More Videogames, Fewer Books at Some Schools?

A News.com article highlights a plan that may please word-weary students: more games, fewer books in some educational settings. That's one plan put forth by some educators who feel that current learning plans don't fully engage today's classes. By offering real-world dilemmas in a virtual setting ('discover why fish are dying in a park'), teachers hope that games will turn kids onto the idea of learning, and eventually lead them back to books. The article covers several of the projects geared towards exploring this idea, as well as research on the subject. "A game designer, Salen is working with a group called New Visions for Public Schools to establish a school in New York City for grades 6 through 12 that would integrate video games into the entire curriculum. 'There's a lot of moral panic about addiction to games. There's a negative public perception, and we know we have to deal with that. But teachers have been using games for years and years.'"

is this bad?

[User 956]

A New.com article highlights a plan that may please word-weary students: more games, fewer books in some educational settings.

Look, I learned everything I need to know about the Great Western Expansion by playing Oregon trail. Such as, it is very easy to die of dysentery.

Discover why fish are dying in a park?

[Timesprout]

Thats easy, its cos I keep rail gunning them.

Re:is this bad?

[the_humeister]

Look, I learned everything I need to know about the Great Western Expansion by playing Oregon trail. Such as, it is very easy to die of dysentery.

The part that irks me is that no textbook I've seen ever mentions that farmers who made the trip successfully were awarded triple bonus points at the end.

Re:A good way to teach programming..

[Bemopolis]

I also learned a lot from ZZT-OOP — women have legs and know how to use them, and they're crazy 'bout a sharp-dressed man.

Re:Mod as Funny, not Insightful...

[Traa]

...To be absolutely honest, I still don't know exactly what dysentery is...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dysentery [wikipedia.org]

You feel any better now that you know what you made 500 virtual people go through? ;-)

Re:Language skills are still key

[value_added]

Reading and writing are *so* passe, but if you look at Information Age jobs, these skills are absolutely critical. Beyond jobs, literate citizens are key to a functional democracy. The diminishing of information literacy in America proceeds apace, and our cultural and political life suffers as a result. We expect less and less of ourselves, and we pass that on to the next generation.

Literate citizens? You're trying too hard. What's wrong with the current system where everyone depends on their television to provide them with everything they need to know?

Televison is part of our culture, like apple pie. Everyone owns a TV, but not everyone has time to read. Ever hear of the phrase "a picture is worth a thousand words"? Anyone campaigning for elected office, for example, already know they need to raise millions to fund campaign commercials and they're already in the habit of doing so. Not taking advantage of big business (who are always ready and willing to contribute ever-increasing amounts) seems contradictory to our free market economy. If you have lots of money to contribute, why shouldn't you get a bigger say?

I don't about you, but I work hard for a living. I can come home and turn on Fox News and get the important issues of the day summarised for me. That's what the information age is all about.

Yeah, because...

[Per Abrahamsen]

> It seems to me that too many young people today want everything to be fun and easy. ... back when I was young, we wanted everything to be boring and difficult!