bases/countries and managing them. That's how my interest for management and business started.
Video games sparked my interest in learning English - I associate games with most of my early English skills. Now I work in English, as a project manager in IT/telecom.
There was that really awesome game called Shenmue that started my interest in martial arts and the Japanese culture. If it wasn't for it I wouldn't have done my bachelors degree at pjwstk.
I really discovered what I like through video games and I am happy being able to say that I find things I enjoyed in video games in reality through my job and studies. I have games to thank for that.