Education Revolution

by Michael Alison Chandler, Washington Post

Also featured in the latest issue of Education Revolution

As Net-generation teachers reach out to gamers, classrooms across the country are becoming portals to elaborate virtual worlds. The Software and Information Industry Association estimates that instructional games make up only a tiny portion of the $2 billion-a year educational software industry. But lately, researchers and educators say sentiment toward gaming is changing. Advocates argue that games teach vital skills overlooked in the age of high-stakes tests, such as teamwork, decision-making and digital literacy. And they admire the way good games challenge players just enough to keep them engaged and pushing to reach the next level. A new generation of game designers is borrowing from the sophisticated platforms and stunning graphics that captivate students for hours after school. They hope to channel the kind of feverish determination students exhibit when stealing a car in Grand Theft Auto and redirect it toward more wholesome pursuits, such as algebra. Compelling games can help schools compete for students’ attention, advocates say, even as many teenagers are tackling complex projects on the Internet in their free time. Private foundations and the National Science Foundation have contributed millions of dollars to developing or studying games. The U.S. Education Department awarded a $9 million grant in September to a New York-based education firm to develop games for the hand-held Nintendo DS to weave into middle school science lessons. Some research has shown that games such as Quest Atlantis and Tabula Digita can boost the time that students spend on problems, depth of responses, even test scores. Larger-scale studies are still under way. A revision to the Higher Education Act approved last summer authorizes the creation of a research center for assessing and developing educational technologies such as simulations and video games.