Video Games and Learning

Video games are one of the fastest trending topics in media, education, and technology. Research across fields as disparate as science, literacy, history, visual processing, curriculum, and computer science suggests that video games aren’t just fun – they can actually be good for your mind as well. In this course, we will discuss current research on the kinds of thinking and learning that go into video games and gaming culture. We’ll investigate the intellectual side of digital gameplay, covering topics that range from perception and attention in Left 4 Dead 2 to the development of historical understanding in Civilization to collaborative learning in massively multiplayer online games like World of Warcraft. Throughout the course, we examine the inherent tensions between contemporary youth culture and traditional education and new developments in games for learning that promise to help bridge that growing divide.

If you do have questions about the course itself, please direct your inquiries to [email protected].

Data from this course is being used for quality assurance and for educational research purposes. All data from minors will be excluded from use in educational research purposes. See Coursera’s Terms of Use for a description of the data captured from course activity. Please contact [email protected] with any questions or concerns. If you do not wish to have your data from this course used for educational research purposes, you may dis-enroll from this course.

Week One – Introduction: Games and Learning?!
Week Two – Game Design for Learning?
Week Three – Game Culture & Learning
Week Four – Games & Cognition
Week Five – Games & Content Subject Matter
Week Six – Games & The Institution of Education