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Educational Advancements Through Video Games

(Lucas A. Guerra, 1999)

This report intends to inspire thought for teachers concerned about the current lack of initiative exhibited by today's students. Upon yielding that video games could represent a main factor concerning this epidemic, this report hopes to show that the video games can also lead to a cure. Rather than attempting to eradicate this menace to education, outlines have been created to turn the video game beast into a blessing. Through the use of statistical analysis, this report shows creative ways that teachers can take back the study time stolen by video games. By isolating different factors that affect the outcomes of video games, variables can be created for use in statistical experiments. Two concrete examples show the application of this concept. Each combats a different set of problems, but each accomplishes the same goals. In order to complete these experiments, an understanding of the methods used is necessary. By exhibiting these skills, the student has unknowingly shown the teacher that the statistical concepts have been learned and can be applied to ``real world" situations. Many conclusions and speculations are drawn from this procedure. Conclusions are made about what individual factors within a video game change the output, or score, of a game. Brief analysis shows that this information could feasibly be applied to linear programming models. Final conclusions lead to the speculation that this creative approach to subjects of analysis could reach students that may have difficulty learning statistical concepts. Performing this analysis has affected my study habits and learning curve in a positive way by allowing me to bridge the gap between ``boring" subjects and fun games. By knowing what difficulties I used to encounter, an extension would speculate that this approach could help many students and teachers advance and enhance the educational capabilities of the current school system.


next up previous contents
Next: Caledonia Natural Gas Storage Up: Selected Senior Design Project Previous: Composting Feasibility Study for

Richard S. Barr
Fri Feb 17 16:09:51 CST 2006