Classroom games are serious business!

A joint file from Infobourg and Carrefour education

From Gaming to Serious Games: Introduction

Children have always learned through play. Outside, learning takes place spontaneously using a ball or a simple branch. Imaginary games allow them to experience different roles and enrich their conception of the world. Although their reflections were not adopted by the majority, some pedagogues, like Maria montessori, have made play an important part of their educational principles.

Then there was the advent of video games. Of course, they are accused of causing physical inactivity, violent behavior, social isolation and addiction and also to maintain the gender stereotypes and racial. Since the first Atari or Nintendo consoles, young people have been passionate about console games. While Pac-Man, Mario Bros, and Donkey Kong haven't revolutionized the world of education, they've made it possible for a lot of kids to come together and play for fun.

However, it is only since the 2000s that educators have seen the relevance of merging pleasure, learning and video games. Thus, the serious games are popular in educational settings today and are increasingly used for learning purposes.

To read more:

– What are serious games?

– In Quebec, do we take games seriously?

– Is it funnier elsewhere?

– The pleasure of learning, but still?

– Why aren't serious games more popular?

– Find serious games, a breeze!

– Let's play: conclusion and future

Consult the complete file (with bibliographical references) - PDF