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| Kumiko |
 Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 9:11 pm |
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Joined: 07 Apr 2008
Posts: 159
Location: The Endless Forest
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College@Home, an online college site, created a list of 25 educational games that teachers should actually consider having in their class homes. The site itself goes into more detail about why the games can be used for education purposes but I'll just post the list to save some space on the forum.
History
1. Civilization III
2. Revolution
3. Age of Empires III
4. Oregon Trail
5. Pirate Raider
6. Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego?
7. Pharaoh
8. Making History
9. Nacy Drew: Message in Haunted Mansion
Science and Logic
10. Return of the Incredible Machine Contraptions
11. Bioscopia
12. Chemicus
13. Zoombinis Logical Journey
14. Sore
15. Roller Coaster Tycoon 3
Mythology
16. Age of Mythology
17. Dark Age of Camelot
Fitness
18. Dance Dance Revolution
Business and Law
19. Railroad Tycoon II
20. Trade Empires
21. Law and Order
Community and Personal Skills
22. Sim City 4
23. Sims 2
24. Whyville
25. Quest Atlantis
Source: College@Home
Back in like first or second grade, my school actually had Oregon Trail. It was one of the most popular games and it was the highlight of the week to get to play it. Then in seventh grade, we use to have like an hour of free time in the computer lab twice a week. My friend brought in Age of Empires III and installed it to a couple of the computers; so for about two weeks, that's what myself and a group of my friends would play. Then one day, a teacher found out and had the game banned from the school because it was "too violent", but who's laughing now, teacher?! We were learning!
I always thought it would be fun to play like Bioshock in English class and point out the references from Ayn Rand and George Orwell in it and use the game as an interactive way to talk about dystopian and utopian societies. Or even use Half-life.
I'm a bit surprised to see that WiiFit wasn't on the list, but that's one I would use in a PE class as an alternative. I know it's probably not as health has playing a sport, but I also know that some kids just don't like some sports and don't want to play them. (That's how I was.)
Oh and there's plenty of games that could be used for psychology. It maybe a stretch, but you could use Psychonauts as a way to explore how people are when they feel like an 'outcast' or use Indigo Prophecy to talk about things like stress, depression, paranoia, and phobias. |
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| Scape |
| Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 10:37 pm |
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Joined: 15 Feb 2008
Posts: 4154
Location: Sleeping Amongst the Dragonflies
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 My elementary school had Oregon Trail! And then we got Oregon Trail 3rd edition awhile back and I watched my sister play it all the time. 
We still have Where in Time is Carmen San Diego, too, but it refuses to work on this computer.  |
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| Verdalas |
| Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 11:10 pm |
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Joined: 27 Feb 2007
Posts: 3627
Location: When the time is right, you'll know..
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| My mother thought that schools should have the Open for Business expansion in Sims 2 for business classes. I agree with her- running your own business is harder than it looks. xx; |
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| Wildbluesun |
| Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 11:43 pm |
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Joined: 12 Dec 2006
Posts: 4266
Location: London, Land of Tea and Top Hats
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I had The Amazon Trail (by the same people that made The Oregon Trail) and played through it like fifty million times when I was younger. But it doesn't work on XP, so before we upgraded to XP I had to play it through again...that was my farewell to XP. I still miss that game. It was an amazing game. I didn't even notice that I was learning about...stuff, I was just enjoying trying to spot cashew nuts. ^^
That's what an educational game should be, to me. A game that doesn't "make learning fun", but makes fun learning. |
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| Scape |
| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 12:26 am |
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Joined: 15 Feb 2008
Posts: 4154
Location: Sleeping Amongst the Dragonflies
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| We Amazon Trail, too. But again, I'd just watch my sister play it. We once left it running for 20 minutes on its own cuz the going down the river thing was getting tedious and boring. ^^; |
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| Wildbluesun |
| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 1:00 am |
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Joined: 12 Dec 2006
Posts: 4266
Location: London, Land of Tea and Top Hats
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Yes, that did get dull, did it?
But then you could go and catch fish, and that was cool. ^^ And deliberately steer near the rocks and things to test your expertise. |
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| Bellamy |
| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 1:12 am |
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Joined: 20 Jun 2007
Posts: 2314
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I love Amazon Trail. I wish I could find the CD-- I feel like playing it again. XD
It was fun to go off the main river and into the smaller tributaries. HOSTILE TRIBES WOAMG |
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| Scape |
| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 1:18 am |
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Joined: 15 Feb 2008
Posts: 4154
Location: Sleeping Amongst the Dragonflies
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| Fish the size of a bus, OMG. |
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| Wildbluesun |
| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 1:42 am |
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Joined: 12 Dec 2006
Posts: 4266
Location: London, Land of Tea and Top Hats
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I LOVED THOSE BIG FISH.
But I always played too well to go up tributaries. =(
That guy who took all your stuff and wouldn't let you switch out of the trading screen always scared me, though. |
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| Bellamy |
| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 2:18 am |
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Joined: 20 Jun 2007
Posts: 2314
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PIRARUCU FISH FTW.
Though, do they really grow to the size of a bus? I read they usually grow up around 2-3 meters / 10 feet. Or are we talking about the catfish? XD
Ooh and I have a picture of pirarucu scales on mah DA 8D http://rainfeather.deviantart.com/art/shimmer-88504689 |
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| Wildbluesun |
| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 2:51 am |
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Joined: 12 Dec 2006
Posts: 4266
Location: London, Land of Tea and Top Hats
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I SAW THAT.
And was all "I ATE THAT IN A CANOE ON THE AMAZON RIVER".
...But I didn't comment because I stink. =( |
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| Scape |
| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 4:48 am |
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Joined: 15 Feb 2008
Posts: 4154
Location: Sleeping Amongst the Dragonflies
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"Good, I'll take that, too."
...evil. X[ Hated that guy. Which is why my sister played a new game and when she got to him, went against the jaguar's suggestion of trying to trade. Screw you, jaguar. Your judgment sucks. |
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| Sedna |
| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 5:13 am |
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Joined: 07 Jun 2008
Posts: 11
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| Taijitu |
| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 5:47 pm |
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Joined: 25 May 2008
Posts: 167
Location: I am the thread bumper, hear me roar!
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Quote: Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego?
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO |
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| Kaicow |
| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 7:54 pm |
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Joined: 22 Oct 2007
Posts: 1417
Location: Florida
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