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Next-Generation Educational Games
Over the past twenty-five years, games have evolved from black-and-white blips made by hobbyists into a complex multi-billion dollar industry. Over the past five years, interactive digital entertainment -- computer and video games, have made significant strides in developing immersive worlds, interactive story, massively multiplayer online communities, and tackling broader range of themes and human experience.
Yet, few, if any examples exist of how this medium might be used to support learning. Traditional "edutainment" is based on limited pedagogical models, and does not take advantage of the games' potential to simulate phenomena, engage the player through story, express ideas creatively, or collaborate with other players. Some existing games like Civilization III could be used to support learning, but few researchers have examined their impact on players' understandings. Part of the games-to-teach project's research mission is to explore how people learn through gaming. The following presentation highlights our vision for The Games-to-Teach Project, and highlights some opportunities for using gaming technologies to support learning in advanced science, engineering, and mathematics education.
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Copyright 2000, MIT |
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Throughout
history, artists and educators have been enchanted with the opportunity
of using new media to support learning. Seminal cartoonist the Max
Fleischer developed documentaries on evolution and Einstein as well
as training films for the US Navy during World War II. The Bell
Labs Science Films series, produced by Jack Warner, directed
by Frank Capra and animated by Chuck Jones, brought together top
Hollywood talent to develop educational media.
