Computer Games In Schools

New Survey Reveals What Students Want

An Ipsos survey investigating students' attitudes to mainstream computer games has revealed that three in five 11-16 year-olds would like to use computer games to learn in school. The research, which surveyed over 2,300 11-16 year-old students in England and Wales, explores students' opinion and use of games and the findings could help to determine how computer games may be integrated into the school curriculum.

The study found that younger children were more likely to play games than their older counterparts, with 46% of 11 year olds playing games every day compared with 25% of 15-16 year olds. Younger students were also most likely to want to use computer games in school: 66% of 11 year-olds compared to 49% of 15-16 year-olds.

The survey, which was commissioned as part of Teaching with Games, also found that, of those who did not want to use games at school, 38% would rather play them at home -- implying that they see education and computer games as separate activities. Teaching with Games is a one-year research project led by education innovator Futurelab with support from three of the world's leading interactive entertainment software companies; Electronic Arts, Microsoft and Take Two, as well as the Interactive Software Federation of Europe (ISFE).

Nearly 90% of those who said they would like to use games at school agreed that it would make lessons more interesting. The perceived benefits of playing computer games were generally positive, regardless of whether or not students were in favour of their use in the classroom. More than two-thirds of respondents thought that games would improve their computer skills and just under half thought that they would help to improve strategic thinking skills such as problem solving. Students also agreed with teachers (who were previously surveyed by Ipsos for Teaching with Games in November 2005) in thinking that games can have negative effects such as reinforcing stereotypical views of people.

For further information, go to www.futurelab.org.uk/research/teachingwithgames.htm

Futurelab Topline Results, Schools Omnibus 2006

• 2,334 interviews were conducted among school children aged 11-16 in England and Wales.
• Students were asked about their opinion of computer games designed primarily for entertainment, played on PCs, consoles, mobiles and internet browsers rather than educational games.
• Self-completion questionnaires were completed in 100 classroom sessions between 24 February and 18 May 2006.
• Data have been weighted by gender, age and region.
• Results are based on all pupils in England and Wales, unless otherwise stated.
• An asterisk (*) represents a value of less than half a per cent, but not zero.
• Where results do not sum to 100%, this is due to multiple responses, computer rounding, or the exclusion of 'Don't know/Not stated' response categories.

Q1 How often do you play computer games at home or in school but outside of lessons?

Q2 Thinking about the kinds of computer games people play outside school, have you ever used any of these games as part of a lesson?

Q3 And would you like to use computer games that are played outside school in lessons in the future or not?

Q4 Why do you say that you would like to use computer games in lessons in the future? Base: All who would like to use computer games in lessons (1,441)

Q5 Why do you say that you would not like to use computer games in lessons in the future? Base: All who would not like to use computer games in lessons (522)

Q6 Thinking about the kinds of computer games people play outside school, do you think young people who play these games learn any of the following through doing so?