Imagine Round Table

Prague, 14 June 2010

Games in schools: current position

Roger Blamire

European Schoolnet

Brussels

High levels of interest, if not useHorizon report 2010 K-12

Cloud computing, collaborative environments, game-based learning, mobiles

Success in military and industrial training

“Education is still a few years away from embracing games as mainstream practice”

Best if educational content is embedded

Best in certain curricula and pedagogies

Coming soon: Massively Multiplayer Online and Alternate Reality Games

Worldwide

Europe

European Parliament resolution

Creativity and innovation are key aspects of EU2020“A digital agenda for Europe” - enhancing digital literacty skills and inclusion

Range of EC-funded projectsVariable results, as

IMAGINE shows

Europe – member states

STEPS: Study of the impact of ICT in primary schools

Games in School study• AT, DK, FR, IT, LT, ES, NL, UK

• Final report: How are digital games used in schools?

• Synthesis report: How are digital games used in schools?

• Handbook: Digital Games in Schools: A handbook for teachers

Case Studies Overview Zoo Tycoon (Austria)Business simulation game (Microsoft)(10+ year-olds)German, English, Biology, ArtTeam learning

DANT (Italy)Educational PC games (IPRASE)(6-12 year-olds)Maths, Italian, Geography, Music,ScienceAttainment

Farm Frenzy (France) Simulation game (Big Fish)(11 year-olds)Scientific subjects Remedial learning

Consolarium (Scotland/UK)Dr Kawashima & Nintendogs (Nintendo DS)(Primary level)Maths, Literacy, ICT, D&TAttainment

Højby School (Denmark)Sims 2 (Electronica Arts), Patrician III (Atari)(11-14 year-olds)Danish, History, Foreign Languages, Social Studies, Visual Arts, Cross-curricular learningMedia literacy

Games Atelier (Netherlands)Location-based mobile game platform(Waag Society) (Secondary level) HistoryTeam learning/game design

A range of expectations from gamesWhy are teachers interested in using games?

Educational impact of using gamesHow do they use them in schools?

Obstacles for using games in schoolsWhich obstacles do they face?

Observations

▲ Collaborative experiences

▲ A structured pedagogical framework

▲ Games and conditions carefully selected

▲ Medium or long term experiments are being carried out (evaluation + impact measure)

▲ Interaction with traditional pedagogy

▲ use of games combined with classic teaching aids

▲ games encourage pupils’ production

▲ Different approaches depending on the educational system

▲ Teachers communities of practice

▲ educational community and parents share the results ▲ Involvement of educational authorities varies

▲support for pupils in difficulty

▲ a tool for modernising education

▲ a tool for innovation and the development of advanced skills

▲ a tool to prepare future citizens for the virtual worlds in society

Digital games in schools

▲ Recent development and prospects

▲ ‘serious games’ – teacher role

▲ Games design by pupils/students

Recommendations▲ Evaluation of practices ▲ Which role should the teacher play

to benefit fully from the potential of games in the teaching process

▲ The European territory as an experimental laboratory

▲ peer learning

▲ large scale projects (innovation and creativity)

Digital games in schools

Imagine Round Table

Prague, 14 June 2010

Thank you !

Roger Blamire

European Schoolnet

Brussels