Technology and Social Studies: “Living through” History with Muzzy Lane

     While I can’t remember the last time I have played a video game, it is something that has always been present to some extent in my household, from the Intellivision which was first released in the 1970’s (and surprisingly still works) to the PlayStation 3.  While I don’t think it is a good idea to let this be the primary activity in a child’s life (potentially leading to problems like obesity) in moderation I think that video games are not detrimental to a child, and can, in some ways, be quite helpful.  It is here where the idea of bringing video games into the classroom is discussed.  

     Some may immediately shoot down this idea of using video games in a school setting, but upon further investigation, it has proven that it can be a useful tool.  The most prominent example has been the PC game Making History: The Calm & the Storm, developed and published by a studio named Muzzy Lane Software.  Players are able to play as any nation that had some sort of international recognition in the World War II era, and they are expected to “manage” the country, via economics, politics, and combat.  The game was marketed as one that could provide benefits in educating those who play it, and this helped lead to its being a part of the World War II curriculum in over 150 schools, according to a Newsweek article published in 2007 (http://www.newsweek.com/why-wwii-videogames-are-hot-94465).  This is very interesting to note, as many may not believe that something like video games can help a student in any way other than to distract them from the lesson at hand.  It is clear that more and more teachers are seeing the potential benefits.

     While obviously not every game can help a student learn, there are some out there that can, and if properly implemented can be a help in a classroom setting.