Games for
Learning
Are Schools Ready for
What’s to Come?
K.Becker &
D.M.Jacobsen,
University of Calgary,
Alberta, Canada

A Study with
Teachers
How are teachers using
technology in school?
Who is using games in
school?
What’s stopping them?
What’s helping them?
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Demographics of
Study
Calgary, Alberta (Canada)
& surrounding area.
• 4 Public School Districts
•

(~80% urban : 20% rural).

Online *only*.
• K-12 = kindergarten(ECS) –
•

grade 12 (~ages 5-18).

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Response
109 respondents
• Mostly full-time
teachers. (89%)
• 5-10 years’ teaching 34%
• >20 years teaching 23%
• Class size: 20-35: 80%
• N students: 25-50 18%,
>100 46%
•

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Computer use
•

By teachers:
5-10 hr/week 25%
• 10-25 hr/week 44%
•

In class:
• Simulations & games: 70%
• Games for learning: 53%
•

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Willingness to try
Educational downloads:
73%
• Sims: 69%
• Edutainment: 51%
• COTS: 37%
• Custom Games: 38%
•

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Facilitators for use
of games:
1.
2.
3.

4.
5.
6.

Students (55%)
Self (55%)
Professional
Development: (53%)
Colleague (49%)
IT Specialist (46%)
Outside friend (43%)

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Top 10 Barriers
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

6.

7.
8.

9.
10.

Lack of time (81%)
Access to computers (72%)
Have no games (72%)
Not a priority for school (70%)
Lack of knowledge to integrate
(68%)
Not in curriculum documents
(67%)
Lack of teacher training (66%)
Access to computers for
students (62%)
Lack of technical support (59%)
Arranging access to training
(55%)

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*NOT* connected:
Teachers’ own gaming
habits
• Access to computers
•

& willingness to try games
in class.

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Was it Worth it?
Pilot study.
• Identified potential
stumbling blocks to
adoption & acceptance.
• Need more studies, here
& elsewhere.
• Include paper surveys.
• Include incentives to
respond.
•

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What did we learn?
Primary barriers:
• Access
• Support
• Time
•

(not really a surprise, but now
there’s data)

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What do we need?
•

•

Make it easy for teachers
to try games.

Willingness to try does
seem linked to having
tried.

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Games as Apparatus
Would we hand these items to
teachers with no further
explanations, guidance or
support?
-

-

Beaker, baking soda, vinegar,
salt
Flat tray, scalpel, pin, frog

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Games as Learning
Spaces
•

Is it reasonable to send a
teacher & his (her) kids
on a trip into the
woods/park/city with no
explanation, guidance or
support?

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The Final Barrier
“As a parent I object to having
my child "play" on the
computer when he has
completed some piece of
work. I want my kids working
at school….My students come
to school to learn not to be
entertained.
Would you want your university
profs. entertaining you?”
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YES!!
But not exclusively.

Thank You

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