ERIC Number: EJ1120229
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016
Pages: 6
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1085-3545
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Going beyond the Games with iCivics. A Response to "The Challenges of Gaming for Democratic Education: The Case of iCivics"
Blevins, Brooke; LeCompte, Karon N.
Democracy & Education, v24 n2 Article 9 2016
Stoddard, Banks, Nemacheck, and Wenska suggested that there is a tension between the goal of the iCivics games and the goals of democratic education. In this response, we suggest that iCivics can be utilized to help meet the goals of democratic education and to encourage our nation's youth to become active civic participants if used alongside other instructional practices, such as Action Civics. We offer three important reasons for the use of iCivics as a tool for democratic education and engagement. Firstly, we describe the affordances of several other iCivics games not explored in Stoddard's study as well as other elements of the iCivics program including lesson plans, impact points, and discussion boards. Secondly, we suggest that iCivics games should not be a stand-alone curriculum and describe ways to extend the iCivics games to inspire students to consider issues in their community and engage them in action civics. Thirdly, we describe the need for high quality professional development which is central in using iCivics games as part of a comprehensive civics curriculum. Our response extends the findings of Stoddard et al.'s study by suggesting ways educators can go beyond the games to utilize iCivics as a tool for democratic education.
Descriptors: Democratic Values, Educational Games, Civics, Citizen Participation, Computer Games, Simulated Environment, Educational Technology, Technology Uses in Education, Experiential Learning, Teacher Role, Faculty Development
Lewis & Clark Graduate School of Education and Counseling. 0615 SW Palatine Hill Road MSC 93, Portland, OR 97219. Tel: 503-768-6054; Fax: 503-768-6053; e-mail: journal@lclark.edu; Web site: http://democracyeducationjournal.org/home
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Opinion Papers; Reports - Descriptive
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Language: English
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