Games based learning is my focus for 2011 and we have already started to plan two gaming opportunities between English and ICT. One for storywriting and games design, the other on a designing a game concept with a social benefit (eg anti-drugs game). Most of the my thinking has focused on game design tools like Atmosphir and Kodu but there is another area of non-curricular gaming that is equally important.
Every break and lunch time at Hamble College you will see typically Year 7 through 9 boys running over to the ICT block to secure one of the 30 PCs available in Mr Sangster’s classroom to access the ‘Flash Games Selector.’ These lightweight games only run during non lesson times and now cover a range of curriculum subjects, maths, physics and English as well as a a range of thinking or problem solving activities. This extends to Wednesday afternoons, where Mr Sangster holds a Gaming Club, where the networked PCs run a range of morgueware games.
Recently we were asked to comment on the benefits of this extra-curricular activity and Mr Sangster highlighted the following benefits to the department and school
- Improved behaviour across school and especially ICT (Carrot and no stick motivation)
- Some problem-students who attend are interacting with different students outside their social groups as well as improving their social-skills
- All students are communicating with each other – typically discussing complex strategy problems
- Students are helping each other out and working as a team(s)
- Students see the ICT is not just used in lessons
- Good “recruiting-ground” for the Digital Leaders – Student Voice for ICT
- Increased interest in ICT and programming / design
- Students building up friendships with like-minded people
- Students have a safe and secure “refuge” at break/lunch-time (they are often the sort of socially awkward student that gets picked on)
- Improved hand-eye co-ordination
- Students are able to use computers/gaming/multiplayer gaming that can’t afford the options at home
- And many more I’m sure…
I am confident that gaming has a real benefit to Hamble College.