If you’re a parent living in the 21st century, chances are you’ve had to tell your kids to turn off the video games and go outside to play. But video games aren’t just for recreation anymore. They’re also increasingly being used as learning tools in the classroom.Some research indicates that turning lessons into games can help students become more engaged with the subject material. But could making video games just another form of school work diminish their value?
That was one of the questions explored last week at the “Meaningful Play” conference here at MSU.
Current State talked with two people who study games for a living. Casey O’Donnell is an assistant professor of Media and Information at Michigan State University, and Mark Chen is director of the Gameful Design Lab at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California.