Video Games Coming to the Classroom

This may be hard for some parents to believe, but video games will be making their way into the classroom before we know it. And if done well, that could be a good thing.

Reuters reports on a game being developed by Doug Thomas, an associate professor at the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication. Called "Modern Prometheus," it's the story of Frankenstein used to teach ethical decision making.

Lots of problem-solving takes place. The player is Dr. Frankenstein's assistant, who must make several difficult choices that affect the game's outcome. A plague to cure is thrown into the mix. 

Thomas knows his game may be a hard sell with educators, who may not believe this video game format and content fit with required curricula. So he's working with Indiana University Professor Sasha Barab, whose "Quest Atlantis" game is used by 4,500 students worldwide, Reuters reports.

Learning through hypothetical experience is a terrific idea. It makes all kinds of sense, since schools are already using iPods and other tech that kids are comfortable with to help teach material they may otherwise not be open to. But kids still have to learn real history to draw on to make real life-altering and ethical decisions.

My husband and I are surprised by how many projects involve making up stuff—countries, ads, resumes—at our kids' middle school. I'm all for creative thinking and problem solving. I'm just hoping they are reading and learning as much about real countries and historical events to help inform the work they are making up.

LINK: Universities bring video games into the classroom [Reuters via Yahoo! News]