Brain Based Learning

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.

Perhaps the relationship between game playing and effective learning can be thought of in terms of Vygotsky’s concept of Zone of Proximal Development (Schunk, 1999). Vygotsky wrote that children learn best when they are challenged by situations they are developmentally ready to handle, but do not yet have the skills to master. They develop these skills through interaction with others, exploring the environment, knowing what they are trying to accomplish, being able to modify the environment, and getting corrective feedback from the environment. These characteristics of a learning environment correlate …

I was recently asked to describe game based learning, and how it differs from traditional learning. I think there a few key concepts that help explain this.
What is game based learning?
Game based learning is really any learning that involves using games – giving student points, or candy, when they answer questions correctly can be considered a game to enhance learning. I think it’s useful to think about the two different aspects of games in learning: you have the motivational aspect, or “fun factor,” which can wear off pretty quickly, and …