What is gaming technology?
Gaming technology comes in different formats. There are small handheld devices, such as Nintendo DS or a PSP (PlayStation Portable). Some come with boxes and consoles that plug into a TV or computer. Popular makes include Xbox and Wii.
Computer games can also be played online via a website. You can play games as an individual or join in a collective game where you play with or against others. There are also online communities, eg Second Life, where you choose an ‘avatar’. Basically, this is an online 3D animated character where you choose its looks and personality and decide what it does.
How gaming is used in school
Schools are increasingly beginning to see the value of gaming technology in education. They are taking the technologies children enjoy using and adapting them for lessons and personal development. Nintendo DS maths games, for example, make it fun to practise mental arithmetic.
Gaming technology can also greatly support physical education. For example:
• dance mats can help teach coordination and dance routines
• PSPs can be used to compare techniques with professional sports people
• Wiis can be used to encourage everyday activity and fitness.
“Whenever we mention ‘shall we get the Nintendos out?’ it’s ‘yes, let’s do mental maths’.” Clunbury Primary School
Benefits of gaming
One of the big benefits is that children are already familiar with the technology and are comfortable using it.
Gaming technology has many other benefits too, including:
• teaching children in an innovative way
• linking consoles so teachers can assess each pupil
• encouraging collaborative play.
Gaming in practice
Stoke Damerel Community College have used Second Life to engage teenage boys who disliked English. The students created their own online world called Drake's Island. Each avatar had a series of tasks to carry out and the students had to write about their experiences on a blog. The group enjoyed the experience so much that they even worked on the site during breaks and at home. What’s more, they hit their Key Stage 3 target ahead of schedule.