Entertainment Games for Education: Self-Motivated Education and EVE Online

• In Event: Roundtable Session 2
  In Roundtable Session: Participatory Learning, Games, and Civic Engagement

Abstract

The demand to play and experience video games has increased exponentially. Because of this popularity, researchers have contended for many years that video games could be used for educational purposes. This surge has created a “gold rush” mentality, and there’s a push to create educational games and game-like environments in classrooms. Because of this focus, entertainment games are not viewed with the same kind of fervor when it comes to educational content. However, it is plausible to believe they can be educational simply by motivating users to self-educate. This thought piece discusses the possibility that entertainment games, and MMORPGs specifically, can motivate players to self-educate, as well as potentially teach complex subjects and secondary skills.

Author

• Christopher Vicari, Teachers College, Columbia University