Video Games in the classroom can be used for/to learn
- Programming
- Animation/Digital Storytelling
- Digital Art
- Project Management
- Storyboarding
Here are my top picks for 2012:
GameMaker
edit 3/1/2014: now called "GameMaker Studio", check out the official "Learn" page that colleague Steve Isaacs and I are contributing to: yoyogames.com/learn(This is the one I use most in my classes. drag-n-drop, extensive customization, possible intro to programming concepts. LOTS of video tutorials on schooltube + youtube)
GameStar Mechanic
(for Elementary to Middle School. Built for the classroom. Plays like an adventure game where you earn new game-building abilities/characters as you play through the storyline.
Kodu
(3D games, drag-n-drop, games can be played on Xbox 360 or PC)
There are others that are built specifically to learn the concepts of programming while building games at the same time:
Scratch
(build games, animations, etc.)
Alice:
(build animations)
Hello Mr. Suter! I was happy to see your post about the tools you use for Video Game Design and Development. I'm right there with you. Game Maker is without question my favorite teaching tool thanks to the easy entry yet incredible potential for growth based on the users's interest and aptitude. I use Gamestar Mechanic as part of our 7th grade computer cycle curriculum and as a part of my bonus achievement system with my 8th grade and online high school game design and development elective. We also use Storytelling Alice with our 7th graders. I think it is a great tool for introducing digital storytelling and programming.
ReplyDeleteOver the years i have dabbled with Scratch and Kodu but have yet to warm up to either of them too much. I see great potential with Scratch and maybe it is where I would shoot to start elementary students with. Kodu has such great potential, but I can't quite get excited about it :(
Have you played with StencylWorks or Game Salad? They both look promising as well. I just need the time to really dig in.
We really might need to collaborate in terms of developing a scalabale comprehensive game design and development curriculum. One of my goals for sure.
Steve