World Gone Mad: 59% Teachers Want Games In School News

A MORI Poll conducted on behalf of EA and NESTA Futurelab, an organisation that pioneers the use of technology to transform the way people learn, has today revealed that 59% of teachers' within the UK would consider using mainstream computer games in the classroom.

Now it's been a little while since we first enjoyed Granny's Garden on the BBC Micro, however the poll also reveals that almost one third of teachers have already used such games in their classrooms.

When pushed to explain the reasons behind their choice 53% of those who would consider using games would do so because they are an interactive way of motivating and engaging pupils, whilst the majority of teachers polled believe that playing mainstream games can lead to improved skills and knowledge, with 91% believing pupils would improve their motor-cognitive skills and over 60% claiming that users would develop their higher order thinking skills and could also acquire topic-specific knowledge.

The poll also highlighted issues preventing the use of computer games, highlighting a lack of access to equipment capable of running the games along with the lack of evidence of the true educational benefit of playing games. Other issues include the appropriate choice and suitability of which games to be used (we're advising against Rockstar's forthcoming Bully) whilst two-thirds felt that videogames may present stereotypical views of others and lead to anti-social behaviour despite the fact over one-quarter play games themselves.

The poll is part of the Teaching with Games project that aims to explore the practical uses of games as a teaching aid. Three games have been utilised in the project which include The Sims 2, RollerCoaster Tycoon and Knights of Honor - although the English student should probably take note of the incorrect US title. In the next phase researchers will work alongside teachers to develop lesson plans that embrace the use of computer games, whilst a "Futures Group" has been elected of leading thinkers and practitioners in education, curriculum and game design to build upon the findings from the project and present possible scenarios to push forward the initiative.

Marius Frank, Head Teacher at Bedminster Down School in Bristol, who is taking part in the Teaching with Games project comments: "I am excited and intrigued by the prospect of using gaming technology in the classroom. Individualised learning, at rates hitherto thought impossible, may be the norm if we get it right."

Being based in Bristol we just want to know why they couldn't have come up with this project 10 years ago, adding up the points in Mario Kart to complement Maths or Sonic cracking through the sound barrier in Science would have been a sure-fire bet to improving our grades; we'll have further information on the project soon...