Stansbury, M. (2009) Virginia Tests Video Games as Teaching Tools eSchool News, April 28
Extract:
‘Virginia reportedly has become the first state to implement a pilot program using Tabula Digita’s DimensionM video games to help boost student test scores in mathematics and motivate students to learn. DimensionM is an immersive video-game world that engages students in learning pre-algebra and algebra objectives through a series of missions.
According to a study conducted in 2008 by scholars at the University of Central Florida, DimensionM’s immersive educational video games can improve students’ understanding and raise scores significantly on district-wide math benchmark exams…Students in the experimental groups who played Tabula Digita video games over an 18-week period scored significantly higher (in some cases, twice as high) on district benchmark tests than students in the control group who did not play video games, researchers said. Also, four out of five teachers (and all 15 students) who were interviewed reported that students’ math understanding and skills improved as a result of playing the educational video games.’
Note however the small sample.
Dr. Tony Bates is the author of eleven books in the field of online learning and distance education. He has provided consulting services specializing in training in the planning and management of online learning and distance education, working with over 40 organizations in 25 countries. Tony is a Research Associate with Contact North | Contact Nord, Ontario’s Distance Education & Training Network.
