Caroline Kearney European Schoolnet

Skill development through digital games:

Schools in Europe say‘Game On!’

Eminent, Vilnius, 26-27/11/09

Scope of the study: Games in Schools

A European overview

All types of games

All subjects

European Schoolnet commissioned by ISFE

At primary and secondary

education levels

Austria

Denmark

France

Italy

Lithuania

Spain

The Netherlands

United Kingdom

Focal points

Why are teachers interested in using games?

How do they use them in schools?

Which obstacles do they face?

What are the results?

What is the attitude of each education system?

Components of the study

Scientific literature

review

Teachers’ survey (528

respondents)

Case studies (6)

Interviews with policy

makers/experts (31)

Teachers’ community of

practice & handbook

http://gamesinschools.ning.com

Components of the study

Scientific literature review

Teachers’ survey

Case studies

Interviews with policy makers (and

some experts)

Teachers’ community of

practice & handbook

Profile of the respondents

528 responses

70% of respondents use games at school

58% female and 42% male teachers

40% primary and 49% secondary school teachers

Most respondents have good ICT skills

Teachers from all subject areas

Teachers using games are not game experts

A range of expectations from games

Educational impact of using games

Subjects and skills for which games are used

Obstacles for using games in schools

Majority of games mentioned are commercial

Components

Scientific literature review

Teachers’ survey

Case studies

Interviews with policy makers (and

some experts)

Teachers’ community of

practice & handbook

Case Studies Overview Zoo Tycoon (Austria) DANT (Italy)

Farm Frenzy (France)

Consolarium (Scotland/UK)

Højby School (Denmark)

Games Atelier (Netherlands)

DANT (Italy)1,000 teachers10,000+ pupils

Consolarium (Scotland/UK)500 teachers

Over 30 local authorities

Case Studies Overview Zoo Tycoon (Austria)Business simulation game (Microsoft)(10+ year-olds)German, English, Biology, ArtTeam learning

DANT (Italy)Educational PC games (IPRASE)(6-12 year-olds)Maths, Italian, Geography, Music,ScienceAttainment

Farm Frenzy (France) Simulation game (Big Fish)(11 year-olds)Scientific subjects Remedial learning

Consolarium (Scotland/UK)Dr Kawashima & Nintendogs (Nintendo DS)(Primary level)Maths, Literacy, ICT, D&TAttainment

Højby School (Denmark)Sims 2 (Electronica Arts), Patrician III (Atari)(11-14 year-olds)Danish, History, Foreign Languages, Social Studies, Visual Arts, Cross-curricular learningMedia literacy

Games Atelier (Netherlands)Location-based mobile game platform(Waag Society) (Secondary level) HistoryTeam learning/game design

▲ Collaborative experiences

▲ A structured pedagogical framework

▲ Games and conditions carefully selected

▲ Medium or long term experiments are being carried out (evaluation + impact measure)

▲ Interaction with traditional pedagogy

▲ use of games combined with classic teaching aids

▲ games encourage pupils’ production

▲ Teachers communities of practice

▲ Educational community and parents share the results

Observations

Components

Scientific literature review

Teachers’ survey

Case studies

Interviews with policy

makers (and some

experts)Teachers’

community of practice & handbook

▲ Different degrees of involvement depending on the educational system

▲ Denmark, The Netherlands, United Kingdom at the forefront

Comparison between systems

▲ support for pupils in difficulty▲ Different approaches

▲ a tool for innovation and the development of advanced skills

▲ a tool for modernising education

▲ a tool to prepare future citizens for the virtual worlds present in society

▲ Different degrees of involvement depending on the educational system

Comparison between systems

▲ Different approaches

▲ Managing the risk associated with games

▲ Recent and future developments

▲ serious games

▲ games design by students

▲ education instead of prohibition

▲ Austrian and UK examples

▲ Evaluation of practices ▲ Which role should the teacher play to benefit fully from the potential of games in the teaching process

▲ The European territory as an experimental laboratory

▲ support grassroots experiments and teachers’ initiatives

▲ large scale projects (innovation and creativity) and peer learning

Recommendations

Cognitive processes Digital games

Intelligence is varied and distinctive Diverse modes of learning

Intelligence is dynamic Pluridisciplinary approach

Pace of learning varies Personalised learning

Metacognition Feedback to the player

Active learner Player in the pilot seat

Peer learning Collective use

▲ (Re)examining the potential of digital games in the

face of present educational challenges

▲ key skills

▲ cognitive processes

Teachers’ Handbook

• Based on teachers’ exchanges on Ning Community

• Author is an ex teacher and current researcher on digital games as educational and motivational resources

• Provides technical, contextual and pedagogical guidance

• Available online (in PDF format) in English, French, German, Spanish & Italian

Teachers’ Handbook

• User-friendly tabs divided into helpful sections:

Why use games? (rationale, background & benefits)

Choice of games (taxonomy of games; lists of commercial and pedagogical games & their learning benefits; game ratings; physical & learning disabilities)

Play session (organization of classroom & pupils; debriefing session)

Questions (frequent concerns answered)

Resources (reports, web portals, glossary of terms, references)

Further Information

How are digital games used in schools? Final report (European Schoolnet, 2009) http://games.eun.org/upload/gis-full_report_en.pdf

How are digital games used in schools? Synthesis report (European Schoolnet, 2009) http://games.eun.org/upload/gis-synthesis_report_en.pdf

Digital Games in Schools: A handbook for teachers(European Schoolnet, 2009)http://games.eun.org/upload/GIS_HANDBOOK_EN.PDF

Email: caroline.kearney@eun.org

Thank you!

Thank you and…GAME ON!