It is heartening that teachers appear more enthusiastic than teenagers about playing computer games in lessons (page 1). Not only does it suggest that today’s teachers are open-minded - and ready to take on all challengers at Tetris - it also shows the debate about the educational potential of games has moved on. No longer is it a simplistic row between technology evangelists who see “edutainment” as a panacea for all schools’
ills and Luddites who dismiss video games as pointless and brain-rotting.
So why are teenagers less keen to swap pens for joysticks? Maybe they worry that schools would take the fun out of them. More likely, they see upcoming exams as a greater priority. And pupils already play a game where they have to bump up their scores, do repetitive activities and finish off nasties to move up to the next level: it’s called the national curriculum.
