Online gaming is an epidemic that has taken over the youth of the world. With games like World of Warcraft, Diable, Starcraft, and other games created through Blizzard, children are spending more of their out of school time playing these games now than ever. According to an article on http://www.cracked.com/, the rate of growth of MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) is doubling every two years and there are currently around 10 million worldwide playing.
Since students are gaining passion about gaming and are only able to play when at home, why not move these gaming ideals of students into the classroom and help students to become passionate about learning at school through gaming. One such game, Evoke, was used by nearly 20,000 players in its 10-week run. The game was developed by Jane McGonigal and was a "crash course in changing the world". The game was introduced to high schoolers as an "alternate reality game that challenges players to solve big global challenges." (Boss, 2010). The link to the article can be found under references. To learn more about Evoke, click here. Games can also be introduced to students in order to help with homework and to keep up with their studies over the summer months of no school. Below is a short list of useful games for students:
- http://www.knowledgeadventure.com/
- http://www.starfall.com/
- http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/
- http://www.playkidsgames.com/
- http://www.4kids.org/games
- http://www.mathplayground.com/
Until next time, Fair Use and Its Use
- Lauren
References
Boss, Suzie (2010). Teaching Tools: Using Online Simulations and Games. Edutopia. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/online-games-simulations-teaching-tools
Wong, David (2007). A World of Warcraft World: 10 Ways Online Gaming Will Change the Future. Retrieved from http://www.cracked.com/article_15657_a-world-warcraft-world-10-ways-online-gaming-will-change-future.html
