gie 2013

In the last few years, education has finally noticed gaming and virtual worlds, but this gaming attention has been characterized by two very different perspectives. Some see engagement, concentration and collaboration, while others see isolation, social dysfunction and addiction. Often, educators have difficulty seeing the relevance of a particular game to some portion of their curriculum. Central to this theme, is that the ideas and attitudes one associates with "play" are clearly disconnected from those we associate with "learning". As David Warlick said, "Most people still see games as play and learning as work — and although many of us have become convinced of the learning potentials of video games and begun to promote their use, the game is still what happens after the teaching ... What if curriculum was an adventure, and learning was the reward?" This presentation will dispel the myths surrounding gaming, draw clear connections between games and learning and give attendees practical examples and resources to begin using these powerful learning platforms and reintroduce the concept of playful learning.
David Warlick's Blog can be found at: http://davidwarlick.com/2cents/?tag=video-games