Abstract:

Computer video games have become highly interesting to educators and researchers since their sophistication has improved considerably over the last decade. Studies indicate that even simple video games are offering important educational benefits in classrooms with bilingual students from different countries. However, a need for identifying truly useful game for educational purposes exists. This article begins with an examination of lower level learning in so-called edutainment products and concludes with an example of how teachers can use computer games and video based activities as an advanced way to improve and enrich the existing curriculum. On the other hand, as a teacher, it is important to be aware of such technology and to know that these instruments can all be used in the classroom in some way. Can games based learning helps in eliminating racism problems, assisting the acceptance in small communities of the new immigrants, and can assist the gifted and talented students in their future plans? This essay identifies characteristics of highly cognitive virtual interactive environments and offers a detailed index and scoring rubric as a tool for teachers and preserves teachers to use when evaluating the tendencies a video game demonstrates toward encouraging higher order thinking in its participants. Computers have been used in the classroom for years but now it has become so advanced that it allows teachers and students to use the computers in a more efficient way. Computer games have been developed for everything and anything, including topics such as typing, reading, math, science, foreign language training, etc. Research has been done to examine whether or not these games are useful to children. It appears that children are growing up in a technological world and that these games are useful to them because it is something familiar.

Keywords:

Bilingual students, intercultural didactic, computers, immigrants, virtual classrooms, anti-bias curriculum, mobile devices.