In a survey conducted at the 2008 Florida Educational Technology
Conference (FETC), 89 percent of the teachers who participated in the
conference’s inaugural State Challenge
Multiplayer Educational Games (MEG) Tournament, said that their opinions
about educational video games “had been
impacted in a favorable way.”
“Ninety-two percent of the participating
teachers wanted to see a similar event at their own school or district,
and everyone wanted the tournament to be repeated at FETC,”
said Ntiedo Etuk, chief executive officer and co-founder of Tabula
Digita, the educational gaming company that created the MEG
Tournament. “It’s
another step in transforming people’s
perception of gaming as solely for entertainment to an extremely
effective – and entertaining –
instructional tool. In fact, Businessweek Online reported that games
like these could very well grow into a billion-dollar market within the
next decade.1”
Although electronic educational games have long existed, the video games
Etuk referenced are a new breed. Games such as Tabula Digita’s
Algebra-based DimensionM™
series feature fast-paced first-person action adventure storylines as
well as high-end sound and 3-D graphics comparable to those in popular
video games. Other games such as Muzzy Lane's “Making
History” and Enlight’s
“Restaurant Empire”
are coming on the scene in increasing numbers.
“Educators across the country are becoming
aware of the findings that show that educational gaming enables players
to better retain information because abstract concepts are turned into
experiential learning,” Etuk stated. “Additionally,
gaming provides authentic assessment and immediate feedback, so students
and teachers have a clear idea of individual strengths and weaknesses.
Plus, games’ fun factor keeps learners
enthusiastic and focused.”
Dr. Katherine C. Clark, principal at Ocoee Middle School, is one of the
early adopters of gaming in the classroom and had this to say, “The
idea of using gaming to learn is long overdue in the education setting.
That’s why we jumped at the chance to
incorporate the DimensionM™ games to support
our math curriculum. It speaks to our students in their language –
captivating them digitally – and inspiring
them to learn.”
Etuk’s and Clark’s
viewpoints are supported by a 2006 report from the Entertainment
Software Association, the National Science Foundation and the Federation
of American Scientists, who, after a one-year study, found the teaching
potential of gaming warranted recommendations on how educators, and
businesses and the federal government could video games to strengthen
U.S. education and workforce training. “Now
even graduate students are focusing their research on the use of video
games in education,” said Etuk.
“In 2007, the Software Industry Information
Association cited us as ‘Newcomer of the Year,’
which was another validation of our position on the significant effect
video games can have on students and teachers,”
he continued. “And this year’s
FETC devoted three sessions to video games’
role in education. Clearly, a revolution in learning and instruction is
underway.”
About Tabula Digita
Tabula Digita is an educational video game company focused on delivering
innovative and effective educational games to students and institutions.
Through its fusion of education and technology-based immersive learning
systems, Tabula Digita successfully offers standards-based, high impact
educational tools that engage middle and high school students in
learning and applying Pre-Algebra and Algebra I concepts. For more
information, please call 1-888-9-Tabula or 1-888-982-2852, or visit www.DimensionM.com.
1 Scanlon, Jessie. “Getting
Serious About Gaming.” Business Week Online.
8/14/2007.
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