October 2007 — News
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Can Game Development Impact Academic Achievement?
In game making, students are given a unique perspective on content. Instead of simply consuming the content, they have to examine how they are going to use the content to teach someone else. This process requires students to become subject matter experts. A student who creates a role-playing game based on the United States War of Independence and a student who develops a flash-based game on learning equations both have to become experts with that content. So, a teacher who gives a game development assignment related to particular subject matter is actually encouraging development of content area expertise.The use of videogame making help students integrate content across the curriculum. When teachers think of game development, they often think of programming and computer science. However, game development is an innovative way for teachers to create thematic units. Game development can include work with sound, video, pictures, and virtual reality. However, it can also include literature, spelling, math, history, and science. The key for the teacher is not necessarily to be an expert at game development, but rather to be thinking critically and openly about assignments that blend content areas. Students begin to use the game as an artifact for the blending of learning from multiple classes.
The use of videogame making potentially helps students become better at math. Our research has already provided evidence that some types of programming skills result in higher mathematical literacy (Papanastasiou & Ferdig, 2006). Computer-based activities that draw on higher-order thinking skills can improve mathematical literacy and comprehension. The tools used for videogame development all provide varying levels of computer programming expertise and opportunities for exploration. Future research needs to clarify exactly how much math students can learn, but preliminary analyses suggest game development gives them hands-on application of mathematical concepts.
The use of videogame making potentially improves self-esteem and confidence. Students who create videogames have done two things. First, they have developed skills that their friends or relatives do not have. Second, they have created a project, with the right direction, that is intended for an authentic audience. Having the ability to teach others what they have learned, or simply watching others use something they have created, can lead to a greater sense of self-worth and may increase confidence.
The use of videogame making may increase student career choice in the computer sciences, particularly for women and minorities. Our colleagues at the London Knowledge Lab have provided evidence that computer gaming is not just for boys. Researchers are currently examining race along with gender. The hope is that these early introductions to computer science will not only make students more marketable but may also guide their choice of careers and majors. This could provide growth for a field with a relative dearth of women and minorities (see http://spacepioneers.msu.edu/).
