1. Educational Games Research
Crystal Poston
EDIT 704
July 27, 2016

2. Three Types of Games: Parlor Games Role Playing Games Mind Games
Educational Gaming
Three Types of Games:
Parlor Games
Role Playing Games
Mind Games

3. Parlor Games
A game that is usually played indoors with a small group and requires little or no physical activity.
Called “Parlor Games” because they were originally played in the living room or parlor of a home.
Most popular of the types of games.
There are countless games to list and they can be very easily purchased, created, or made up, to teach a skill.
Various games can be adapted to teach other skills. For example, Around the World (multiplication, addition or subtraction).
Popular with educators to reinforce skills taught.

4. Popular Parlor Games
Apples to Apples – A funny game that reinforces nouns and adjectives. Players have to use adjectives to describe a person place or thing and the “judge” decides who described the best.

5. Popular Parlor Games Brain Quest – Players roll the die and answer
various questions. Many different choices of this
for various subject matter.

6. Popular Parlor Games
Educational Board Games – There are tons of these! A few common examples that everyone knows how to play are Scrabble, Memory and BINGO. Teachers make up millions of these per day or adapt them to enforce a skill!

7. Role Playing Games
Games that allow players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting.
Currently, the most popular form is online games.
Most students enjoy computer based games and find it motivational.
Many free and paid options.
Other forms include physically active games such as Charades or types of assimilation (drama).
Very useful in reinforcing content.

8. Popular Role Playing Games
PBS Kids – A free website that houses 100’s of educational games. Students can choose any character or game for their learning pleasure!

9. Popular Role Playing Games
Starfall – Another free website that houses 100’s of educational games. Students can choose any character or game for their learning pleasure!

10. Popular Role Playing Games
Prodigy – A free website that allows students to create an avatar and travel through many math lands. Students move through the land (levels) by completing the math problems correctly.

11. Mind Games
Mental exercises that are designed to improve the functioning of mind.
Online sources are currently the most popular.
Most online games offer free gaming or a free trial period.
These games are meant to enhance functioning of the brain.

12. Popular Mind Games
Learning Games for Kids – a website that offers many free games for students to practice skills such as memory, logic and coordination.

13. Popular Mind Games
Free Online Mind Games – a website that offers many free brain teasers and game for students to practice skills such as memory, logic and coordination.

14. Popular Mind Games
BrainBox – a set of games that allow students to test their memory of learned content.
Various subject matter,
grades and levels are available.

15. Benefits
Many games fit into more than one category discussed. Games such as Memory are considered to be Mind Games as well as Parlor Games.
Most classroom and educational gaming is moving toward online versions to motivate students into learning or reinforcing learning.
There are many free options available online. Hand held games can often be created or changed to accommodate needs in the classroom.

16. My Choices
In my classroom, I use all of the mentioned games. I have several different Symbaloo options for my students to access games in math, language arts and reading. PBS Kids, Starfall and Free Online Games seem to be a favorite among most students. I find these sites helpful to enforce skills already taught or to allow students to experiment with new skills. I find that students are motivated when allowed computer time. Also, this helps make them more comfortable with using the computer, which is helpful when it is time for mandated computerized testing or assignments that require computer use.

17. References http://fun.familyeducation.com/games/family-time/45718.html
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