Is it Game Over for Education?

Technology has come a long way over the last decade and is being integrated into classrooms in the hopes to boost learning. Shaffer et al. and Ohmann share conflicting views on the subject with the former believing that technology is beneficial, while Ohmann asserts that it is harmful for students’ education.

In “Video Games and the Future of Learning” the article explores the use of Epistemic Video Games and their relation to education.. Shaffer summarizes that, “The virtual worlds of games are powerful, in other words, because playing games means developing a set of effective social practices” (Shaffer, 4). This meaning that by playing Epistemic Video games, which are games that involve the player’s interaction, the player is indulging in a world where s/he must learn about social practices and problems that can be applied to the real world. As Shaffer goes on to say, “Such epistemic games let players participate in valued communities of practice: to develop a new epistemic frame…” (Shaffer, 7). Basically, it means roleplaying, which is a frame of mind one enters and takes on a new role. By doing this, a person is able to recognize different situations and how to act accordingly, which help further education and social belonging. The epistemic games provide players a way to interact with others around the world and engage them in learning of new cultures and new ways of thinking that can be anything but harmful. But who really cares if these epistemic games help boost learning? Oh, right, the school districts might since if they really are so beneficial their students will gain higher test scores and the district will be shown in a new light. And the parents whose children literally live on the game consoles might care. Perhaps now, there is good reason to sit staring at a t.v. screen for so long… it actually can help boost learning!

Even though Ohmann is against technology as it harms education, his article does present the fact that computers do help. Students are able to learn typing skills that they normally wouldn’t acquire if they didn’t have computers. Also, many games have been developed for computers, and several help with learning. And the internet must be mentioned as it a huge part of technology. “That’s where computers, the Internet, distance learning, and individualized education come in… gain promotions, change jobs, or change fields” (Ohmann, 5). says Ohmann, who goes on to say that the internet does provide opportunities that are otherwise inaccessible. The internet offers a wide range of topics for students to explore and examine, and thusly they are able to plan ideas around them.

However, the increase in technology can harm schools, as Ohmann readily agrees upon. One main problem that many recognize is that with the increase in digital and virtual education, the need for personal contact fades. If every student didn’t have a real-live teacher, than they will suffer socially. In other words, even though they will have contacts online, it is not the same as a person who can readily help and provide human contact.

A huge issue that Ohmann describes is the increase in plagiarizing. “There is the shallowness of Internet culture, where knowledge dwindles into "information," research into plagiarism, and pedagogy into a search for trickier software to catch the plagiarists” (Ohmann, 6). Indeed, the internet provides many a opportunity for plagiarizing to be at its peak as there are so many online websites where one can find pre-written essays and other ways to copy. Although the idea of plagiarizing may seem trivial, it is crucial because later on in life children will be unable to formulate ideas of their own, which will force them to rely on others. The goal in life is to become independent and by always leaning on someone else, one will never truly succeed.

Lastly, the learning value depreciates with the advance of technology. Ohmann argues that with the internet and students having computers in class (Ohmann, 11) that students will ‘tune out’ their instructors when they’re lecturing to instead engage in checking e-mails, stocks, or chatting online (Ohmann, 3). Not to mention that with the video games, even if they are epistemic, they may take up too much of a student’s time and prevent them from doing other work that should take priority.

Ultimately, what is at stake here is children’s education. Do they or do they not gain experience by using the epistemic video games and vast resources the computers and internet provide? Or is it harming them? Shaffer and Ohmann both argue opposite claims on the subject. Depending on how it is used, it can be good or bad, and it is up to the school districts and teachers to make the call of whether such technology should be implemented into the school system or should be left alone in a corner.