We are living in a digital era. The technology we are using on a daily basis has been evolving at such a rapid pace in recent years, it is hard to keep up. Especially when it comes to teaching methods that need to convey the competences and knowledge that are needed in today’s world. But more and more teachers are trying to find innovative methods to do just that. Adaptability, time management and collaborative skills are all soft skills companies were looking for in people in 2019. Turns out, most of these competences are also needed and thus acquired while playing video games.
Why not try using video games in the classroom?
Video games can be great vectors for cross-curricular and competence-based learning. They can be used in many different ways: simply showing a trailer, playing in single- or multiplayer mode or even video game creation can all enrich the curriculum. With our project “Gaming for skills”, our team at Logopsycom, together with our partners from all over Europe, want to give secondary level teachers guidance on how to use video games in their classrooms so everybody can make the most of using video games for educational purposes.
What is Gaming for skills all about?
The goals of this project are to strengthen the profile of the teaching profession by giving guidance on innovative, inclusive and cross-curricular teaching methods, improve the development of students’ key competences and support the development of innovative practices in a digital era.
To achieve these goals, we will create open educational resources in 5 languages (English, French, Spanish, Romanian and Greek) that we will make available online.
First, we will write a guide on the potential benefits that the use of video games in the classroom can have. These benefits can range from improved attention in students to the acquisition of important soft skills.
This guide will be followed by a booklet for teachers on how to use video games in the classroom, always keeping in mind practicalities like limited time and technical equipment available.
In addition, we will create pedagogical sequences for the different potential uses of video games. These pedagogical sequences are meant to give practical support to teachers for them to be able to develop cross-curricular teaching.
It is important to note here, that we do not want to rely solely on so-called “serious games” – games that have been created for educational purposes only – as in these games, players are often completely missing out on the fun. Our objective is to show how actual games can be used to acquire certain skills and knowledge while also having fun. Because why shouldn’t learning be fun?
Video games can be stimulating on various levels.
Not just an innovative and fun way to learn – also an inclusive one!
Using video games in school promotes digital skills and gives access to technology to all students, also students who are reluctant to play video games in general because of poor ICT competences or simply because they are girl as girls are generally less encouraged to develop their ICT competences. Especially the creation of video games, which will introduce students to programmes like the RPG Maker, will develop their digital competences. Using different teaching methods than classical ones that involve a lot of reading and writing is also beneficial for students with specific learning disorders (SLDs) and ADHD. As learners with SLDs account for around 10% of the EU population, it is essential to spread inclusive teaching practices. All the open educational resources of this project will be made as accessible as possible for people with learning disorders.
In practice, we will create in this project:
- a booklet on why video games belong in the classroom,
- a practical guide on how to use video games in the classroom,
- an experience library & pedagogical sequences (spectators),
- an experience library & pedagogical sequences (game creators),
- an experience library & pedagogical sequences (single player) and
- an experience library & pedagogical sequences (multiple players).
This project will last for two years during which we will inform you of its advancement and give some practical advice on how video games can be used for educational purposes.
Our partners in this ambitious project are YuzuPulse (France), Citizens in Power (Cyprus), CEPS (Spain), Science View (Greece) and ICE (Romania).
Sources:
Image 1 Technology vector created by freepik – www.freepik.com
Icons: 1) Icons made by Freepik from www.flaticon.com – 2) Icons made by itim2101 from www.flaticon.com – 3) Icons made by Freepik from www.flaticon.com
Image 2 Computer vector created by macrovector – www.freepik.com
Project website : gaming4skills.eu
Follow the project on Facebook: @Logopsycom
#gamingforskills #erasmusplusproject
Our partners are Les Apprimeurs (France), Citizens in Power (Cyprus), Fermat Science (France), Istituto dei sordi di torino (Italy)