Learning Ecosystems

Excerpt:

Salerno says using video games in the classroom is a sure-fire way to get students excited about learning. She used the example of a social studies unit that students are taught in Norwegian schools. In one particular unit, they usually read a textbook chapter about famous explorers. In the game-based version of the unit, textbooks may be used but are not relied upon.

So how does she incorporate video games into a social studies lesson?

She uses a Microsoft product called Kodu, although she says there are many other software products that could be used, like Minecraft and Little Big Planet.

She breaks the unit down like this (from the perspective of a student):

1. Choose an explorer to profile
2. Research the explorer’s history online and in textbooks
3. Create game map (games require planning to be successfully built)
4. Create game details and missions, mark out important plot points
5. Build world
6. Build in characters and plot in the form of missions
7. Demo game to classmates on “gameday”

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