Video games and Education

Code:

E521

Acronym:

VE

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Educational Sciences

Instance: 2017/2018 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Education Sciences
Course/CS Responsible:	First degree in Educational Sciences

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
LCED	21	Official Curricular Structure	3	-	3	28	81

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

This course promotes a first contact and reflection on the educational uses of video games. More specifically it will: a) introduce video games as educational tools; b) reflect on its uses and main known impacts (both positive and negative); c) Explore the potential of using and developing video games to an educational approach to civic and social issues.

Learning outcomes and competences

a. to recognize educational applications of video games and some of the already existing supporting tools;

b. to get to know different dimensions important when analyzing video games and construct a framework to do so;

c. to apply the built framework and to reflect on the design of educational contexts and rich educational experiences focusing on social and civic issues and which integrate video games.    

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

n/a

Program

1. Video games, use and impacts: what are video games, different types and categorizations; habits of use; the experience of engagement, positive and negative impacts reported in literature;

2. Video games in education: uses of games in educational contexts - a pedagogical approach; exploring different aspects to observe in serious games;

3. Using video games in an educational approach to civic and social issues: educational understandings of civic and social issues; contributions of games and digital - what they bring of new and the opportunities open through development; analyzing different video games in practice;

4. Critique, limits and possible futures in this line of work and research.

Mandatory literature

Bennett, W. L. ; Civic life online: learning how digital media can engage youth. , MIT Press, 2008
Bennett, W. L., Wells, C., & Rank, A. ; Young citizens and civic learning: two paradigms of citizenship in the digital age, Citizenship Studies, 13(2), 105–120. , 2009
Biesta, G., & Lawy, R. ; From teaching citizenship to learning democracy: overcoming individualism in research, policy and practice, Cambridge Journal of Education, 36(1), 63–79. , 2006
McPherson, T.; Digital youth, innovation, and the unexpected, The MIT Press, 2008
Miller, C.T.; Games: Purpose and Potential in Education, Springer, 2008
Raphael, C., Bachen, C., Lynn, K.-M., Baldwin-Philippi, J., & McKee, K. A. ; Games for Civic Learning: A Conceptual Framework and Agenda for Research and Design. , Games and Culture, 5(2), 199–235., 2009
Whitton, N. ; Learning with digital games: a practical guide to engaging students in higher education, Taylor & Francis., 2009

Teaching methods and learning activities

Dialogue, debate, group work, guided research and practical experimentation.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Participação presencial	0,00
Trabalho escrito	100,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	55,00
Frequência das aulas	26,00
Total:	81,00

Eligibility for exams

..

Calculation formula of final grade

The assessment in this course will be conducted based on an individual written assignment in which students analyse a video game (selected from a set) by applying in a reflexive manner the framework developed during the semester (this includes a reflection on the framework, a critical observation of what works and not and what should be changed). It must also include a sketch of how that video game could be integrated in a relevant educational experience. (máx 10 pages).

Examinations or Special Assignments

n/a

Internship work/project

n/a

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

students who have the right no to attend classes must negotiate by the beginning of the semestre an alternative form of evaluation.

Classification improvement

there will be opportunities for students to re-do their assignments.

Observations

n/a