A piece [1] in today’s New York Times begins with a question countless parents and teachers have asked before. Why would a teen who shows so little interest in learning at school spend hours upon hours mastering the arcane rules and made-up knowledge of game like Call of Duty?
One answer might be dopamine, "a chemical 'which helps orient our attention and enhances the making of connections between neurons, which is the physical basis for learning.'" Some scientists argue that games can boost the brain's production of dopamine.
This is not to argue that we should make Call of Duty or World of Warcraft the bedrock of our school curriculum. Yet a growing--and very diverse--group of people believe that we have much to learn from these and other games.
The list of groups getting involved in gaming and education includes The Institute of Play [2], GameDesk [3], e-Line Ventures [4] and the AMD Foundation [5], among many others. (Even Justice Sandra Day O'Connor has thrown her hat into the ring [6].)
The idea still strikes many as odd. Many exasperated parents and teachers see games as time wasters and distractions from the serious business of learning.
It may be tough to overcome their resistance at first, but the vision of a teen spending hours at a game console, computer, smart phone (or whatever) trying to master cell algebra or cell biology might just be a game-changer.
Disclosure: AMD and e-Line Ventures are members of Change the Equation.