From consumers to producers

About Scottish way to excellency in education through computer games

This post has been inspired by the presentation “What can small children learn from computer games” made by Derek Robertson, Learning and Teaching Scotland as well as the workshop “Production of computer games with the use of Kodu” (also conducted by D. Robertson). The events were part of the  “Læring uten grenser” Conference (Bergen 9.-10. februar 2012). Both the presentation and the workshop reinforced my belief in educational qualities of computer games designed for entertaiment, which made them utmost rewarding experience.

For two years students of “IKT og læring” courses at Nesna University College have been analysing educational potential of computer games within the task related to the area “Interaktiv informasjon og spill”. The task is about playing a chosen game and then analysing its educational impact from  the perspective of learning theories. Apart from being not a bad opportunity for revising learning theories, the work with this assignment gives teacher education students and teachers a bit of an  insight into the “world of gaming”.

Scottish initiative “Consolarium” makes an excellent example of how one can go much further than theoretical analysis. Children in Scotland not only play computer games in the context of formal education but also design computer games on their own. The designing adventure comes true with the use of 3D simulation environment of Kodu – a user-friendly visual programming tool.
So simple and so useful.