Teacher Develops Game To Make History Interesting

[Blunderboy]

Of course some of them chose British. Who wouldn't want to look this dapper?

 

[SextusMaximus]

I have a brilliant history teacher anyway and it's probably my favourite subject, but this still sounds pretty interesting. Bit of fun to play!

 

[Darth_Dude]

I have two words for you all.


Oregon Trail.



Hell, I'm not even American and I still love that game and the history of the whole Manifest Destiny, westward-ho kinda thing. It sounds incredibly adventurous and, despite the dangers and the hardship, it is the kind of thing I would attempt were I alive at such a time.

Imagine it - travelling a looooong road, through barely known lands, past treacherous rivers and perilous mountain passes. At the end, the opportunity to stake a claim in a new world; to provide for your family and your descendants. To, essentially, establish a new country.

Don't forget murdering all the Natives and stealing their land.

 

[Necron_warrior]

Any class + Starcraft = LEARNING

You sir, have made my day.
Physics: what's the trajectory of a 50kg object at 200mph? LETS SEE WITH THE SIEGE TANK

 

[Richardplex]

Any class + Starcraft = LEARNING

You sir, have made my day.
Physics: what's the trajectory of a 50kg object at 200mph? LETS SEE WITH THE SIEGE TANK

That sounds like a Mass Effect 2 question to me.
To the ignorant:

 

[Sonicron]

So.... End of the road, huh, Vansau? Your stuff's been good reading. Will we be seeing you somewhere else around the net?

Yeah, I'll still kick around the forums. I got a new job at Inside Social Games, so you can find me there on Monday. Thanks for the kind words!

Hang on - you're leaving? ... Why? Always enjoyed your news posts, it'll be sad to see you go.
I wish you luck (and fun, of course) for your new job. Who's filling your spot at the Escapist?

 

[Spectrum_Prez]

The danger lies in small historical inaccuracies in otherwise intensely historically-accurate games. For example, see the griefing on the Paradox Interactive forums' threads on historical issues for Europa Univeralis 3, or any of their other games.

You don't want your students accidentally thinking that the dukes of Bourgogne ever became kings, for example.

 

[zombie711]

How is history boring? Out side of english its probaly the only class where you get to hear stories.

 

[Thaliur]

Interesting idea, but the real question is: Can this game also manage to make history relevant?

 

[Dastardly]

Choosing Sides sounds like a great way to make history interesting for students, and it also doesn't sound like Allocco is finished making educational videogames. The man has stated that he wants to create more games that put students in "key moments" of American history.

It's a neat way to get kids thinking about the issues... but two days is a lot of time to spend on such a small part of the material.

Now, I think it's good what he's done, sure. It makes a nice lead-in to a unit on the American Revolution... but we shouldn't confuse something like this with "teaching," in the same way we shouldn't confuse flavor with nutrition.

I think what this should show people is that, while beneficial, it's simply not the most efficient use of time. This isn't something that is sustainable for long-range instruction, as long as we're still expected to deliver the same horrifically bloated curriculum. We would need 500 days a year to cover it all at this pace.

I foresee a lot of people pointing to this as an example of how teachers should "change their methods." I see it being used more to criticize teachers than to look at the total situation. But teachers aren't the ones making the bad decisions right now. Some things to keep in mind:

1. Teachers are often paralyzed by the weight of the "standard course of study." Why should 5th graders know what a dodecagon is? Why do 6th graders need to learn the nitrogen cycle? They shouldn't, but we have to teach it, and that's time we lose reinforcing more relevant and useful stuff. We're forced to teach "a mile wide, but an inch deep."

2. The standard course of study is set by the test, despite the assurance that it's the other way around. And we don't write the tests. We don't even get asked. Multiple choice? Worst way to measure learning... but it's quick and easy to grade, as well as cheaper, so that's what is pushed on us.

3. Areas like history are still, by and large, not tested. Thankfully, that gives them a little more flexibility (for now) to innovate. That should be the lesson: when you give teachers control over what and how they teach, they do great stuff.

4. It would be just as wrong to force this method on every classroom, too. Our problem in education right now is that as soon as a higher-up notices something that works for one person in one classroom, they immediately begin over-applying it to everyone -- the belief seems to be that there are a million ways to learn, but only one way to teach (somehow).

Back to the topic, I hope (but doubt) that the public will take the correct message from all of these game-teaching articles and experiments floating around. It's about trusting the teachers, not about shoving the "next big thing" down their throats, no matter how fun it looks.

 

[Formica Archonis]

How is history boring? Out side of english its probaly the only class where you get to hear stories.

Depends on the teacher. I've had teachers who made it exciting, and then I had ones who made it dull as hell.

King A invaded country B in year C and lost, losing territory D to country E.
King A invaded country F in year G and won, adding F to the H empire.
King A died in year I and was replaced with his son, King J.
King J lost territory F and K to a rebellion in year L.
And so on and so on and so on.

Like my grade 10 history teacher, a damn fool who made us color maps all day. Seriously. Color in the Byzantine Empire as it was in this year. Color in the Ottoman Empire as it was in this year. For TWO HOURS. As far as spoken word went, he managed such exciting gems as explaining the entire life of Julius Caesar in one sentence describing when he became Emperor and when he died, and yet expected a two page essay out of us for the test. I damnear failed that class.

 

[DojiStar]

If the facts were accurate, then I'm not that surprised most sided with the British. From one point of view the British just saved them from the colony from the rest of Europe and now a load of rich land owners were staging a coup before the UK could lick it's wounds.

That war was mostly BS. The British were sick of fighting over that crappy spit of land and they were broke and the king was unpopular as hell (a dig turned up chamber pots with his face in them). The rebel leaders were mostly in it for themselves and bar a few notable people the "founding fathers" were some truly disgusting people (some had high ideles the rest were just slave-owning bastards that wanted to keep their slaves and money).

There were no real big battles. The rebels sacked undefended villages and ran at the first sign of trouble and the most George Washington did was write snotty letters to the British commander (an early flame war).

In the end the British just gave up and went home. Possibly why it's not covered in history much. Massive failers were everyone dies the British love, but just GIVING UP? That's just not cricket!

C'mon, there were some decent battles. Like the siege of Gibraltar, and some decent naval battles. The fact that none of us Yankees were present is another story...

Also, seriously, Washington did a lot. Like get half the colonial army to quit day 1 when he ordered flogging for punishment, appointment of officers rather than elections from the ranks, and the blacks to leave. Also, getting all his hopeless cronies appointed to important positions instead of competent commanders. That takes work, man.

 

[Something Amyss]

Spoiled kids. When I was young, all we had was Oregon Trail, and we were just fine!

Don't fire till you see the green of their power buttons!

Finally, my XBox's RROD has a use!

 

[Guffe]

History needed to be more interesting than it is now? Boy do I sound like a nerd...

I don't think it needs to be made any more interesting either.

I don't know about America but in Finland 90% of the students love history.
I don't know if it's about the fact that USA is such a big country and has been involved in most things happening and therefor they only talk about the stuff they've been doing. But here our History since grade 3 (age 10) is about the world and only small portions about our own country so history here is REALLY wide.

 

[Redryhno]

I have two words for you all.


Oregon Trail.



Hell, I'm not even American and I still love that game and the history of the whole Manifest Destiny, westward-ho kinda thing. It sounds incredibly adventurous and, despite the dangers and the hardship, it is the kind of thing I would attempt were I alive at such a time.

Imagine it - travelling a looooong road, through barely known lands, past treacherous rivers and perilous mountain passes. At the end, the opportunity to stake a claim in a new world; to provide for your family and your descendants. To, essentially, establish a new country.

Don't forget murdering all the Natives and stealing their land.

Hey,hey, we never murdered anyone, they just refused to move and we exercised a more aggressive form of eminent domain.

 

[zombie711]

So.... End of the road, huh, Vansau? Your stuff's been good reading. Will we be seeing you somewhere else around the net?

Yeah, I'll still kick around the forums. I got a new job at Inside Social Games, so you can find me there on Monday. Thanks for the kind words!

WHaaaaaaa your leaving? since when?

 

[MasterOfHisOwnDomain]

Having been brought up on a diet of Civilization, Stronghold and Age of Empires, I can honestly say that my knowledge of history is much the better for gaming!

 

[Eiv]

Really think this teacher should publish the game. Wouldn't mind shootin' me some redcoats. Being Scottish, its my natural state of mind

 

[thisbymaster]

I would like to see a adventure like game where you can wonder around the whole thirteen colonies and talk to people. You have a job to do, somehow america lost the war for independence and you have to figure out how. You have been sent by Chrononouts to correct the historical time line. It should take to major historical events during the war and let you make changes to see how they would have worked out. It would encourage people to look up the answers else where and they force them to repeat them many times to complete the goal in the end. Hell you can put in the fetch quests and sell it as an MMO.

 

[kiwi_poo]

What? History isn't bor-

Oh, right. You guy only get American history.

Shame. It's very monotonous. Just war after war. And there's barely any of it.

Anyway, I suppose that could be an okay idea. As long as EA and the likes don't get their hands on it, that is.