Are Preservice Students Gamers?

There is growing use of games and simulations among young people.

According to thePew Internet and American Life Project (Jones, 2003), 70 percent of college students play computer, video, or online games at least once, and 65 percent reported being regular or occasional game players. This growing population expects their teachers to offer learning opportunities in exciting and engaging formats where they have some control and responsibility over their own learning. (Prensky, 2001; Bonk, 2005).

	Gamer teachers know that fun and learning go together very well to create a state of relaxed motivation that enhances a student’s ability to take in new information and expend effort.

We at simSchool were recently interested in obtaining information about today’s preservice students’ use and attitudes regarding educational games and simulations. . We wanted to gauge their experience and inclination to use games and simulations when they enter the classroom and their receptivity to learning through games such as simSchool. During the spring of 2005, we received 245 responses from students in six schools of higher education, ranging from large public universities to small private colleges. What follows are highlights of our results.

Experience with games before, during and after college
The gamer generation of teachers has played more games than their older counterparts. SimSchool respondents under 34 years of age reported 2.21 games while those over 34 years reported a mean of 0.90 games (t=4.04, p .01).

A small percentage of respondents (19.8%) did not report any games at all. Beck and Wade (2004) report nearly the same percentage (19.2%) as a characteristic of the gamer generation. So it seems that preservice teachers, like the majority of the work force today (if you are a teacher, that means your peers!) have experienced and appreciate the connection between fun and learning through computer games.

The gamer teachers were asked about the game they played the most out of the ones listed. Strategy gamesare the most frequently reported although this proportion is based mainly on one game – Oregon Trail – which accounts for 44 out of 54 mentions.

Preservice teachers reported playing fewer games after college, with a mean of 1.09 and median of 1.00 games. But while playing drops off for everyone, younger gamer teachers are twice as likely to continue playing, and for significant periods of time. There is a surprisingly strong pattern of association between the number of games played before college and the number played during or after college (Spearman Rho correlation = .60). But the nature of games changes. Gamer teachers changed from strategy games to less mindful use of time. Solitaire, for example, led the pack of mostly sports and card games mentioned.

Can games or simulations be an important learning tool?

71% of the preservice students were positive, 9% negative, and 20% were mixed. Percentages below are based on those that made comments ( total = 226) out of the total number taking the survey (total = 245).

The most often cited reasons for using games and simulations in the classroom were:

"motivation/fun" (79 responses - 35%);

Games will often motivate students more than other methods of teaching. It is hands on, and if they are making the decisions they will be more likely to remember it and take it serious.

Gamer teachers know that fun and learning go together very well to create a state of relaxed motivation that enhances a student’s ability to take in new information and expend effort.

"Engaging and learn content" (67 responses - 30%)

It [a game or simulation] gets the student involved. It presents ideas in a different format which opens their eyes and gets them excited

Gamer teachers also know that learning is enhanced with multiple approaches; games and simulations provide many routes to content.

and "learning technology" (58 responses -26%)

I think they’re important because students need all the exposure they can get with computers. It is a necessity in today’s world to be able to use software, so using software as a learning tool can be very beneficial.  ...continue