Document Type
Changing Needs of Our Users
Publication Date
4-2008
Abstract
This presentation investigates the rapidly growing appeal of digital gaming among students and what they learn while playing these games. While 65% of college students are gamers, creating digital games for library instruction may not be realistic. Yet by understanding the educational benefits and alluring aspects of video games, librarians can incorporate techniques into instruction that engage students. The presenters will detail the elements that play an important role in player engagement--goals/rules, challenges, control, fantasy--as well as the educational components that can be incorporated into and benefit library instruction. The presenters will also enumerate gamer demographics.
One benefit of digital gaming to be explored is parallel processing, which enables gamers to interpret multiple elements at one time. Parallel processing allows them to live at "twitch speed." Growing up with digital games and the Internet trains gamers to embrace the deluge of unfiltered information and efficiently interpret multidimensional images.
This presentation concludes with suggestions for adapting gaming attributes to instruction. For example, most games require players to be a part of a story in the first person position. Use of this narrative stance in the classroom engages students to be an active player rather than a passive observer. By using innovative text, images, and multimedia, stories will help students comprehend the material by showing the connection between ideas and application.