Digi Force G

What's digiForce G? Today's students are into games. Not just the first person shooter games that cause so much debate - but role playing games, simulation games, massive multi-player games, ARGs and more. Usually in this ExerLearning blog we discuss the ways that learning is enhanced by movement, cardio activity, balance, agility, eye-tracking and patterning found in many interactive video games. Take a look at the digiForce G blog for some new insights about these students whose game-playing has impacted not only their culture but their styles of work, play, communication and collaboration. Lots of valuable skills for life and the workplace - not to mention their learning style - are being developed.

Games in the Workplace

What happens when at-risk high school youth (yes, the ones that rarely come to school and are headed toward dropping out) lead an interactive game program right in their reading and math classes? We've seen attendance increase to nearly 100%, engagement and attitude soars. Exerlearning in the form of the game Guitar Hero plus the program Rock2Read (look in february blog list for article) is the key. The youth are trained in the physiology and brain research behind such interventions, and are then provided with peer mentoring skills. (Generation FIT)

What happens next is incredible. These same at-risk youth venture in to the workplace and teach employers why their employees may need this same sort of intervention at break and lunch times. The program of outreach and win-win is called Revive Nation. Imagine these students bringing such value to the community while building strong relationships with leaders in the community who could become their future employers. Sudden;y graduation, self confidence and a new path seem possible.

Games and Learning

Exerlearning is based on the premise that a mix of movement, balance, eye-tracking, patterning and prediction inherent in many interactive video games improves academic success. The very nature of good game design also adds a powerful dimension to learning - one that isn't easy to implement in the classroom. Some "educational" game companies try to create games for this reason. Educators not savvy about what makes a great game design may believe that skill-based learning in a "game" format is all we need.

It's actually a larger issue. Many conventional "educational" games simply re-design "drill and kill." A great game can integrate authentic and experiential learning that may not reinforce exactly the skills and information one needs for a particular test - but provides rich experience in:

• Choice and consequence
• A framework for collaboration
• Peer to peer teaching
• Following real rules of practice in simulation and training games
• Using images, actions, designs and language to intrepret, play and win

There is a great book by Professor James Paul Gee on the importance of video games. Here is an article to read on this important topic.