Games in Education Symposium

Researchers have been working diligently for several years to understand the learning impact of games. Educators currently working with MMOGs and virtual worlds are documenting the powerful learning opportunities they bring into the classroom. Still, it continues to be a challenge to convince the education community to take games and play seriously. But we may be overlooking one of the most important and powerful rationales for using these unique platforms with children in school. Guided learning in games and virtual environments has protective as well as educational properties, creating space for practicing citizenship while learning the core curriculum. Recommendations to Congress made by the 2009-'10 national task force, the Online Safety & Technology Working Group (OSTWG), stated that finding ways to work with children using the tools of their world is important. In fact, it is critical if we are to help them develop the skills necessary to function safely and successfully in a networked world.