Video games in the classroom are far from a new concept, but a partnership called the Games for Learning Institute (G4LI) between Microsoft and six universities (N.Y.U., Columbia, the City University of New York, Dartmouth, Parsons the New School for Design, and the Rochester Institute of Technology) are raising the bar. According to The New York Times, 109 middle schools in New York City are introducing Dimension M which quizzes students on prealgebra and algebra topics. The M stands for math. Players race to earn points by correctly answering questions about fractions and complex equations that are drawn from math curriculum used nationally.
The article says thats students are coming in early and staying after school to play the game. One student even claims that he spends three hours per night playing at home.
The Games for Learning Institute’s research will focus on evaluating how video games can be used as effective and efficient educational tools for science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The institute plans to study a range of student populations. Focus will be on underrepresented groups in middle school such as girls and minorities.
—Carrie Barker
