Get in the Games
Finding the educational value in video games.
by Jayel Gibson

TWEENS & TEENS News April 2007

The image of a video gamer has changed. We no longer think of video gamers as friendless college boys alone in their rooms. Today’s video gamers are boys and girls of all ages. Even adults play video games. In fact, today’s games are not only fun, but according to recent research, many are educational.

Can video games really be educational? More and more people are saying yes. Teachers, students and researchers are finding ways that video games increase interest and participation in learning.

One of the ways that we learn is through play. As we grow up, our play becomes more complicated and we learn to think and work in new ways. When we add rules and goals, our play becomes an educational game. Similarly, video games can be good for the brain. They can teach us everything from math and English to art and geography. Some games are specifically developed to teach, others teach through their requirements to solve puzzles or to navigate new environments.

Now that the school year is ending, it is a perfect time for tweens and teens to enjoy games that improve classroom skills and motivation. Whether you are in 5th grade or high school, there are great opportunities to learn with video games.

Several game development companies are devoted to designing video games that help kids learn. One of them is Big Fish Games (www.bigfishgames.com), a company started by a group from Lucas Arts, the developers of the Star Wars games. With games that teach about animal habitats and the solar system, such as Wild Thornberry’s Australian Wildlife Rescue and Chicken Invaders 2, to mind-bending puzzle games and challenging word-group association games such as BeTrapped and WordSearch Delux, Big Fish Games offers educational and engaging entertainment.

Broderbund (www.broderbund.com) may have a funny name, but this company also makes some exciting educational games. Elementary school students can explore spooky museums and learn about bugs with Scooby-Doo The Glowing Bug-Man or embark on the journey of the Oregon Trail, while middle and high school students can explore the features of shapes and solids and the relationship between length, perimeter, area and volume with Mighty Math’s Cosmic Geometry. Broderbund makes games for students to use at home, as well as games that teachers can use in the classroom.

If you want to become a math wizard, MathShark, a handheld math video game console by Educational Insights (www.edin.com), can act as your tutor by teaching basic skills from addition and subtraction to decimals and percentages.

Yet, learning doesn’t just come from video games designed specifically for education. Some great learning experiences exist among the popular entertainment video games too. Currently, the most popular game genres include action adventure, world building, simulation, management, racing, real-time strategy and role-playing. What can tween and teen gamers tell their non-gaming friends, parents and teachers when asked about the educational value of their favorite video games? Each of these game genres offers opportunities to develop new learning strategies and enhance problem-solving skills.

Tomb Raider and Half-Life, two long running series, are action adventure games that require players to use problem solving skills and information retention while exploring both imaginary and actual locations. Tomb Raider: Legend and Half-Life 2, the newest releases in these series, are available for most gaming systems. Tomb Raider has been rated Teen by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), while Half-Life 2 received the Mature, or over age 17, rating.

Based on creating businesses in simulated environments, management games, like the Zoo Tycoon series, involve players in activities to raise funds for daily repairs and to pay workers. This requires the use of critical thinking and math skills. Zoo Tycoon games are available for PC, Nintendo DS and mobile game platforms. Most management games are rated E for Everyone.

The Gran Turismo and Grand Prix series provide the exciting experience of high speed racing in the safety of a virtual environment. Players must choose the right cars, develop quick eye-hand coordination, complete timed activities and use map data if they want to win the race. PC and PlayStation 2 and 3 versions are rated for Everyone.

Role-playing games, such as Elder Scrolls, Neverwinter Nights and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic series, are usually science fiction or fantasy themed. Play is based on exploration and the completion of quests. Role-play games require reading directions, maps and inventory. There may be elements of fighting, but in many instances the player must decide whether fighting or avoiding the fight is the best choice. Games in these series are widely available for consoles, PC and Mac. Ratings are generally Teen from the ESRB.

The simulation game group contains everything from the upcoming Model Trains 3D to Microsoft’s Flight Simulator X. Game play ranges from building historical vehicles to flying a single prop plane or a jumbo jet. Simulations allow gamers to experiment and discover how things work or don’t work. Video game simulations involve many of the same skills used in science exploration.

The last category of entertainment games that provide opportunities to learn or practice life skills is the world-building group of games. These include the Civilization series, SimCity 3000, Black and White and The Sims. World-building video games cover a wide range of game styles. The player must control either a character or an environment to encourage growth and progress. The game’s goal may be open-ended. The fun is often in changing the virtual world around you. Combat is rare in games of this type and they are usually available for consoles and computers. The ESRB rating for such games is often Everyone.

The video game industry offers a variety of choices. Whether you are new to video games or a veteran gamer, you are sure to find something fun and educational to get your hands on.

Jayel Gibson is a mother, former elementary educator, avid video gamer and the author of the fantasy novel The Wrekening: An Ancient Mirrors Tale (Synergy Books).