The Potential of Computer Games in Schools

In this Kappan article, Vicki Phillips (Gates Foundation) and Zoran Popovic (University of Washington/Seattle) say that recently developed classroom computer games have the potential to personalize learning, build conceptual understanding and motivation, and give teachers detailed diagnostic information on students’ learning needs. “Well-designed games can serve as next-generation assessments that engage students in a seamless learning experience and assess their learning without their even realizing it,” say Phillips and Popovic. “By requiring students to demonstrate mastery before moving to the next level, games cultivate student persistence, an essential component of learning.” They’re also very helpful with differentiation.

An example: Refraction http://games.cs.washington.edu/Refraction/ is a free, online game that allows students to create fractions, find common denominators, and add and multiply fractions. The goal of the game is to rescue different animals who are stuck in space. 

“Almost every child has mastered something,” say Phillips and Popovic, “a hobby, game, dinosaur names, or song lyrics. The question for educators is to translate that enthusiasm for mastery into school subjects.” What gets students to mastery is a spark of interest, practice, seeing progress, and more practice. Key ingredients are stick-to-itiveness (grit) and intrinsic motivation to keep kids engaged when things get more challenging. Grit – academic tenacity – may be as important as intelligence. 

To be effective learning tools, say Phillips and Popovic, games need to have these characteristics:

• Staying true to learning science principles, not just game design principles;
• Optimizing engagement and learning transfer simultaneously and avoiding boredom;
• Allowing for the student to make continuous improvement over time;
• Containing a within-game assessment for each learner;
• Being usable for students, teachers, parents, and peers.

Game developers are working on games with these characteristics, and teachers are getting more savvy about using games for multiple purposes. The Gates Foundation is investing in GLASS – Games, Learning, and Assessment – to develop games that can serve as assessment tools, develop complex skills, help transfer learning to different contexts, and be especially helpful for students with disadvantages. “Games are far from a silver bullet,” conclude Phillips and Popovic. “But if they could help us instill in all students that relentless desire to seek what’s next, then we would ignite a love of learning that could last a lifetime.” 

“More Than Child’s Play: Games Have Potential Learning and Assessment Tools” by Vicki Phillips and Zoran Popovic in Phi Delta Kappan, October 2012 (Vol. 94, #2, p. 26-30), www.kappanmagazine.org.

From the Marshall Memo #458