Virtual games in social science education

• Published in: Computers and education Vol. 55; no. 3; pp. 1336 - 1345
• Main Authors: Lopez, Jose M. Cuenca, Caceres, Myriam J. Martin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applications in subject areas; Categories; Collection; Content Analysis; Education; Educational Games; Educational Strategies; Evaluation Criteria; Games; Human; Improving classroom teaching; Instructional Material Evaluation; Interactive learning environments; Learning Strategies; Pedagogical issues; Performance Factors; Proposals; Pupils; Social Sciences; Strategy; Teaching; Teaching/learning strategies; Technology Integration; Technology Uses in Education; Video Games; Video Technology; Teaching/learning strategies; Interactive learning environments; Applications in subject areas; Pedagogical issues; Improving classroom teaching
• ISSN: 0360-1315; 1873-782X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compedu.2010.05.028

The new technologies make the appearance of highly motivating and dynamic games with different levels of interaction possible, in which large amounts of data, information, procedures and values are included which are intimately bound with the social sciences. We set out from the hypothesis that videogames may become interesting resources for their inclusion in the education processes in formal contexts. Videogames become laboratories for social experimentation where the scenarios, conditions and situations affecting a given human phenomenon are reproduced. In this article, 35 videogames are analysed to find out which contents can be approached through them for the teaching of Social Sciences using problem-solving strategies. To this end, instruments for information gathering (data collection grid) and analysis (category system) were designed. The different contents of a social nature are analysed according to the study categories and in turn from the areas of social issues detected in them. We present a working proposal for the use of videogames in the classroom on the basis of resolution of relevant problems, determining which are the issues that we consider relevant, what questions the pupils can be asked to approach through videogames and what the characteristics, benefits and obstacles are in the use of these resources in the teaching of Social Sciences.