Video games in the classroom: The teacher point of view

Games in a classroom are no longer played just for fun instead they play an educational purpose that can capture students interest and immerse in subject knowledge. Technology plays a huge part of our society as most workplaces practically use technology. It is important for schools to adapt to technology as it is critical for students to learn how to manipulate these devices in order to function in this tech savvy country. Technology has a foundation and capability of allowing students to learn. “If we teach today as we taught yesterday, we rob our children of tomorrow” (Dewey, 2012). As our world around us keeps evolving we as educators need to as well.

               

The use of video games in a classroom has increased drastically over the last twenty years. Video games is a billion dollar industry that practically counts 183 million users daily (Ruggiero, 2012). Gaming is now accepted as a device that is part of our everyday life. Prior to reading this article, I had researched technology in my undergrad and I have come to the realization that researchers believe gaming is great for our education if properly used. Now you may ask, how do we know if we are using technology correctly? It is essential for school boards to have continuous training with effective instructors as this will lead to a more successful implementation. Findings from this article state less than half of the in-service teachers use gaming in their teaching however 75% of pre-service teachers said they would like to know more about using games in the classroom (Ruggiero, 2012). In my experience in the field of early childhood education, I have come to the conclusion that technology extends learning. For instance, I had a student who did not enjoy reading however when I showed him a digital book, he did not want to put the iPad down as he was engaged and learning!

                                  

I consider, the most important aspect of this article is that we as teachers need to have proper training in order for technology to be implemented in a classroom setting. Technology has the power to transform and enrich the teaching experience. Students are able to go at their own pace, have equal learning opportunities and prepare students for the lesson. I believe each school board should have two training sessions a year based on technology, not only minds-on training but also hands-on in order for the teachers to grasp how it is used. This article provided me with insight on why technology is critical for students, however teachers are not using it to their full potential in view of the fact that they have limited knowledge. After reading this article I will enroll myself in a technology based program in order to extend my knowledge on technology in a classroom.

                                 

References

Ruggiero, D. (2012). Conceptualizing a Persuasive Game Framework, Proceedings of World Conference on Educational Multimedia. (pp.1181)

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