Video Games in Education

TLDR

Computer and video games are a maturing medium and industry that have attracted scholars across disciplines, yet educators largely ignore them and focus on social consequences rather than educational potentials. This paper examines the history of games in educational research and argues that educators have largely ignored the cognitive potential of games.

Abstract

Computer and video games are a maturing medium and industry and have caught the attention of scholars across a variety of disciplines. By and large, computer and video games have been ignored by educators. When educators have discussed games, they have focused on the social consequences of game play, ignoring important educational potentials of gaming. This paper examines the history of games in educational research, and argues that the cognitive potential of games have been largely ignored by educators. Contemporary developments in gaming, particularly interactive stories, digital authoring tools, and collaborative worlds, suggest powerful new opportunities for educational media.