V32c: Introduction to games

Overview of course

This course provides an introduction to games in the classroom. Research has shown that well planned lessons which incorporate games can achieve a range of educational benefits. These can include the development of skills such as communication, problem solving and digital skills, and the enhancement of knowledge and understanding.

Games are hugely popular with young people and playing computer games at school can provide a means of overcoming the ‘digital disconnect’ which can exist between children's and young people's home and school learning. This short course will: 

• introduce teachers with no or little gaming experience to different genres of computer games
• introduce teachers to the theory underpinning games-based learning
• enable teachers to identify a relevant online game and plan a lesson that uses the game to achieve the desired learning goals.

The course will focus on freely available online games which can provide a starting point for exploring their use in the classroom without investment in hardware and software. At the conclusion of this course you will have developed a lesson plan ready for implementation in your classroom.