Games

Games Education gaming provides a competitive environment in which learners follownprescribed rules as they strive to attain a challenging goal. Involving from one to several learners, games are highly motivating, especially for tedious and repetitive content. Games often require learners to use problem-solving skill in figuring out solutions or to demonstrate mastery of specific conten demanding a high degree of accurery and efficienly. By playing games, students begin to recognize patterns found in particular situations (Mourund, 2006). For example, young children playing a game of concentration will learn to macth pattern and increase their memory recall. Older student can learn Franch, Germany, Italian or Spanish with Leonardo”s Langue Bridge Game, in which students are taken on a funadventure requiring esu of the new language to build virtual bridges over variety of obstacles. Chalanging and fun to play, computer and traditional games add variety to learning experiences and offer opportunities to practice skills. Students like to play game and beniefit by extending their learning experiences into challenging environment. ADVANTAGES *Enganging. Students are quickly enganged in learning through games. *Match to out comes. They can be adapted to match learning outcomes. *Variety of settings. They can be used in avariety of class —room setting, froom whole-class to individual activities. *Gain attantation . Most game are colourful, interactive, and competitive, helping to gain student attention for learning specific topics or skills. LIMITATIONS *Competitiion concerns. Because of the orientation to winnig, games can become too competitive unless caution is used. *Levels of difficulty. Less able students may find the game structure too fast or difficult. Provide alternate games to match student ability. *Expense. Games such as computer games can be expensive to purchase. Often a similar game is available for free on the web. *Misdirection of intension. The learning outcomes maybe lost because of the interest in winnig rather than learning. Make sure to clearly state learning objectives before students use games. INTEGRATION The variety of games used for educational purpose includes digital or paper-based crossword puzzles, Sudoku, jigsaw puzzles, and logic puzzles-sometimes called brainteasers. Puzzles can be used to practice imformation such as spelling words or state capitals, to build problem-solving and logic skills with Sudoku puzzles, or to strengthen thinking skills with jigsaw puzzles. One common type of instructional game involves learning about business. In PK-8 classrooms, students practice buying and selling product in a store. At middle school and high school levels, students may prepare a product, which they then market and sell to demonstrate their understanding of the world of business, as in the computer game Hot Dog Stand : The works . The team with the highest corporate profits is the winner. The web offers a multitude of free games for students of all ages across core content areas from highly reputable sources. Example providers include NASA’s Space Place (see Figure 4. 4)Smithsonia Education , The Enviromental, Protection Agency’s Enviromental Kids Club Game Room, and PBS Kids Go! From the Public Broadcasting Service. Teachers should carefully review games prior to use to ensure that the activity support achievement of the stated standards the objectives. Also note that students should only complete the game activities that are directly associated with the lesson.