I know, I was a little bit skeptical when I first heard it as well!
It turns out that Microsoft is very big on Education, and they always try to market their products towards learning and classroom integration. The most recent that I have heard of is their push for XBOX Kinect to be used in the classroom. Check out the video below for an example!
Microsoft itself has licensed MANY games to be used on the Kinect, and some of them, like as seen in the video, are meant to be implemented in the classroom. They also offer an SDK (Software Development Kit) for teachers to program their own software and tailor it to what their classroom needs. This idea can also be applied to a Computer Science course. Students can use the Kinect's sensors to make extremely intricate programs and software.
Joe,
ReplyDeleteI am a strong supporter of using video games in the classroom, because I believe that this truly defines what it means when we say relating to a student's lives is important for learning. For you subject area, I completely see how students can go behind the scenes and analyze how these games work. It would also be a fun idea for students to try out the games themselves! The intricate mechanics for the video games allow for many valuable lessons to be taught ranging from electricity, circuits, to computer programing.