What is online gaming?
Online gaming is the specialized application or technology, which connects players through internet or over a computer network. (Fundamentals of Game Design).
There are many variations of online gaming, and many different uses. One of fastest growing frontiers of online gaming is using the online gaming technology for educational purposes. There are many different programs and technologies out that focus making the gaming experience count. Game designers and educators are teaming up to make online gaming experience that are not only fun, but also mentally stimulating. Over the next few weeks I will attempt to show and explain the different online gaming programs and developments that are out to help kids learn while gaming.
http://www.zurinstitute.com/onlinegaming.html#children
Gaming Resources:
Educational Games for Children and Teens
Young Children
- Capital Penguin: Single-player game in which the player learns U.S. states and their capital cities. You must jump on the state that matches the given capital city; jumping towards the wrong state means your penguin will fall into the ocean. Hits and misses are recorded for learning feedback.
- Grammar Gorillas: Players identify parts of speech in order to win bananas. Levels are beginner (nouns and verbs) and advanced (all parts of speech).
- Grand Prix Mulitplication: Up to four players can play this game, which tests the ability to solve math problems quickly in order to win the Grand Prix. The student's correct answers enable a faster pace of the car.
- Lemonade Stand: This game simulates the real-life task of running a lemonade stand. Start with twenty dollars; see how much you can make. Fun way to teach beginning business.
- Tug Team: Up to eight players can play this game which builds familiarity with fractions. How quickly the student correctly answers the fraction problem determines how much the dirt bike will tug, and the team with the fastest rate of correct answers will win the tug of war. Hits and misses are recorded and displayed at the end of the game, along with the student's rate.
- Virble: Word-building exercises, great for younger children and English Learners.
Teens
- Airport Tycoon 3: This business management game provides as close to hands-on experience as one can get remotely. Players manage an airport, including security, bad weather, customer and staff needs. Good 3D graphics.
- Crossword Puzzle: This game for teens and adults is created by Dictionary.com and a new game is posted daily. Crosswords keep the mind fresh.
- Darfur is Dying: This game educates players on world issues by showing the violence present in Sudan. The player may be at home on the computer, but they are certainly not isolated when playing this awareness-building game.
- Fitness Frenzy: Another time management game, this time the user runs 10 gym sites and performs personal training. The player helps his or her "clients" to shape up, while keeping them happy and performing all the necessary duties of the job. Great practice for offline time and project management.
- FreeRice.com: This game builds vocabulary and social awareness by donating 10 cents for each correct answer to the UN World Food Program.
- FunTrivia.com: Trivia games for teens, new games added every hour. Tests and rewards knowledge and quickness to answer.
- Gamestar Mechanic: Players get a chance to win enough power to design and create their own video games by solving a set of puzzles. One question asks users to determine how two players arrive at a given point at the same time using physics concepts.
- Geology Explorer: This game for high school and college students is designed to teach geology in a fun, interactive way. Players perform a number of exploratory tasks on the planet Oit, identify findings, create a map and overcome hardship.
- Guess That Phrase: Like Wheel of Fortune, players choose letters that are included in the phrase to be discovered, then guess the phrase. Builds quickness with letters, creativity with words.
- Hotel Dash - Suite Success: This game teaches time management skills by allowing the user to run a hotel. Guests must be attended to, luggage carried, and all in a manner that leaves the hotel system running smoothly!
- Little Big Planet: This multiplayer game for PlayStation 3 comes in 24 languages and has over a million levels - impossible to exhaust! In addition to playing, users can create their own challenges, to be played by others. Opportunity to be an active player and creator teaches exploration and game-building skills. Available at cost.
- Magic Pen: Players use and learn physics and geometry by using logic to construct 2-Dimensional figures.
- Math Baseball: Players complete math problems to play baseball. A wrong answer is a strike out, and correct answers are hits. Whether the hit is a home run or simply to a base depends on the difficulty of the question.
- My Little Word Puzzles: Tests the user's knowledge of definitions and spelling with this game. Letters are randomized and a definition is given; players can learn new words as they put the letters together.
- Reach Out Central: This game teaches emotional and social skills by allowing the player to re-do scenes from their lives which they wish had turned out better. It shows how beliefs and actions affect one's mood and leaves the player with experience trying out different responses to various situations. Provides practice for emotional well-being.
- ReMission: The player gets to destroy malignant cancer cells in this health-promoting game.
- Trivia Machine: Classified as a Brain Teaser, this game gives players a chance to test their trivia knowledge on a wide array of topics, including sports, music, technology and science. Players are rewarded for being knowledgeable!
- Virtual Cell: An interactive game designed to teach students the parts of a cell and how they interact. Includes worksheets for teachers and knowledge test questions.
- Words in a Word: Players find words (4 letter minimum) in other words. Builds vocabulary, quick word recognition skills.
