Kids to play games at school

[TomO]

A trial is to start in four UK schools to see how games can be used to support education.

If it wasn't already bad enough that kids (well, teenagers at college) are being paid to attend school, kids could soon be playing videogames as part of their everyday lessons. A trial is being co-funded by Futurelab and Electronic Arts (http://www.pro-g.co.uk/news/nid/1259/) to discover what students can learn from computer games and how best to introduce them into the classroom.

Full story (http://www.pro-g.co.uk/news/nid/1259/)

[falak]

This is clearly a government ploy to develop a generation of mindless killers. What happens when the government drops them for a younger generation? I await the Oliver Stone adaptation.

[Heretic Machine]

Kids being paid to go to college? When did this happen? I'm paying like 13k a year to go to a shitty state university where I am taught -nothing-.

[baz]

This is clearly a government ploy to develop a generation of mindless killers.

lol

Sounds like a good idea though, I remember playing Carmen Sandiago at school when I was a little fella, and sim city as well actually...

[Savok]

I've certainly learnt more through videogames then I ever did in the Australian education system. We should do it here as well.

[Xaerin]

All I ever had was Granny's Garden, which I think must have been somehow educational cause I remember playing it more than the other game we had which was the awesome Arkanoid.

[TRiLoGY]

I think I also read something about this on the bbc news website.. I will try to find it :)

Edit: Ah yes, you can find it Here (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4134530.stm)

[falak]

Kids being paid to go to college? When did this happen? I'm paying like 13k a year to go to a shitty state university where I am taught -nothing-.You get paid to go to college, you have to pay to go to university. I think it's a bad idea, as money should not be a motivation for attending college. I mean, I get a grant for university, but that's because my family is relatively poor, and it only pays for the course. College money is like a wage. It's completely different! :p

I guess if it gets more people into secondary education it's a good thing.

[Jekub]

I'm pretty sure there was a Neverwinter Nights module being developed for use in schools, containing logic and matchs puzzles and other such things structured into a story. I remember my wife, being both a teacher and an RPG addict, being very excited at the time.

[Justin_McElroy]

ha! This will show those mean boys in gym class.

[Intruder]

I'm a High School History teacher and I use PC games in my lessons. I hook a PC up to a projector and then we play games on the wall that pertain to our lessons.

For example laste year we played Strategic Command to let the students try their hand at expanding and conquering Europe in the way Germany did,

Political Machine to help teach how elections are run

Rome Total War to show how battles were fought

Call of Duty to show the airdrops and beach landings

I even whipped out Mafia to show what a 1920-30 city might have looked like and the vehicles used.

The key is to not make the focus the game. instead the game should complement the lesson and be a tool used to help the students understand the lesson. A game in which the kids can play and have control over will facilitate learning SOOO much more than a text book or hand-out. When I teach I try to make it interesting and relatable to the kids.



Plus it can be downright fun! :)

[kizke]

Kids being paid to go to college? When did this happen? I'm paying like 13k a year to go to a shitty state university where I am taught -nothing-.

Yeah me too!

This gets a serious WTF.

Edit: University, college, whatever. Point is that if I want to go ANYWHERE after high school I gotta fork over a lot of money.

[Kefkataran]

When did this happen? I'm paying like 13k a year to go to a shitty state university where I am taught -nothing-.

You oughtta head over to my college. I actually learn shit here. And it's a state university even, just a good one. ;)

I actually am sort of being paid to go right now because of all my financial aid, but post-college I'll owe quite a bit in loans, so not really.

[Ultima Thulian]

Intruder has the right idea on how to use interactive media such as games to teach people with. I just hope such media doesn't replace actual people. Now before you start posting, "Ultima 13 WTF LOL HaHa", hear me out. The History Channel uses Rome Total War to show how many battles during Roman times were fought. That's great and all, but that kinda sucks for the people hoping to get a job actually acting the parts of the soldiers. I'm not saying this is some epidemic of machines replacing humans, it is just something to think about. Also, at no time should parents/teachers/whatever rely on such media to teach our children. So many times I've seen parents babysit their kids to the likes of Barney, or god forbid, Teletubbies. And many times I've seen teachers (on a near daily basis mind you) turn on the TV and sit the entire class out, hoping the students would learn through osmosis or something (sure as hell wasn't watching the PBS special, it is nap time!). Intruder has the idea. Using interactive media to enhance the learning experience, not to skirt one's responsibilities. We should use technology to our fullest extent to teach our children so they don't grow up to be dumbasses, not to be lazy. Again, kudos to Intruder on setting a great example on how to use games for educational purposes the right way.

[mister_slim]

Oregon Trail flashbacks! (That game obviously had some subliminal effects on me. Why else would I have moved from Maine to here? Damn you, Broderbund!)
Kids being paid to go to college? When did this happen? I'm paying like 13k a year to go to a shitty state university where I am taught -nothing-.
Then find a better school, or at least better professors. Look, your education is now in your hands. That's the point of college. If you want to learn, learn. If you just want the degree, you can achieve the same results by dropping out and acquiring some real world experience.

[Ultima Thulian]

Please Mister_Slim, don't encourage him to be lazy and stupid. The last thing we need is more maladroit, lazy, ass nuggets.

[Kefkataran]

Please Mister_Slim, don't encourage him to be lazy and stupid. The last thing we need is more maladroit, lazy, ass nuggets.

Er, I think the point of Slim's post was encouraging him to *not* be lazy in fact.

[Ultima Thulian]

If you drop out of college the only "real life skill" you'll obtain is scrubbing comodes. College education is vital nowadays. You won't get the same results by dropping out and acquiring some real world experience. It just doesn't work very often. And let Mister_Slim respond to my reply. It was directed to him, not you. I'm trying be an asswipe, but my comment wasn't insultive or hurtful, so let him reply. If he find it wrong or insultive, I'll apologize. Slim had it right the first time when he said Perigon's education is in his hands. Just don't tell him to drop out. It might've work for Bill Gates, but it usually just doesn't work for everyone. Quitting is for pussies anyway. :)

[Ultima Thulian]

whoops, *not being an asswipe* typo. my bad. :)

[Kefkataran]

If you drop out of college the only "real life skill" you'll obtain is scrubbing comodes. College education is vital nowadays. You won't get the same results by dropping out and acquiring some real world experience. It just doesn't work very often. And let Mister_Slim respond to my reply. It was directed to him, not you. I'm trying be an asswipe, but my comment wasn't insultive or hurtful, so let him reply. If he find it wrong or insultive, I'll apologize. Slim had it right the first time when he said Perigon's education is in his hands. Just don't tell him to drop out. It might've work for Bill Gates, but it usually just doesn't work for everyone. Quitting is for pussies anyway

I don't think Slim was serious about the suggestion he quit, but I mantain (as I always will) that that "MUST DO OR WILL FAIL" attitude about college is misplaced. And I think Penn and Teller would agree with me, which is well enough. Keep in mind this is coming from someone who is in college and loves it.

[Ultima Thulian]

Perhaps you're right. But the chances of succeeding are increased by going to college. If that were not true, then people wouldn't dump so much money into it in the first place. Job applications always ask what college degree/experience you have, there's a reason for that. But I don't care what Penn and Teller say (I love their show, "BS", it's great, but you gotta draw the line somewhere) about OREGON TRAIL! I don't know if P & T have a position on Oregon Trail, but I do know the game made me sad. No matter what I did, Grandma never made the trip. The game made feel like a failure. (Sniff...) :(

[Kefkataran]

That all depends what you're looking for. Some jobs, often the most high-paying, yes, require college. Some (including many fine-paying ones) do not. It just depends.

I really hope Penn and Teller do a show on Oregon Trail. :D

[Intruder]

Then again technical colleges are really great for many people. Some of the hardest working yet underappreciated people go to these colleges. Mechanics, repairmen, etc... Some people act as if being a mechanic is a poor job. How would they get their BMWs to work when they break down if not for mechanics?

[Savok]

Real world experience means squat in Australia, we have fucking degrees for bed making for christ sake.The country is run by 30-somethings who are completely clueless about everything, that combined with awful state governments, services in this country are fucking terrible.

Note to those coming here, don't get sick or use public transport (which would make you sick anyway, so you've more reasons to avoid it).

[Ultima Thulian]

Thanks for the heads up Savok. Is it really that bad though?

[mister_slim]

Please Mister_Slim, don't encourage him to be lazy and stupid. The last thing we need is more maladroit, lazy, ass nuggets.
How does dropping out make him lazy and stupid? I have no idea what he's studying, but in most fields leveraging an internship into a entry-level position or focusing on honing skills in the real world is more beneficial than just apathetically getting a degree.

Someone looking for a game development job could go into QA and hone coding or art skills on the side, or make mods, or do a variety of things that demonstrate their ability to make games rather than their ability to get A's.

[Ultima Thulian]

True, but many jobs require certain degrees or certifications. That is just the way it is. And you're right about honing/getting an internship on the side. But just straight up quitting and never returning is not only pussified, but unfair to loved ones and friends and teachers who busted their asses to get you there. I know my parents and family busted their ass to help me with my college, and they still do. So betraying their trust and hard-earned money to "do what I want" is not cool sorry. Let me clarify. I'm not saying not getting a degree makes you unsuccessful, I'm not saying that even dropping out (for good reasons) is bad, What I'm saying is that people who drop out because it's "too tough" or "I don't need this, I'll smoke pot and be a dumbass hippy" are pussies. Period. Hell, everything you said makes good sense, but if you're gonna go to college, get your damn degree. Otherwise, why are you there? It's not fair to people who want to go to college and get a degree. I know there are exceptions to the rule (you mentioned pretty much all of them) but for the most part, if you "drop out" you're a pussy whose wasted the time and money of loved ones and yourself. These people should bag my groceries and scrub some toilets, because MOST NOT ALL jobs that pay anything halfway decent require a degree/certification/years of experience. And college is the best to do all that. If you're not in it for the degree, go to school that specializes in what you plan to do or scrub a toilet. Nuff said. Oh, please don't take anything I said in this post or my last post (hell any of my posts) as something offensive. I'm just being honest and practical. Thanks for being cool about things. :)

[Cuba]

It might've work for Bill Gates, but it usually just doesn't work for everyone.And Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak and Lawrence Ellison and Michael Dell and Paul Allen. Hang on, I think I'm seeing a pattern here... :)

Real world experience means squat in Australia, we have fucking degrees for bed making for christ sake.I'm gonna have to go ahead and disagree with you on that. How many corporate jobs do you see advertised where they value a degree over experience, in my experience, not many. I have found the only places that care about degrees are the places that give them out, that's one of the reasons I am losing my current job with a university (I don't have a degree, I do have tertiary qualifications though), despite the fact that I am probably one of four or so people in the state that has the experience (one of which already works here).

[Savok]

Thanks for the heads up Savok. Is it really that bad though?
Queensland government has gotten in trouble recently over trying to cover up "Dr Death", killed over 80 people or something, there's doubts he was even an actual doctor.

And Cuba, they're either grunts (who are ruled by 30-somethings with bits of paper saying they know something) or they really good companies who know their shit, which are few and far between.

[TRiLoGY]

Well I got a BSC Honours Degree in computing, It took me a year and a half to get a good job. Nobody would employ me because I had no experience.. My Degree was worth nothing (at the time)..

Anyway, After getting 6 months experience (unpaid) I managed to get a good job, but having my Degree probably helped me muscle through the Competition and get through the interviews.

Basically, go to college/University, get some qualifications because although they might not benefit you in the beginning, they definately will help as you start moving up the ladder and with some experience will help you get better jobs.. A degree or experience isnt amazing on its own, but a combination of the two are a great help!

:)

[Eon]

You shouldn't apply the Games Industry to real life. I dropped out of further education and got a job in Games and I'm doing okay, but I also know that my options outside my field are quite limited.

A degree is good wherever you go. Relevant Degree > 4 Years Relevant Work Experience > Irrelevant Degree in most good companies.

I bet there are plenty of places where no degree drops you out of the interviewing process though.

[Ultima Thulian]

It sucks, but that is how it works. The man wants to keep us down!!!