COMPUTER GAMES IN THE CLASSROOM

Although digital games are an integral part of the everyday lives of many children and young people, they continue to play a minor role in pedagogical contexts. Digital games have a high potential for teaching-learning scenarios. Complex content can be visualized in a realistic way via digital games. In addition, game scenarios can be motivating and inspire students for rather dry content. However, before using digital games, teachers must always consider whether the use makes pedagogical sense and whether the games are suitable for use in the classroom under licensing law. Schools must also have the technical requirements to use digital games. Depending on the game, this can be done with smartphones, tablets, laptops or desktops, for example.

But it’s not just playing itself that needs to be the focus of the lesson. For example, students can write their own game reviews, record podcasts, or shoot so-called Let’s Play videos. In this way, media literacy can also be promoted with regard to other forms of media work. It also enables teachers to learn interdisciplinary.

Assassin’s Creed Origins

The game features an education mode where players can freely explore the world of ancient Egyptians. The game provides historical information on important buildings and cultural customs. For this purpose, the game offers themed tours without any time pressure and combat.

Valiant Hearts

Valiant Hearts is set in the First World War and offers a mixture of puzzle game and adventure. The game is based on real letters and historical materials from the wartime. It tells the story of four characters who experience the wartime in their own way. The game was awarded by a French Commission of Historians for its historical accuracy.

Minecraft

Minecraft is a kind of modular game with the aim of forming various shapes out of blocks. Buildings, tools, but also animals and plants can be created from the blocks. The modular system makes it possible to transfer topics from specialist teaching to the virtual world. For example, the students can recreate certain buildings or present complex issues such as the construction of a molecule with the help of the blocks. Lesson ideas for Minecraft can be found here.

 

Scratch

Scratch is not a game in the classic sense, but a programming environment that makes it possible to create animations and digital applications. For example, students can program their own computer game or use Scratch to set command sequences for robots. The programming interface is clear and simple, so that even beginners can quickly find their way around and get a first insight into the world of programming. Scratch is also available as a SoN software package for multiple paedML versions.

 

The reasons for the use of gamification in the classroom are manifold, but above all motivational aspects are to be mentioned. The use of game elements in teaching sequences can promote the learning motivation of the students and increase their attention. An excitingly designed atmosphere addresses emotions that may not be activated in common forms of teaching. Gamification thus promotes emotional learning and at the same time can impart informal knowledge. Finally, by imparting gaming experiences, gamification should help to occupy the concept of learning more positively in the school context. You can check out d2items online to buy Diablo 2 items for the best price.