‘Twas the week after Christmas and all through the office, not a sound could be heard...
by Hannah Green
...not even a bop-it, Wii, X-box or any of the other games that we’ve been keeping ourselves amused with over the festive season. Although we use these games to wind down, relax and have fun, Demos are just coming to the end of a piece of research that explores the skills and capabilities that a whole generation of people are developing through their use of games and other new technologies. Through the research we particularly focused on how schools should respond to this. Digital technologies have been integrated into everyday life - from blogging and MSN to mobiles and myspace. How should teaching and learning adapt to a generation of young people who have normalised digital technologies?
Approaching technology from the perspective of children our research tells positive stories about how they use online space to build relationships and create original content. It argues that the skills children are developing through these activities, such as creativity, communication and collaboration, are those that will enable them to succeed in a globally networked, knowledge driven economy.
This report will be launched next week at BETT 2007, the educational technology show at the National Hall Olympia. To find out more about the project please have a look at our project page, listen to our podcast or e-mail Hannah Green or Celia Hannon.
Robert Sharp
Once, about six years ago, I scored 256 (the highest possible score on the version I was using) on both the "Beat-Bop" and "Vox-Bop" settings. By the end, it was if I had a sixth sense, and like a Jedi Knight I knew which handle to bop next.