Value of Interactive Games in Science Education

Questions: 1. Summary: What are the points of the article? What are the main arguments proposed by the author? What are the topics covered? 2. Evaluation: What are the strengths and/or weaknesses of the article? Is the information reliable? Is the article biased or objective? 3. Reflection: How does the article illuminate the topic? Answers: 1. Summary The article presents an overview of the impact of video game on the scientific literacy of the students. There are various evidences which suggest that video games have the potential to promote the critical attributes that are associated with the scientific literacy of the students. There a mixed reviews regarding this aspect. Video games can be perceived as valuable tools for education but it has been also seen that efficiency in playing videos games does not cause any structural development of the individual. 2. Evaluation Video games have positive and negative effect on the mindset of the students.There are some video games that are educational in nature but they lack the clear objectives of learning and outcome from the learning are not clear. Thus it is very difficult to judge that whether the video games possess the potential to increase the efficiency of the learner so that they can integrate themselves in instructional environments. However, video games have positive impact on the learners (Jaipal Figg, 2009). They create a unique-in game identity. The learner is able to personalize the various aspects of the video games. This helps the learner in develop their ability to identify objects and create an imagination. There are some video games that allow highest level of autonomy tend to imbibe certain cultural norms within the students. The characters depicted in the video games help the low achieving students to disassociate themselves from their derogatory perception about their physical attrib utes. They build a separate mindset for themselves which tends to make them happy (Compton-Lilly, 2007). It is seen that the Hispanic students spend more time in video games than the white population. Students prefer to learn from video games rather than from text books and other traditional ways of learning. The learning process is more creative. The students are able to visualize the learning. But there are various negative aspects of learning via video games. It has adverse effects on shaping the character of the individual. It creates the barrier in the mind of the students. It has hard to bridge the gap created between the real world and the world of videogames (De Gloria, 2014). 3. Reflection The article reflects the positive and negative aspect of video games. The students are able to visualize the subjects shown to them via video game. But the students get involved in the video games that they separate themselves from the rest of the world. This disassociates them from the aspects of real life. References Compton-Lilly, C. (2007). What Can Video Games Teach Us About Teaching Reading?.The Reading Teacher,60(8), 718-727. doi:10.1598/rt.60.8.2 De Gloria, A. (2014).Games and Learning Alliance. Cham: Springer International Publishing. Jaipal, K., Figg, C. (2009). Using Video Games in Science Instruction: Pedagogical, Social, and Concept-Related Aspects.Can. J. Of Sc., Math Tech. Educ.,9(2), 117-134. doi:10.1080/14926150903047780 Marino, M., Israel, M., Beecher, C., Basham, J. (2012). Students and Teachers Perceptions of Using Video Games to Enhance Science Instruction.Journal Of Science Education And Technology,22(5), 667-680. doi:10.1007/s10956-012-9421-9