Skills that Skyrim can Enhance for Education

"MOM! I told you all those hours of video games would pay off!" 

  **SPOILER ALERT**

    In case you haven't played the video game Skyrim, there are dragons. Lots of them. I tried hard to think of some metaphor of teachers or students being the dragons or the player, but I couldn't find a connection that was applicable to schooling. I digress.

    Here are some thoughts I have as to how this particular video game illustrates various components of teaching: "Skills that Skyrim can Enhance for Education". Before I get into the individual stitches that weave gaming and teaching, I'd like to give a brief summary of why I thought this game would be an interesting model for teaching with technology.  Skyrim is a role playing game (RPG) whose story is largely dictated by the choice of the player.  Where those decisions lead, what consequences there are to those decisions, and the overall value of having choice will be discussed. A wide range of problem solving skills are needed to overcome the endless obstacles that make the game rather complex and challenging. Finally, I will touch on the collaboration present in the game and how the concepts involved can be related to everyday life for teachers and students.

Choice

•  You can choose to follow the main quest line or do "miscellaneous" missions

I feel this is comparable to a teacher's choice to follow the administered curriculum or to take our own path. The great thing about this game, and education, is that you can do a little of both.  

• Often, you have choices of what to say to an individual and also a list of available responses 

As clear as it may be, I'd like to point out the thought process, or lack thereof, behind the hundreds of decisions we make everyday.  Many of the choices we make throughout the day are a result of habit or a response to external stimuli. The choice feature of the game causes the player to think about what each decision means and the subsequent effects as they pertain to the player themselves and the community around them. 

• Consequences of choice - reward, fine, jail time, popularity, etc.

With every action in this game comes a subsequent reaction (minor in biology). If you choose to break the law- you will be sent to jail or pay a fine depending on the severity. If you choose not to do your homework or disrupt the class, there will be penalties enforced by the teacher/administration.  Much like receiving praise for completing a task or helping a fellow student, Skyrim allows the player to gain popularity within the community if (s)he chooses to act on the interest of bettering society. These ideas will be developed much further in future posts.

Problem Solving
   Should you choose to tackle the primary story, there are challenges that must be overcome if you wish to advance in the game. While the challenges in the game are different than those found in the classroom, the principle remains the same. For example, there are a plethora of puzzles placed perfectly that--if mastered and unlocked--provide paths to pursue the ultimate goal of the main quest. By working through these difficult tasks, several skills are exercised:

• Perception

Often times a problem in life will require a view from a different perspective in order to find a solution. Certain puzzles in the game demand the player look at the pieces from multiple angles if (s)he hopes to figure out the problem

• Confidence/Motivation

Upon solving a complicated puzzle, the player is instantly reward (the opening of a gate or door, for example).  This provides the player with confidence to begin the next puzzle with a sense of "I can do this, I've done it before".  However, the next problem may require a different approach. Having completed a similar task, the player is motivated to try a different strategy and search for a new answer. This mindset is extremely useful in facing new material presented by the instructor.

• Perseverance

More often than not, the first attempt to solve the riddle is met with failure. This procedure is no doubt consistent with many experiences in school.  Rethinking our approach to any problem, in the video game world and in our own reality, is an essential practice when trying to break down something we don't understand right away. Continuing to use all of our resources and knowledge is vital to success in both the aforementioned realms. 

Collaboration

• Among the many choices available throughout Skyrim is a choice to join a guild or group

Teaming up with a group of people can have many advantages, but also some drawbacks as well. In Skyrim, for instance, joining the "College of Winterhold" allows the player to learn certain skills, otherwise unavailable, by asking a fellow member to teach them. However, this may also make it less likely to be accepted by other competing guild or groups. In education, sharing ideas with your fellow teachers and collaborating with the administration is a way to increase effectiveness and improve quality of instruction. Unfortunately, there are instances in districts and school where attempts at collaboration are met with a closed mind rigidity. These circumstances force us to either persevere through the proverbial shell that can be our team of teachers or to choose our own pedagogy and "fly solo". 

    As I continue to develop connections between these two wildly disconnected ideas, I realize I am practicing an important trait in teaching: Thinking abstractly. Considering the potential shared characteristics of Skyrim and Education has uncovered a number of issues that I am anxious to dissect further.  This is not an attempt to advocate video games as a sole source for educational learning, but rather to point out the potential advantages technology can have for teachers and students. As is true for the art of teaching, this game cannot be mastered.  However, striving towards that ultimate goal provides an opportunity to learn how to think and to think how to learn. 

Mr. Wilson