Computer Games in Education: Succesful Start Brings Wider Experiment
by Liam Bailey
2008-03-17 02:25:00 **news**
Curriculum body Learning and Teaching Scotland have taken the education world by storm, by introducing the Nintendo DS' brain-training software as an instrument of education, perhaps more surprisingly were the results.
The experiment took place in Dundee, St Columba school, where for ten weeks pupils spent the first 20 minutes of the day playing the Nintendo DS' brain-training software. Their behaviour, work-rate and competence in studies were monitored all day throughout the ten weeks, and the results compared with another class being taught normally.
Apparently the pupils using the DS each day showed improved maths results, better behaviour and a greater level of focus on their studies, than the class being taught normally. Derek Robinson of LTS, who was behind the pilot scheme said:
"We need to look at the educational experience of learners who are coming from a digital age, who have a cultural value of technology, of games. It's important that school reflects this as well and that teachers can use this innovatively and effectively to engage those who may be disaffected."
Professor of cognitive neuroscience at Edinburgh University, Robert Logie is less quick to shout miracle:
"I think that they're just games. They can be fun to play, but I think focusing too much on this as a sort of catch-all cure for what people see as a lack of mental ability is misleading."
Logie put the success of the software down to improving the pupil's confidence, or possibly the "practice effect" meaning pupils simply got better at the tasks because they were repeating them regularly. I think he has misunderstood the results; the improved maths results were not on the game, but in the actual maths lessons during the course of the day, after playing the game each morning.
Her Majesty's Inspectors of Education are determined to find out if this was a fluke or something that can become an integral part of British primary school education, and backing LTS to conduct a wider study.
In 16 primary schools across Scotland -- in Aberdeenshire, East Ayrshire, Dundee, and the Western Isles, -- classes will spend 15 to 20 minutes each morning playing the consoles. Other classes will be taught normally, and the two sets of results compared. I for one will be intrigued to see the findings.
