Open Learning celebrates National Video Game Day
Discovering the intersection of education and entertainment through gaming
Video games often get a bad rap as a mindless form of entertainment, or as a poor substitute for real-world activity. But while it’s probably not a great idea to spend whole days on your Xbox, it turns out that when used in moderation, video games can be very effective for teaching useful skills such as collaboration, computational thinking, and problem-solving.
At Open Learning, we’re big fans of video games as teaching and learning tools. To celebrate National Video Game Day on July 8, we’ve put together a list of MIT resources to help you learn more about the educational value of gaming, no matter your age or level of experience:
For Kids of All Ages:
MIT’s Education Arcade offers a variety of games that help kids learn to experiment, collaborate, and problem-solve, all while teaching math and science concepts.
Education Arcade Simulation & Computing Tools
For kids who want to take their skills up a level and create their own games, Education Arcade provides tools and platforms that teach complex systems and computational thinking. A fun, engaging way to introduce K-12 learners to computer science.
The MIT Playful Journey Lab and Education Arcade are developing Shadowspect, an interactive computer game aimed at students in grades 7-10. Players build 3D figures while developing their geometric, dimensional, and spatial reasoning skills. Students will access levels of increasing difficulty as they move and rotate spheres, cubes, and other important shapes in order to find creative solutions to modeling problems.
For the Tech-Sensitive Parent:
Teaching Learning, Parenting, and Gaming
MIT Full STEAM Ahead offers an overview of healthy, productive ways kids can use video games to learn 21st-century skills, and provides a list of recommendations for age-appropriate games that encourage useful behaviors such as problem-solving and collaboration. Additionally, Professor Eric Klopfer, Scheller Teacher Education Program (STEP) Director and STEP Research Manager Judy Perry walk parents through the world of learning and gaming on their Education Arcade Parenting Podcast.
For the Aspiring Programmer:
Learn to Build Your Own Video Game with the Unity Game Engine and Microsoft Kinect
MIT OpenCourseWare offers materials from this 9-day hands-on workshop about designing, building, and publishing simple educational video games. No previous experience with computer programming or video game design is required; beginning students will be taught everything they need to know and advanced students will be challenged to learn new skills. Learn about video game creation using the Unity game engine, collaborative software development using GitHub, gesture handling using the Microsoft Kinect, 3D digital object creation, video game design, and small team management.
For the Cultural Critic:
Introduction to Video Game Studies
Dig into course materials from the Comparative Media Studies/Writing department’s introductory course on the interdisciplinary study of videogames as texts through an examination of their cultural, educational, and social functions in contemporary settings. Students play and analyze video games while reading current research and theory from a variety of sources in the sciences, social sciences, humanities, and industry. Assignments focus on game analysis in the context of the theories discussed in class. No prior programming experience required.