The Potential of Video Games for Enhancing Teaching History

Bass, Ian L.

doi:10.18646/2056.73.20-022

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 18 publications

(9 reference statements)

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“…Before discussing how to apply video games effectively in a classroom setting, learning outcomes should be considered. As discussed by Connolly et al (2012) and Bass (2020), there are a range of potential learning outcomes from video games, including but not limited to motor skills, knowledge acquisition, and social skills. Mitchell and Savill-Smith (2004, 58) suggest that they also encourage creativity and visualisation, vital skills for encouraging pupils to evaluate the ancient world as part of an A Level.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using Assassin's Creed: Odyssey to teach Olympia as part of the Classical Civilisation A Level

Oulitskaia

2024

J. of Class. Teach.

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This study looks at the effective use of Assassin's Creed: Odyssey to teach Greek Religion at A Level. A focus of this study is to identify good teaching practice in using this tool to improve source recall as well as pupils’ ability to use these sources to support evaluation. A recent blog post on Quinquennium highlighted the potential for this game to be used as a teaching tool (Hinde, 2019), while its educational potential has also been promoted by the developers releasing a Discovery Tour version as a ‘game mode for educational purposes’ which acts as a ‘living museum’ (Ubisoft, 2021). While the development of educational tools for this franchise is fairly recent, the use of video games in education is established, with games like Oregon Trail being used as early as the 1980s (Buday et al., 2012, 259). Moreover, the fundamental ideas behind the use of video games, such as the player engaging in some form of virtual dialogue with the creator, is one which can be traced back to Vygotsky's ideas of learning as a socio-cultural phenomenon (1978). For example, by reacting to stimuli in the game, the player is engaging in a dialogue with the historian or game developer who created the initial stimulus, after which the game responds in turn, thereby engaging with the player's actions. Furthermore, the idea of reward or punishment for certain actions within an educational game is also drawing on behaviourist theories of education, whereby a pupil is conditioned via in-game tokens for recall of knowledge. Indeed, this is one of the ways in which game developers encourage game addiction (Vu, 2017, 1).

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Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%