Games in Education March 2014 | Page 5

Leveraging Video Games In Classrooms

Topic 2

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Jessica Trybus of the New Media Institute says that “Learning” doesn’t mean rote memorization—it means acquiring the skills and thought processes needed to respond appropriately under pressure, in a variety of situations.

Leonard Annetta of Ohio State University (2008) stated that according to the Business-Higher Education Forum in 2005, 21st Century workers need to be capable of scientific and mathematic thought and reasoning. They also need to be creative, excellent complex solvers, and possess information and communication technology skills.

The 21st Century workforce is not competing with their classmates for available jobs, they are competing globally.

"Video games can facilitate the development of 21st Century skills" (Anneta, 2008).

Increasing Motivation to Practice and Aquire Skills

Annetta (2008) cites the Federation of American Scientists (2006) stating that they called video games the next geat discovery, as they offer a creative way to captivate students to a point that they will spend hours learning on their own time.

" Dr. Susan Ambrose, director of Carnegie Mellon’s Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence, this is motivational because we can quickly see and understand the connection between the learning experience and our real-life work" (Trybus).

Arjan De Raaf (2012) suggests that games motivate students by:

- creating active participants capable of manipulating objects and variables

- putting students in control

- engaging students in experiential learning

Tom Chatfield (2010), states that rewards, probablity determining the level of reward leading to uncertainty, experience bars, feedback, and long and short term goals keep players engaged.

Increase Motivation

Real Life Application

Active Participation

Control

Experimentation

Gamers are in control...

Motivation driven by emotional rewards - Sandbox strategy where "safe" PLAY increases confidence.