Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Video Games- Teaching Social Issues

I stumbled upon a brochure today for the RePlay Positive Video Game. Perfect timing, because we are on the topic of using video games for learning in my Online ED Tech class.

The RePlay Video Game promotes healthy relationships, treating others with respect, and how to prevent violence. This type of non-entertainment game promotes social change is designed to get students to critically think about the world they live in. RePlay is designed for students-ages 8-14.

"Video Games are popular and they can help youth think about things in new ways"

The RePlay Video Game uses a simulated environment to immerse students in active participation while learning ways to better communicate through difficult conflicts that come up as they play.

As students play they learn how to view a world with healthy, equal, and respectful relationships among themselves, with their family members, and their peers, and learn new ways to deal with conflicts and relationships in their own lives.

Also, as students play they learn about community resources that are available to them. This video game is was developed in Canada, so some of the resources are Canadian, but the game can be useful for students everywhere.

Video games are now recognized as a powerful tool in teaching; since students love to play them these games offer an opportunity to catch students' interest and impact lives.

The Replay Video Game can also be integrated into your Social Studies, Math, and Language Arts curriculum.

Here are some ideas for curriculum use:
  • Have students create role play scenarios in Language Arts, act them out, and video the role plays for future use.
  • Have students write stories in Language Arts and record them using podcasting technology, allowing the stories to be heard by many others.
  • Have students review local statistics relating to domestic violence and then chart the data they have collected.
There are many more ways to integrate this game in your classroom and at the same time provide students an opportunity to improve their own life and the lives of others they will interact with today, and in the future.

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