Video+Game+Critique


 * //Introduction: //**

Games provide a way for students to learn and have fun while doing so. Good games can engage a student’s mind and help them learn. We’ve (Cliff and James) provided a couple of games that you can enjoy. One tests knowledge of the Great Wall of China. The other identifies how well one knows the animal kingdom. These games were chosen on the basis that they are thought-invoking, entertaining, non-offensive tools that can be played by anyone. Everyone should be able to get something out of both of these games.

 Click on the links below to explore the two games:

 Great Wall of China Game Created by Mrs. Novak with Eclipse Crossword © 2000-2006.

 or Word Game Hangmalia, Created by Y3 Games.com.

**//Game selection and rationale: //**

The Great Wall game explores the ability of a student to recall (or look up) information about the Great Wall of China to solve the crossword. The crossword sufficiently covers the history and information about the Great Wall as could function as an assessment tool of student learning. The game theme of the game (the Great Wall of China) refers to a topic covered by both Cliff and James in our Technology in World Civilization class.

 For those who might not be in our Technology of World Civilization class or aren’t interested in history, we found another game that was fun and could appeal to many students old and young. The Hangmalia word game is a wonderful "Flash" based video game that was fun and challenging. Even as adults, we found it to be a good source to recall spelling skills. We feel the same could work for other adults along with everyone one at the K-12 level.

**//Why students would play the game: //**

The Great Wall game is a good game to demonstrate students’ ability to understand facts and assess themselves in their understanding of the Great Wall. In my opinion, there isn’t much more that the Great Wall game gives to students unless they are learning about the Great Wall or have a genuine interest in it. Then they can then challenge themselves and see how much they know.

With the Hangmalia Word game, it’s not too specific in content or difficult to play that all ages can get something out if it. In assisting students in learning about animals, the game provides a fun way of doing so. The Hang-man style of the game assists students in knowing how to spell the animals too, which help provides further learning. Small children easily play Hangmalia with their parents, so this provides learning along with students’ time spent with their families while being entertained.

**//Could game be used in a classroom environment? If so, How? //**

The Great Wall of China game would very suitable in an environment where the Great Wall of China is being discussed. The terms and questions asked of the Great Wall of China game are of intermediate difficulty, so that game is best suitable for students grades 5 or 6 through grade 12. In environments where the Great Wall of China is not discussed, the game is not really appropriate or applicable to student learning (besides outside interest).

The Hangmalia word game, on the other hand, is very suitable for all grades K-12. The theme of the word game is not as narrow and specific of that of the Great Wall of China, it deals with a variety of animals. Pictures of animals are blurred and the player is to play a hangman game to figure out what kind of animal appears in the photo. This game is likely to be more useful in the classroom for young students learning about animals, but everyone can learn and be entertained. There are links on the page that allow students to play a variety of other games as well.

**//<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Design Aspects: //**