| Game Education
The Education IT team believes that “Video Games” or “Electronic Games” are an important topic that educaton researchers should be investigating. There are important unanswered questions such as: How are video games impacting the learning experience and cognitive abilities of learners? How is attention span affected? How is brain development affected? How is physical health affected? How are reading and vocabulary skills affected?
This topic is "huge" in our society right now. Perhaps you are isolated from electronic games and do not see "what all the fuss is about". Yet, we can almost guarantee that a learner in your circle of family and friends is being influenced by electronic games. You may even know researchers at other institutions who are researching "Game Education”. The gaming industry is large and growing. In 2003 and 2004 video games were a 10 billion dollar industry. In 2005 that rose to 10.5 billion. One statistic shows that 75% of heads of households play video games and 44% of video game players are female. See,
Video Game Essential Facts (a readable and interesting document)
http://www.theesa.com/files/2005EssentialFacts.pdf (PDF)
On one hand, electronic games catch the attention of learners, even those with attention deficit problems, and are shown to increase reading comprehension, eye-hand coordination, and team work. On the other hand, some have connected electronic gaming with obesity, seizures, anxiety, and violence.
We encourage researchers to embrace this important topic.
Below are some enlightening news stories…
CONTESTS SOLICIT HIGH-MINDED GAMES
Several contests for the creation of computer games focus on social causes and other notions beyond simple entertainment. The Reinventing Public Diplomacy Through Games Competition, sponsored by the USC Annenberg School for Communication and the U.S. State Department, will award $5,000 to the developers of the game that best uses the concept of "public diplomacy" to boost the reputation of the United States in countries around the world. John Seely Brown, former chief scientist at Xerox and one of the judges of the contest, noted, "All types of explicit and collateral learning can take place through games." Meanwhile, the Darfur Digital Activist competition solicited games that highlight the genocide in Sudan. Stephen Friedman, general manager of mtvU, said the competition, which is sponsored by the mtvU network, can teach players about an issue that is not generally covered by news media in the United States. In that competition, the field has been narrowed to three finalist submissions--from Carnegie Mellon University, USC, and Digipen Institute of Technology--which are being tested by players to determine the eventual winner.
Wired News, 27 March 2006
http://www.wired.com/news/culture/games/1,70443-0.html
Web sites related to video gaming:
Digital Game-Based Learning:
It's Not Just the Digital Natives Who Are Restless
http://www.educause.edu/apps/er/erm06/erm0620.asp?bhcp=1
What Kids Learn That’s POSITIVE From Playing Video Games
http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20What%20Kids%20Learn%20Thats%20POSITIVE%20From%20Playing%20Video%20Games.pdf
http://culturalpolicy.uchicago.edu/conf2001/papers/prensky.html
Effects of Video Games on Aggressive Thoughts and Behaviors During Development
http://www.personalityresearch.org/papers/kooijmans.html
Implications of Online Gaming
http://www.units.muohio.edu/psybersite/cyberspace/onlinegames/index.shtml
Electronic Games and Childhood Obesity
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0887/is_7_23/ai_n6138540
Problem-solving games on the rise
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/artsentertainment/2002070534_seriousgames25.html
'Serious' Video Games for Education, Activism (NPR Audio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5072275
Women's Game Conference: A Positive Step Forward
http://www.jivemagazine.com/article.php?pid=1971
The Education Arcade is committed to research and development projects that drive innovation in educational computer and video games
http://www.educationarcade.org/
Still Missing the Link
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-fi-kong26mar26,1,4355502.story?coll=la-headlines-entnews
'Desperate Housewives' inspires video game
http://today.reuters.com/news/NewsArticle.aspx?type=televisionNews&storyID=2006-03-24T215926Z_01_N3O225926_RTRIDST_0_TELEVISION-MEDIA-DESPERATEHOUSEWIVES-DC.XML
Video games are for kids, right?
http://www.charleston.net/stories/default_pf.aspx?newsID=77302
Public enemy No. 1
http://www.dailypress.net/stories/articles.asp?articleID=1420
Video game therapy - a new frontier
http://www.localnewsleader.com/brocktown/stories/index.php?action=fullnews&id=163065
Studies are being carried out on college campuses around the country to try and determine the prevalence of gaming addictions.
http://chips.luther.edu/modules/news/article.php?storyid=4478
Researchers tout positive effects of video games
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7912743/
Video Game Violence and Public Policy, David Walsh, Ph.D.
http://culturalpolicy.uchicago.edu/conf2001/papers/walsh.html
CDC to Examine Effect of Video Games on Children
http://biz.gamedaily.com/industry/feature/?id=12069
Bill calls for study of media impact on youth
http://www.thedailystar.com/news/stories/2006/03/13/kids1.html
Senate panel OKs video game study
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1040_22-6047750.html
Lieberman, Clinton Introduce CDC Game Investigation Bill
http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=8453
“They might be more interested in reaching the next level of a video game than finding the source of the neighborhood creek”
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2006-03-19-send-kids-outside_x.htm
Senators Lieberman, Brownback, Clinton, and Santorum Announce Key Senate Committee Approves Legislation to Study Impact of Media on Children
http://clinton.senate.gov/news/statements/details.cfm?id=252343&&/
A bill to limit the exposure of children to violent video games
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:s.02126:/
Video game legislation well-intentioned, but flawed
http://www.timesnews.net/editorialArticle.dna?_StoryID=3614021
New training video game helps fight the war on substance abuse
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/0/9D54652FA81EF4F8852571320043B13C?opendocument
State colleges featured in new XBox 360 video game
http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/news/politics/14138369.htm
Video Game Legislation Hot Topic in U.S.
http://newsnet.byu.edu/story.cfm/58850
Police fight back against video game, Violence against officers cited
http://www.pressconnects.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060304/NEWS01/603040318/1006
Thank you! J
The Education IT Team
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Robert Evans
Director, Office of IT
Managing Director, TRC
bob@purdue.edu
(765) 496-1819
Mike Eldridge
Coordinator of Distance
Education and User Services
eldridge@purdue.edu
(765) 49-40944
Christian Mattix
Database System Administrator
and e-Portfolio Coordinator
cmattix@purdue.edu
(765) 494-3416
Wesley Shoop
Site Specialist, User Services
shoopw@purdue.edu
(765) 49-42658
Alex Noguera
Site Specialist, User Services
anoguera@purdue.edu
(765) 49-42659
Teja Josyula
Webmaster,
edit@purdue.edu
(765) 49-67323
Brenda Hash
Clerk,
Technology Resources Center
trc@purdue.edu
(765) 49-45677
Karen Hearn
Clerk,
Technology Resources Center
trc@purdue.edu
(765) 49-45677
Yue Pan
Graduate Programmer,
Administrative Databases
ypan@purdue.edu
(765) 49-42658
IEducation IT Voice:
(765) 49-42658
TRC Voice:
(765) 49-45677
TRC Web Site:
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