Gaming in schools

[Jack Burton]

http://www.consolegold.com/News/news.php?NewsID=2748

Like this is new?  Anyone remember all the typing tutors?  or Math blaster? Lemonade stand?  Where in the **** is Carmen Sandiego?  Even Oregon Trail!  All from the 80s!

Now I didn't read the whole article so maybe these are mentioned, but DUH!

[Turtle]

Not just video games too.  My friend's younger brother (in an arts high school) has a monthly Friday games night at class run by some of his teachers (namely the history teacher).

They play all sorts of board games ranging from Diplomacy to Carcassone.

[stiffler]

Gaming, while we don't necessarily do it where I teach, is a great hook to use as a teacher.  I teach social studies and many of my students have played the Age of Empires series or one of the multitude of WWII shooters.  If nothing else it really opens their eyes to the subject and gets them interested in learning more.

When I tought about the Latin American civilizations I was surprised how many had played AoE II and wanted to do projects on the Aztec Jaguar Warriors and similar in-game units.

I'd love to look into integrating more gaming material into the classroom, even if just as a visual aid.  I would imagine an ongoing campaign in something like The Operational Art of War or something similar would be neat and easy to do.

Back to Jack's comments, I remember learning A LOT playing the Carmen San Diego games and Oregon Trail is a classic.  We also used those silly little games to learn to type.

[Semaj]

We had a strategy gaming club in school where we played warhammer 40k and whatnot after school.