A Proposal for Accelerating the Implementation and Development of Video Games in Education

During the International Society for Technology in Education's (ISTE) 2005 National Educational Computing Conference (NECC), a group of educators began the process of forming a new ISTE Special Interest Group (SIG) on games and simulations. At the group's first meeting, over 100 participants shared their thoughts on games and simulations in education. The group then met online over the next several months and created a mission that encompassed the development and educational use of digital games and simulations with an emphasis on credible research supporting their value in the classroom. As part of their initial planning, the SIG founders discussed problems facing key stakeholders—parents, school administrators, and legislators—on implementing video games in the classroom. Consequently, some members of the proposed SIG recommended the creation of an open, online community of educators and game developers who would collaboratively explore the instructional benefits of video games. This article explores the current issues surrounding the limited use of video games in the classroom and outlines the anticipated online solution.