Game-based learning is a field of research and game design based on observations that play, structured or unstructured, conditions the human brain for transformation and learning. Increasingly it is seen as a part of the broader field serious games.
[edit] Origins
In his classical essay, "Upon the Aesthetic Education of Man", Friedrich Schiller discusses play as a force of civilization, which helps humans exit their animal conditions and aspire to become members of enlightened communities. He states that "humans are only fully human when they play". While the text is limited by the author's beliefs in concepts such as freedom and beauty, it nevertheless sets the stage for Johan Huizinga's classical study, Homo Ludens.
[edit] Neurological context
Thaigi states that games have 5 major characteristics, conflict, control, closure, contrivance, and competency. Games encourage active learning, interaction between multiple people, encourages team work, and also provide a free environment that allows for skill enhancement. Games based learning provides versatility for more than one learning style, and also can affect cognitive and psychomotor skills. While learning through games can be very effective, they can become a distraction to the user, causing them to become too focused on the game and not on learning. [1][2]
CharlesChristie71 (talk) 21:20, 2 December 2011 (UTC)
[edit] Anthropological context
[edit] Challenges
[edit] References
[edit] Further reading
- What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy by James Paul Gee (Palgrave Macmillan, 2003). ISBN 978-1403961693
[edit] External links
