Podcast Summary
Leveraging video games for social emotional learning and mental health: Video games designed with care can effectively teach social emotional skills and mental health lessons to kids and teens, offering interactive experiences that promote self-exploration, social interaction, and memory building.
Video games, particularly those designed with care by organizations like Ithrive Games, can effectively teach social emotional skills and mental health lessons to kids and teens. Ithrive Games' approach, known as "gaming for good," integrates the science of teen development, mental health, identity formation, and social relationships into game design. These games offer interactive experiences that invite players to explore different aspects of themselves, interact with others, and build memories, all while providing joy and entertainment. By recognizing the potential of video games as a powerful tool for learning and growth, we can help young people thrive in their development.
Collaborative game design for education: Involve young people and educators in designing educational games for effective and engaging learning experiences.
Creating educational games that are both engaging and effective requires a collaborative approach between game developers, young people, and educators. The games should not feel like "chocolate covered broccoli," but rather, they should be designed with fun and learning in mind through a co-design process. This process involves inviting young people to help identify the skills they want to develop and designing the game within that context. Educators should also be involved throughout the process, providing valuable insights into how the game can be used effectively in a classroom setting. By involving all stakeholders in the design process, developers can create meaningful, engaging learning experiences that young people want to engage with and educators are excited to use.
Incorporating educational games in classrooms: Games can foster creativity, conversation, and critical thinking, aligning with learning objectives in ELA. To effectively integrate games, address concerns and provide resources and support for educators.
Incorporating educational games into classrooms can be a powerful tool for fostering creativity, conversation, and critical thinking among students. However, educators often face challenges in implementing new technologies due to lack of supportive systems and resistance to disrupting traditional teaching methods. Games like "What Remains of Edith Finch" offer rich opportunities for exploring identity formation and storytelling, aligning with various learning objectives in subjects like English Language Arts. By embracing the potential of games, educators can create engaging learning experiences that go beyond rote memorization and quiet classrooms. To effectively integrate games into the curriculum, it's crucial to address the underlying concerns and provide the necessary resources and support for educators.
Effective tool for rich storytelling and character development: Games serve as an effective tool for immersive learning experiences, fostering critical thinking, collaboration, and meaningful conversations in the classroom.
Educational gaming can serve as an effective tool for rich storytelling and character development, fostering meaningful conversations in the classroom. Games like the one discussed provide immersive experiences that are compelling, surprising, and thought-provoking, making them an excellent hook for students to engage in deep conversations. To align with learning objectives, game designers and educators collaborate to identify core concepts to teach and design the game and its curricular surrounds accordingly. The gameplay itself becomes the thread that runs through the design process, from pre-game preparation to post-game discussions. The implementation of these games in a classroom setting can vary, from group gameplay with one controller to individual gameplay on a personal device. Regardless of the setup, the goal is to facilitate engaging and interactive learning experiences that foster critical thinking, collaboration, and meaningful conversations.
Navigating the challenges of setting up effective educational games: Designers need to collaborate with organizations and communities to understand diverse learning contexts and address concerns about the value of educational games.
Setting up an effective context for educational games is crucial, but it comes with challenges due to varying access to resources and school policies. Designers often create games for Chromebooks, cell phones, and community spaces to cater to diverse contexts. However, working with organizations that have connections to classrooms or directly with teenagers is necessary to navigate the barriers and make games effective in different learning environments. Another challenge is addressing the concerns of educators, parents, and the community about the value of games in the classroom, given the cultural perception of games as a waste of time. To address this, it's essential to be curious about why children spend a lot of time playing games and explore how they can be leveraged for learning.
Understanding Why Kids Love Video Games: Instead of criticizing kids for playing video games, parents should engage with them, recognize the benefits, and strike a balance between gameplay and non-gameplay time.
Instead of criticizing children for spending time on video games, parents should try to understand why they're drawn to them and engage in the experience with them. Games can offer opportunities for social connection, skill development, and emotional exploration. As a psychologist, I see the value in games and use my knowledge to create compelling experiences for young people. It's essential to strike a balance between gameplay and non-gameplay time, but we should also avoid judging games as a waste of time. By getting curious and playing with our kids, we can build stronger bonds and help them develop important skills. Good game design focuses on creating an emotional journey for the player and activating cognitive processes that foster engagement and learning.
Considering emotional and mental wellbeing in educational game design: Incorporate research on self-regulation and stress management to create engaging educational games that challenge players under various conditions, involving young people as game reviewers and collaborators for valuable feedback.
Effective game design for educational purposes involves considering the emotional and mental wellbeing of players, as well as their skill development. The design process incorporates research on self-regulation and stress management to create engaging experiences that challenge players under various conditions. Recruiting young people as game reviewers and collaborators is essential for gathering valuable feedback and ensuring the emotional and learning journeys are validated. These young experts are compensated for their time and expertise, and their input is valued as equal to that of any other team member. Overall, the goal is to create games that not only teach content but also help players build essential skills and resilience.
Exploring the potential of gamification to provide meaningful experiences: Gamification can offer more than just external rewards, allowing players to build skills, gain insights, and develop a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them.
While gamification can be engaging and keep players coming back for more, it's important to consider the value and creativity of the gaming experience itself. The speaker believes that gaming, particularly in educational contexts, has the potential to provide more meaningful experiences for players, allowing them to build skills, gain insights, and develop a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them. For instance, their upcoming Cold War simulation game aims to do just that by allowing high school students to practice diplomacy skills in a real-world simulated experience. The speaker emphasizes the importance of using game mechanics in a sophisticated and creative way, rather than relying on external rewards and exploiting the reward system to keep players engaged. Overall, the focus should be on creating a space that supports young people in their vulnerability and potential, rather than just trying to extract money from them.
A game to help young people recognize online extremist recruitment: The American Psychological Association, in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security, is creating a game to teach young people how to identify and respond to online extremist recruitment efforts, emphasizing effective communication and empathy.
Young people are increasingly being targeted by violent extremist organizations in online spaces, exploiting their vulnerabilities and leading to harmful outcomes. The American Psychological Association, in collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security, is developing a game to help young people recognize the signs of such recruitment and equip them with tools to potentially interrupt the process. The game aims to provide guidance on what to say and how to approach friends who might be at risk, focusing on effective communication and empathy. It's crucial to remember that many young people, including those who feel vulnerable or excluded, are particularly susceptible to such exploitation. The game serves as an essential resource to promote awareness and support for at-risk individuals, ultimately contributing to safer communities.
