Civilization Series: A beacon among educational Gaming
The civilization series requires players to essentially live out a civilization that has occurred on the planet at some time or another. This requires holistic knowledge of the civilization, right down to its mythology, customs, and history. You get points for playing through correctly, as far as historically accurate anyway, and must advance the civilizations at the appropriate times in order to get the most points. This MTV article:
CIV III
Talks about an experimental SS class that is utilizing it. I do not think that using the CIV series stops there, though. I think you can use it to teach Greek, Roman, and Scandinavian mythology in 8th grade english. I also believe you can utilize it in a civics class teaching the students how the bargaining process occurs between politicians. The uses are exhaustive, meaning that it has its limitations, but as far as gaming goes I consider it right on the edge for almost all of school uses. Most tactical sim games are just about the violence, but you can shut off the violence in this game and play it pretty much just like the SIMS, completely peaceful and requiring the necessary steps to knowing the civilizations.
Games in the classroom. That’s what I’m talking about. It’s just a great way to get students involved in learning and a healthy and competitive way. Students who are less likely to contribute normally in the classroom probably are more like to be the reserved gaming type. Introducing strategy games into the classroom just might interest those students enough to get involved. I’m excited to see where this James Gee idea can go as well as your civilization idea. Mythology, and structure are key elements of high school education and there definitely seems to be a place of the creative introduction of these into the modern classroom through games.
[...] Civilization Series A Beacon Among Educational Gaming [...]
My Comments Posting. « All right, now who brought the dog? said this on April 18, 2007 at 5:45 am
Somehow i missed the point. Probably lost in translation
Anyway … nice blog to visit.
cheers, Maladroitness!