Scientists Want Games In Schools

The Federation of American Scientists has released a report that says (unshockingly) that videogames do have educational value. Not only that, it’s also calling for federal funding to use the mighty power of the joypad as a replacement for chalk and the strap.

Not only that, but as yet none of the usual anti-games crusaders have taken up arms against the incursion of Big Government and purveyors of videogames entering the arenas of workplace training and (gaspingly) tiny, sensitive minds at school...erm... shocker.

The report entitled, “Harnessing the power of video games for learning”, is deeply parochial, but you have to expect that coming as it does from a federation of (North) American scientists. However, as we’re all aware from the distinctly awful nature of current televisual fare, if they sneeze in the States, we get a cold in Europe.

It does, however, state the following, “People acquire new knowledge and complex skills from game play, suggesting gaming could help address one of the nation’s most pressing needs — strengthening our system of education and preparing workers for 21st century jobs.”

It continues by addressing the role of the games publishers and developers in pushing games technology into education, “Game companies should look at education as a secondary market for their technology. To help mitigate the high costs of educational game development, game companies should identify technologies in their portfolios — such as AI, character rendering/avatar technology, or user interfaces — that may be useful for educational applications. They should develop and be assisted in developing methods for making these available for use in alternative markets. This would include partnerships to make available game engines and other technologies at nominal cost for use in education. Similarly, game companies should consider licensing their game engines — even second or third generation engines — for non-competing educational applications.”

Now for the ‘Big Government’ input; the report also states, “Since there is a public good and large social returns to the nation (the USA, don’t forget) associated with improving education and workforce training outcomes, the U.S. Departments of Education and Labor and the National Science Foundation — in partnership with industry, educators, and the academic community — should support an R&D agenda that would encourage the development of educational and training games.”

Big government in games? Not likely. SPOnG has contacted the Department for Education and Skills for comment.