Brain Based Learning

Arguably videogames like Halo and Call of Duty can be seen as a “distraction”—something that can disrupt a college student’s concentration and possibly even jeopardize a student’s academic career. But in an effort to engage students and make core-curriculum more exciting, some U.S. college officials are actually embracing these “distractions” and are molding them to meet the educational needs of their students. That said, below (in no particular order) are some pioneering college and universities using technology and game-based learning to bring lessons to life and encourage learning.

University of Texas-Brownsville …

A while ago I read an article about interactivity in educational products, and a recent conversation reminded me of it. I was a little confused by the article’s definition of perceived interactivity as being connected to difficulty of use – ie, if something is really hard to use it will be perceived as being less interactive because the user is having a harder time figuring out how to interact with it (Sundar, 2004).
I’m not sure that this is really a straight line; it seems to me that some users would …

Taylor (2005) points out how academically disengaged the “Millennial” generation is. Members are uninvolved in civic activities, and uninterested in studying. They can be described as perennially bored. The challenge for educators is to engage students who are used to being bombarded with entertainment through videos, TV, games, and surfing the net. This generation is used to being in control of their entertainment, much more so than their parents. Instead of turning on the TV when their show is on, they can watch on demand – and choose whether they …

It’s an exciting time to be an educational game designer. With the explosion in popularity of gamification and game based learning, there is a lot of interest in any and all titles that are aimed at the educational market. Many companies have stepped up and are providing fun games and apps that make learning more engaging for kids, focusing on everything from pre-reading and literacy skills, to science and math, and even art appreciation. The field has never felt so wide open.
And yet, as I play many of these well …

The explosive growth in video gaming has brought some positive attention to the power of video games to engage kids and also to teach. As with anything in life, there is the risk of playing too much, playing the wrong kind of games, and even of addiction. It is the fear of addiction and other negative effects of video games that have some calling for restraints on all video game usage.

This post is based on an email correspondence with a colleague; it became an interesting discussion so I turned it into a blog post.
What do you find meaningful about the emphasis on fun in games?
I think the power of “fun” to create engagement in learning can’t be underestimated. Marc Prensky describes a certain game that detects player decision-making and makes the game harder for them. Despite being more frustrating, players keep playing and try to overcome the limitations they are given. “Fun” doesn’t mean avoiding challenges, in fact when it …