LET'S PLAY ON!

GAMING IN THE CLASSROOM

Prior Thoughts
WHEN THE SUBJECT OF VIDEO GAMES CAME
UP IN THE CLASSROOM, I BECAME VERY
DEFENSIVE AND HAD LITTLE FAITH IN
THEIR PLACE IN EDUCATION. I BELIEVED
THAT CHILDREN SHOULD SPEND LESS TIME
ON SCREENS AND THAT WE SHOULD NOT
PROMOTE MORE TIME ON THEIR DEVICES.
BUT HERE IS WHAT I FOUND...

What does research say?

GAMING CAN INCREASE OUR THERE ARE MULTIPLE DIFFERENT
NEUROPLASTICITY OF THE BRAIN TYPES OF GAMES CREATED FOR
WHICH ALLOWS US TO LEARN DIFFERENT SUBJECTS, LEARNING
MORE EFFECTIVELY. STYLES, AND INTERESTS! NOT
ALL GAMES ARE CREATED FOR THE
CLASSROOM AND IT IS IMPORTANT
TO EVALUATE THE MEANING
BEHIND THE GAME THAT YOU ARE
PROVIDING.

“If we want to reignite

innovation and passion. We have
to humanize work.”
Brene Brown

BENEFITS OF VIDEO GAMES

COGNITIVE BENEFITS:
FOCUS, ATTENTION, AND
REACTION TIME
INCREASE MOTIVATION:
ENCOURAGES INCREMENTAL
THEORY OF INTELLIGENCE
SOCIAL SKILLS: DEVELOPING
PROSOCIAL SKILLS FROM CO-
PLAYER/MULTI-PLAYER THAT
TRANSLATES TO THEIR
RELATIONSHIPS IN LIFE

CAN WE ASSESS STUDENTS WITHIN GAMES?

MINECRAFT CHEMISTRY
SINCE OXYGEN IS ONE OF THE
MOST COMMON ELEMENTS ON
EARTH, THEY WILL PERFORM A
SCAVENGER HUNT TO FIND AS
MANY MATERIALS THAT ARE
CREATED WITH OXYGEN! THEY
WILL ALSO HAVE THE CHANCE
TO COLLECT MULTIPLE
ELEMENTS BEYOND OXYGEN.

MY GOAL IN THE CLASSROOM

IS TO ENGAGE MY STUDENTS
IN LEARNING AND IF GAMES
HELP, WHY NOT USE THAT TO
START GAME
MY ADVANTAGE?
INFORMATION PROVIDED BY: KATIE COOPER
CONTACT: COOPER86@WWU.EDU
SOURCES:
HTTPS://WWW.KQED.ORG/MINDSHIFT/36269/BENEFITS-OF-GAMING-WHAT-RESEARCH-SHOWS
HTTPS://EDUCATION.MINECRAFT.NET/EN-US/LESSONS/ELEMENT-SCAVENGER-HUNT
HTTPS://WWW.TED.COM/TALKS/GABE_ZICHERMANN_HOW_GAMES_MAKE_KIDS_SMARTER
HTTPS://WWW.TED.COM/TALKS/GABE_ZICHERMANN_HOW_GAMES_MAKE_KIDS_SMARTER