My school is arranging a "culture week", which involves a host of workshops you can ivolve yourself in - generic attempt at alternative education.

Now, there's a workshop centered around gaming, and what we're gonna do is create an environment where people can play video games. And the ambition is to make this a permanent part of the school, but many teachers don't like this idea. The general arguments being: "It's not educational" and "It's not good for the environment".

So teamliquid, i ask of you humbly to present arguments that could convince people that gaming might have social and/or educational value.

Pyrrhuloxia

United States6700 Posts

September 09 2009 07:11 GMT

lol treehuggers. "its not good for the environment!"

bite me.

I mean seriously wtf is this shit: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/05/online-poker-carbon-emission.php

makes no fucking sense.

Carefree

United States1571 Posts

September 09 2009 07:11 GMT

Most games are simulations of some real world environment, so gaming is a relatively risk free way to experience such environments.

blabber

United States4448 Posts

September 09 2009 07:11 GMT

depends on the game...

games like Halo and whatnot have no value whatsoever but a game like Professor Layton forces you to think outside the box to solve its puzzles, which I would imagine has some value

Alur

Denmark3900 Posts

September 09 2009 07:12 GMT

On September 09 2009 16:11 Pyrrhuloxia wrote:
lol treehuggers. "its not good for the environment!"

bite me.

I mean seriously wtf is this shit: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/05/online-poker-carbon-emission.php

makes no fucking sense.

Yeah, my school is kinda big on the environment. Denmark lol.

Carthac

United States393 Posts

September 09 2009 07:12 GMT

The fact that anyone, regardless of age/sex/gender/etc., can play alongside each other and play a game with someone they can help but view as an equal. Online games have been used for many physically deformed people to push themselves to becoming social in a way through general text, vent, voice chat, etc.

TLDR version: Everyone is equal on the internet

MamiyaOtaru

United States1687 Posts

September 09 2009 07:32 GMT

I love it how this article is on the internet, which is using electricity and causing carbon emissions so I can read it

Kong John

Denmark1020 Posts

September 09 2009 07:32 GMT

Nice, what school is that?

I think alot of games can be rather educational, games like Europa Universalis 3 can teach alot about history, there is a complete mod out for this game (cant remember the name, ill look for it) that makes it very historically acurrate.

Ive been taught most of my english and my vast historical knowledge from games. Im not really sure what other lessons could be brought in. (Maybe EVE for math >.<)

Alur

Denmark3900 Posts

September 09 2009 07:35 GMT

Ørestad Gymnasium.
Feel free to include personal anecdotes about how gaming has helped you, like Kong John.

jonnyp

United States415 Posts

September 09 2009 07:37 GMT

#10

On September 09 2009 16:11 blabber wrote:
depends on the game...

games like Halo and whatnot have no value whatsoever but a game like Professor Layton forces you to think outside the box to solve its puzzles, which I would imagine has some value

decision making on the fly, team work, hand eye coordination, reflexes, even provides a method of socialization with peers. these are all pretty decent things that can come from halo "and whatnot"

riptide

5673 Posts

September 09 2009 07:49 GMT

#11

As a language student, it has always impressed me that people from so many different dialects can come together and communicate at least on a basic level because of common in-game terms. It's not groundbreaking, but certainly interesting if you think about it.

I've actually been meaning to research this phenomenon for a while, just haven't got down to it yet.

caldo149

United States469 Posts

September 09 2009 07:58 GMT

#12

Most games have a bit of educational value to them, as they are all generally a type of problem-solving thing. Games like Starcraft poses a rather complex problem while games like Tekken are a bit less complex in nature. The process of learning to play a new game is quite educational.

MMOs are all social games that usually encourage interaction between players for maximum benefit.
In fact, any multiplayer game is a decent social experience. (ie racing, fighting, sports, etc.) People get to share the fun and have some fun competition. Over time, people can get to know each other's styles and get to know each other a little better in that regard.

lazz

Australia3119 Posts

September 09 2009 07:59 GMT

#13

oh god please tell me that's a parody. hippies dont understand the concept of opportunity cost..

Jibba

United States22883 Posts

September 09 2009 08:04 GMT

#14

I'd use more strategy/RPG type games. Something like Spore or Civ might be good. A lot of these games simply teach you how to think and create new brain connections, whereas more passive activities like watching TV/movies generally require less brain work.

You might try showing Storyteller's WCG documentary with the brain activity stuff on Xellos.

Manifesto7

Osaka27178 Posts

September 09 2009 08:28 GMT

#15

Showing them civipedia is a nice start.

NeverGG

United Kingdom5399 Posts

September 09 2009 08:32 GMT

#16

Citing games like Phoenix Wright might also be a good idea - it makes you think more than your average FPS or platformer. Anything that involves a good deal of puzzle solving can't be argued as not being *somewhat* educational.

Kong John

Denmark1020 Posts

September 09 2009 09:37 GMT

#17

On September 09 2009 16:35 Alur wrote:
Ørestad Gymnasium.
Feel free to include personal anecdotes about how gaming has helped you, like Kong John.

An old friend of mine goes there :D

I find it hard to justify playing games like halo or CS, but sim games (not the sims) and puzzle games could be really nice to try out there. The problem with sim games is that they take quite a while though, so they wouldnt really be that great for this project.

But there still is a lot of other games that could be great for this. I really hope your project goes well!

minus_human

4784 Posts

September 09 2009 12:38 GMT

#18

Here you go
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=87652

Thats_The_Spirit

Netherlands138 Posts

September 09 2009 12:46 GMT

#19

Show them this:
http://www.scientificblogging.com/news_articles/play_tetris_get_smarter_reading_science_helps_too
A recent study showing improved brain efficiency and grey matter increase after playing tetris. They let 26 adolescent girls play tetris for three monts / 30 minutes a day, and compared it to a control group. Measurements were made before and after with a structural and functional MRI.

On September 09 2009 16:12 Carthac wrote:
The fact that anyone, regardless of age/sex/gender/etc., can play alongside each other and play a game with someone they can help but view as an equal. Online games have been used for many physically deformed people to push themselves to becoming social in a way through general text, vent, voice chat, etc.

TLDR version: Everyone is equal on the internet

This is not always a good thing. Situations occur where some 30 yr old guy makes fun of/ insults/ uses horrible language towards another user in a game, not realising the other user is only a 9 yr old kid.

Alur

Denmark3900 Posts

September 09 2009 13:49 GMT

#20

Thanks for contributing.