October 7, 2008
Microsoft and Universities Will Study Using Games to Teach Middle-School Students
Microsoft is teaming up with a consortium of universities to study how best to use computer games to teach middle-school students math and science. The interdisciplinary research project, which is to be announced today, will involve New York University and a consortium of other institutions — the City University of New York, Columbia University, Dartmouth College, Parsons the New School for Design, and the Rochester Institute of Technology. Columbia’s Teachers College and NYU’s Polytechnic Institute are also involved.
In middle school, many students “become discouraged or uninterested and pour their time at home into gaming,” said Ken Perlin, an NYU professor of computer science, in a statement. “We think gaming is our starting point to draw them into math, science, and technology-based programs.”
Mr. Perlin will be a co-director of the research effort, which will be called the Games for Learning Institute and will have a $3-million budget for its first four years’ worth of research. Half of the money will come from Microsoft, with the balance put up by the universities.
John Nordlinger, a senior research manager for Microsoft Research, noted that while educational games have become commonplace, “little is known about how, why or even if they are effective.” He said the new institute’s researchers would study “what makes certain games compelling and playable and what elements make them effective.” The research, he said, would provide “important information to researchers, game developers, and educators to support a new era of using games for educational purposes.” —Lawrence Biemiller
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Now Bill Gates is doing something to help us.
— JG Oct 7, 01:14 PM #
In 2006, through a $1.67 million National Science Foundation grant, Ohio University developed STEAM — which stands for Science and Technology Enrichment, for Appalachian Middle-schoolers . It is a collaborative project between the Russ College of Engineering, the College of Education, and area middle schools. This program was designed to improve science education in middle schools in Appalachia and provide a way to enhance communication skills among engineers. Six middle schools in Appalachia have been part ot STEAM. See http://steam.cs.ohio.edu/news/The_Athens_NEWS_Video_Game_project.pdf for an article early or on http://www.ohio.edu/av/scholars/ed/steam.cfm for a video. Creative use of Second Life has been a part of the project.
— sal Oct 7, 05:38 PM #
Here is a free book that might prove useful to those who are interested in using games in education: Moursund, D.G. (June 2008). Introduction to Using Games in Education: A Guide for Teachers and Parents. Access at http://i-a-e.org/downloads/doc_download/19-introduction-to-using-games-in-education-a-guide-for-teachers-and-parents.html.
— Moursund Oct 7, 06:02 PM #
PLease contact me.
I am a games dveloper, I create educational games. I need help getting them in the market. I am also a school teacher 2nd grade. But I have taught 6, 7 and 8 as well.
732-801-3067
Games are very useful. And fun! Iknow that my kids loved to play them and they did lean how to add, subtract,group, distinguish color, organize, categorize, play fairly, count faster, and be creative too!
Contact Mr. Grice today!
I need your help.
I am flexible to work with too.
— Steven Grice Oct 8, 07:22 AM #
Christopher Dede at Harvard has been working on understanding the fundamental learning abilities/skills that students will need in our current and future social order, in relation to emerging technologies. I would highly recommend his work, that has depth and breadth, and nuanced technical sophistication.
— BD-L Oct 8, 09:16 AM #
I am very interesting in getting involved with any ongoing projects. I teach MS Technology and use applications like SCRATCH to teach my students how to write their own games. It is a fun, interactive tool for basic programming that heavily uses math concepts at all levels. I would love to get involved with forward thinking educators to help create more enjoyable applications for kids to learn new technologies and bring in cross-curricular disciplines.
— Brian Brumley Nov 12, 01:20 PM #