Gaming in the classroom – could this be a new way of teaching for the future?
Further education colleges have the opportunity to see if gaming in the classroom could offer a new way of teaching and learning thanks to a pilot being run by Jisc Collections.
The pilot, on the benefit of using educational online games and resources will run from January 2013 – December 2013 and will be made available via Jisc Collections’ online catalogue.
Colleges will have the opportunity to review these games and resources from November 2012 until the end of 2013 and can sign up for online access or to license the software.
Ben Taplin, Licensing Manager, Jisc Collections says:
“We are facilitating business models that enable further education colleges to subscribe to commercially-created interactive software and games. These will support teaching and be freely available to learners at the point of use. It seems like an obvious next step as many of the next generation of learners have been brought up in a very technological environment. We hope that they will find learning through computer games a challenging and engaging experience.”
Resources mentioned:
- 'Learning Lounge', by Navigator Productions Ltd – Education video and multi-choice quizzes delve into all aspects of electrical and plumbing studies
- 'Simventure', by Venture Simulations Ltd: - Business game that allows students to create and run a virtual company and learn about entrepreneurship.
- E-learning and virtual reality simulations, by Skills2Learn Ltd – A suite of e-learning and training programmes with cover a number of vocational subjects
- 'Stockmarket challenge,' by 10 Lane Learning Ltd – A suite of financial markets simulations, which includes Global Investor, Dealing Room and Trading Floor.
- ‘The Climate Game’ and ‘Young People First’, by Games-Ed – A suite of game-based educational software that facilitates collaborative ways of working to solve issues affecting communities and organisations. These include the cause and effect of issues affecting young people and the social, environmental and economic consequences of climate change.
Further information
The pilot follows work undertaken by Jisc Collections early in 2012, when a number of interactive educational software and games suppliers, as well as representatives of 25 further education colleges, were interviewed to gauge the current extent and use of such software and online resources by the colleges. (A previous Jisc survey (2006) had shown that only 10% of teachers in higher education/further education were using games or simulations, but that 70% would consider using them in the future.)
The interviews also sought the views of institutions and suppliers as to whether a licensing role by Jisc Collections could potentially be beneficial. A significant percentage felt that such a role would be of value.
Ben continues: “At the end of the pilot we will seek feedback from the suppliers and those institutions that have signed up for any of the resources, to consider whether agreements should be further extended with the suppliers and whether additional interactive educational software products and resources could potentially be licensed for institutions.”
To trial the resources or sign up please visit the Jisc Collections online catalogue.