Game Based Learning

Game based learning has been around since the late 70's (perhaps earlier but that’s as far as I can go back)when companies like Atari attempted to take 8bit graphics and embed some measure of education and interaction into those cartridge based games such as Math Grand Prix and Alpha Beam with Ernie. In the later part of the 20th century games such as Math Blaster and Carmen San Diego were popular titles in the personal computing arena which taught mathematics and history/geography quite effectively. Games such as Sid Meier's Civilization and Microsoft's Age of Empires subtlety taught you about civilizations and history which made it fascinating and engrossing. My whole point here is that game based learning has been around for quite some time but has been limited in its methods and outreach.

Gaming has become embedded in the life styles of the adolescents and teens in particularly.  Given the fixation and fascination the richness of this media has many organizations thinking that interactive learning experiences where individuals can immerse themselves in virtual surroundings and worlds where they can interact and learn not only by themselves but collaboratively.  This method of interaction within the gaining industry has a lot of traction as stated within the 2011 Horizon Report (http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/HR2011.pdf) which forecasts a major push in this space in the next two to three years. The challenge with this approach is balance. Too much entertainment and not enough education can limit the success of the experience. Also not everyone can necessarily benefit from learning in a gaming environment. Individuals with physical limitations such as loss of sight and hearing will not benefit nearly as much as those with good hearing and ocular vision so in order to educate all we mustn't leave anyone behind right? The other challenge is that if one is taught at an early age to learn through this medium and it is not provided at a higher learning experience the re-adjustment to learn in a different methodology could prove catastrophic.

While I will always be a proponent of exploring and expanding new methods of learning, this avenue I believe should be used as a means of augmentation of the learning experience but not necessarily to supplant the traditional class room. Reason being that interaction, social and presentation skills which such learning environments if adopted whole may neglect the importance of genuine human interaction. Game rooms can never teach firm handshakes, hands out of pockets, smiling, voice inflection and eye contact all of which are subtle but important aspects as part of the overall life long learning experience.