Video Games in Teaching-Learning Processes: A Brief Review, (2014)

Cruz, Cruz, Ruiz, David, and Hernandez (2015) provide a brief review of the influence of video games in education. They also state different types of video games as well as several disciplines to implement these games.

According to the article, education games are defined by Salen and Zimmerman in the book Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals : “A game is a system where players are driven to an artificial conflict, defined by rules, where the result is a quantifiable measure”. The article then presents different definitions of games based on three generations. The authors categorize video games as Action/platform games, Adventure Games, Fighting games, Role-playing games, Simulation, Sport games, Strategy games.

The authors concluded their review by providing some aspect of a video game for teaching and learning. For example, Gifford provide some characteristics of a good video game:  1. Should permit the exercise of fantasy, no spatial, temporal or gravity limitations.
2. Must facilitate access to "other worlds" and sharing each other through graphics, contrasting sharply with conventional classrooms and static.
3. Should encourage replay and try and try again in a safe environment.

I encourage educators who ar interested in incorporating games in education to read this article to gain better sense of the role of video games in education.

Reference

Cruz, E. M. C., Cruz, J. A. V., Ruiz, J. G. R., David, L., & Hernández, H. (2014). Video Games in Teaching-Learning Processes: A Brief Review. International Journal of Secondary Education, 2(6), 102.