A number of questions come up when discussing the idea of incorporating video games into library instruction.

1. How much time should I set aside for introducing the video game in a lesson?

In the elementary school library I try to set aside 20-30 minutes when introducing a new game. A portion of that time is spent explaining the objective of the game as well as describing its controls or navigation. The remainder of the time is reserved for students to have independent hands-on time with the game outside of its instructional use in the context of my lesson. I find that students need time to be able to play and explore before being asked to use a given tool to perform a task. I can confidently move foreward in my instruction once students have had the chance to move beyond the newness of the game. This hands-on time with the game also sets them up for success when it’s time for me to explain how the tool will be used in our instruction in order to build new understandings or work toward skill mastery.

2. Do you have a list of general curriculum standards you refer to when developing games-based lessons?

I teach in Maryland and our state follows the Common Core State Standards (http://www.corestandards.org/). I consult these standards frequently, not only to ensure I am aligning with the standards when planning instruction, but also so that I can easily communicate the connections between our library instruction and the learning happening throughout the school building.

3. Where can I find information about games with suitable content for a school setting?

The website of the Entertainment Software Ratings Board, or ESRB, allows you to search for games based on platform and rating to generate a list of reviewed games appropriate for your learners. The site (http://www.esrb.org/) only provides ratings, however, so I suggest visiting a video game review website such as IGN (http://www.ign.com/) in order to read a review of the game and get a better sense of the game play. Unfortunately, these sites do not include ratings for most of the games available to play online or on a tablet or wireless device. However, one exceptional site I’ve referenced time and again for outstanding video game content focused on educating as well as entertaining is Games For Change (http://www.gamesforchange.org/). From the site, “Founded in 2004, Games for Change facilitates the creation and distribution of social impact games that serve as critical tools in humanitarian and educational efforts.”

4. How much video game experience do I need to have before playing games with my students?

Like any technology tool used in the classroom, you should have a basic knowledge of the game, how it’s played, and how the player succeeds prior to using the game with students. You need not be an expert, but you should have a thorough understanding of the game. Doing so will not only allow you to better support the students, it will also make your use of the game more intentional and allow you to offer better support to the students while they play and explore the game.

5. How much experience should the students have with a game prior to me using it in an instructional context?

Students need not have any experience with the game prior to using it in an instructional context. However, providing some unstructured time for students to play and explore the game prior to your instruction is usually beneficial to both retaining the focus of the students and establishing a connection between the game and the content on which your lesson is focused.

6. What if a parent challenges me on why his/her child was playing games in class?

I do my best to be as transparent as possible with all stakeholders who enter our library. I invite parents, teachers, and administration to visit our library lessons whenever we’re doing something particularly unique or engaging because I want them to share in the excitement we (the students and I) have for our learning process. I also use the experience to demonstrate that learning can take many different shapes. We hold game nights throughout the school year to foster conversations with parents on how video games can be used in the home setting as well to support learning and academic skills. I also share our lesson resources regularly through our library blog, giving students the opportunity to continue using the tools we explored in the library from home, but also allowing parents a window into our program. If a parent challenges me on why his or her child was playing video games during instructional time, I need only communicate with them how we were using the games as a tool for engagement and for building toward skill mastery. I then use such opportunities to invite parents into the conversation over video games in the classroom. In doing so, I emphasize that I am on their side in supporting the academic growth of the child, and that I’m also on the side of their child in exploring content in new and engaging ways.

7. Should I ask my administrator for permission before bringing in a home video game console for use in the school library?

I have always been a fan of the adage, “It’s easier to ask for forgiveness than it is for permission.” Often the ideas I have for lessons require students to consider technology in unconventional ways, providing opportunity to see every technology tool as a learning tool. This happens to be a quality my administrator supports a great deal. If you, however, do not feel like you could proceed with incorporating video games into your instruction without first having the support or approval of your administrator, but all means do what you feel will help you be the most successful. There are many different paths in how one can incorporate video games into a library program, some of which may be better suited for your particular school culture or student community than others.

8. Video games are typically played by 1-2 players at a time. What do the rest of the students do while the game is being played?

This is a concern that comes up over and over. Engagement is such a vital tool in the classroom and playing a video game is certainly engaging, but what happens when one or two students are playing a game in front of a class of students? The answers is that the class spectates and is often just as engaged as the students playing the game itself. Watching someone play a video is in no small way watching a performance. The audience is both captivated by the performance and placing themselves in the performance itself to consider how he or she would perform under similar circumstances. When I am using a console-based game in a class, the students at their tables are tasked with recording important information including points earned, elapsed time, and notes on the players performance. This information is then used directly in our instruction. The data the students generate by playing the games allow us to use numbers that hold context and significance to the students in this class. In a math lesson, for example, the numbers being compared are not abstract. Rather, they were generated during the same class period by members of the class. This is all a long way to say that all students are actively participating in the lesson regardless of whether or not they are actually playing the video game first hand.

9. My budget or district doesn’t allow for me to purchase video games for my library. Are there any other options? Lots of options are available for those who cannot afford to purchase their own console. Consider requesting funding from the Parent Teacher Association or ask if anyone in the school community would be willing to donate a console their family is no longer using. You can also use crowd funding sites such as Donors Choose (http://www.donorschoose.org/) to raise the necessary funds to purchase the consoles and equipment needed. When in doubt, explain your cause and ask the community for support.