Last week, I attended the School Library Association of NSW conference at the State Library of NSW I had the opportunity to attend a seminar presented by Bill Cohen (Teacher Librarian, Asquith Girls' High School) titled: Games as Text.
I remember in primary school playing educational games like Punch & Judy and Granny's Garden on what I think were Acorn Computers.
In the past 25 years, such games have come a long way. I was introduced to a popular interactive fiction game known as 80 days, where you can set the plot line.
Some might see computer games as lacking educational relevance, but one should identify the relevance of the game and what you want them to learn.
Games that are inspired by real events or situations like The Westport Independent can teach skills in ethics associated with publishing and apply business principles i.e. advertising.
Another game that took my interest was Paper's Please, based on the checkpoints between East and West Berlin in the 1980's. The player must assess each person's suitability to cross the border. Literacy skills are developed in the viewing of information but also supports the development of critical thinking skills. As the game progresses, more information is presented, and the situations become more complex. The player has to consider each situation in more depth before making a final decision.
The question now, is how I am going to encourage their use in the classroom in line with school technology policies?
