Oldie but Goodie: Learning to Play to Learn

The article attempts to identify the types of skills and content games are best suited to convey, such as causal relationships and systems thinking. By contrast, it explains why fancified quizzes and digital flash cards fail. The co-writers also delve into the value of conflict and collaboration: gameplay facets often removed from educational offerings for fear of damaging self-esteem. This strips games of two of their most intrinsically valuable teaching abilities: safely encouraging risk-taking and incorporating individuals into cohesive but diverse teams.

The latter lesson is one educators and developers could benefit from. Fortugno and Zimmerman's picture of the two as rival camps on opposing sides of a black morass is somewhat generalized, but it does attempt to straddle and illuminate the divide. The article highlights problems with the paradigms and assumptions of both groups: educators are called out on their unfamiliarity with the complexities of game design or with games period, and developers on their lack of understanding where learning processes and learning assessment are concerned.

Give it a read.

Old, terrible visual accompaniment by Erin Mehlos, courtesy of Gamasutra.