Planet+Connect+Computer+Games+Review+(MB)



Matai Blacklock
 * __ Planet Connect Computer Games Review __**

The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) developed the Planet Connect GameStation catalogue part of their Planet Earth program, a component to Classroom Earth. The NEEF’s goal is to educate Americans with “knowledge to live by”. They aim to inform the public about the many environmental problems that exist in an attempt to make them alter their individual habits and live a more environmentally conscious life. The NEEF wants to educate the public about environmental issues. This varies on a wide range focusing heavily on preventing global climate change and the disruption of the environmental habitat. The NEEF believes that teaching environmental sustainability will ultimately benefit the community as a whole. The curriculum module aims to teach lessons of environmental sustainability by providing a list of games which promote environmental activism, education and protection. One of the main themes throughout the games is to teach basic problem solving skills which can be applied to environmental sustainability topics such as global warming or habitat protection. The games are well suited for certain age groups depending on the sophistication of the game. My estimated age level ratings vary from 6 to 13 years old. The viability of the curriculum depends on the interest level of the children. I believe that for them to be effective the children playing the games must have a previous investment in the topics. Children will not play the games due solely to their entertainment value because the market for more entertaining but less educational games is enormous. Perhaps if some of the games or similar ones were incorporated into a school based lesson plan, similar to how The Oregon Trail game was implemented into the lesson plan for the settlement of The Western US, they would be more effective at conveying the learning outcomes of the organization. This curriculum is designed to teach environmental sustainability so therefore it does follow the literacies that the EcoEd Research Group is trying to advocate. A common game theme is where the user must create a civilization and identify problems such as pollution and habitat destruction and then choose a solution to this problem. This type of critical thinking where the individual is made to not only acknowledges a problem but also prompted to try and fix the problem is (or should be) the underlying goal of any environmental education program. The games being aimed for a younger age group and also trying to remain as entertaining as possible do not go as in depth as other curriculum do, but could serve as an excellent accessory to a more detailed and informative curriculum.

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