"Dude, I'm not doing science. I'm just cheating the game!"


Some gamers are teaching themselves science without realizing it just to win
Every once in a while I luck out and find an article I can use in two different blogs.

Like this one.

But they were pretty good at figuring out how to defeat the bosses. One day she found out why. A group of them were building Excel spreadsheets into which they'd dump all the information they'd gathered about how each boss behaved: What potions affected it, what attacks it would use, with what damage, and when. Then they'd develop a mathematical model to explain how the boss worked -- and to predict how to beat it.

Often, the first model wouldn't work very well, so the group would argue about how to strengthen it. Some would offer up new data they'd collected, and suggest tweaks to the model. "They'd be sitting around arguing about what model was the best, which was most predictive," Steinkuehler recalls.

That's when it hit her: The kids were practicing science.

They were using the scientific method. They'd think of a hypothesis -- This boss is really susceptible to fire spells -- and then collect evidence to see if the hypothesis was correct. If it wasn't, they'd improve it until it accounted for the observed data.

This led Steinkuehler to a fascinating and provocative conclusion: Videogames are becoming the new hotbed of scientific thinking for kids today.

Read the article, then read the comments.

I want to make a couple of points.

First of all, there is no doubt that these kids are thinking critically and scientifically, even if it is within the framework of a video game.

Second, notice the immediate dismissals because the mere idea of computer games having any sort of value. Not to mention that it goes against accepted academic educational theory.

I say results are where you find them. And if statistical observation and pattern analysis can be taught in a game, so much the better.

Oh, and to Hillary Clinton and all those other self-important legislators who have tried over the years to ban violent games, I have a special message.

*THHBBBBBBBBTTTTTTTT!!!*

— NeoWayland

Posted: Tue - September 9, 2008 at 12:16 PM  Tag


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