Grand Theft Auto in the classroom? It’s a controversial idea, but a Canadian professor and author has made a compelling argument to teach kids the value of video games, and to study them as ‘harbingers of the future.’
Digital Journal — “Video games can provide teachers with an effective instructional ‘hook’ since so many students are gamers in their out-of-school lives.” So begins an interview with David Hutchison, a professor at Brock University in Ontario and the author of the book Playing to Learn: Video Games In The Classroom. Posted on a blog run by new media expert Henry Jenkins, the interview highlights Hutchison’s belief that teachers should engage students with video games — even violent ones like Bully and Grand Theft Auto.
Hutchison’s recent book includes more than 100 activities using video games in the classroom. He doesn’t shy away from GTA in one chapter, telling Jenkins:
The GTA activity I chose asks students with creating their own kid-friendly open-world game that doesn’t include all the adult content we normally associate with games in this franchise.
Instead of extolling the criminal aspects of GTA, Hutchison aims to teach kids about open worlds with his gaming activities. Also, part of the book’s conceit focuses on raising awareness about the controversy surrounding some of the more hyped games. He elaborates:
Since many students are gamers when out-of-school, it makes sense that turning a critical eye toward video games and especially social, medical, and legal commentaries on video games are appropriate topics for study in schools.
Integrating video games into education is a long way off from the preliminary Oregon Trail-type headstart. As Hutchison explains, hooking students into cultural or historical affairs with games is a smart strategy: kids are already gaming for hours each night, so why not bring that experience into the classroom? The average parent might see only gore and burglary in GTA, but a flexible teacher will see an opportunity to teach kids about the legal consequences of criminal activity. Or the value of manipulating an online environment to suit the needs of the user.
Video games are increasingly woven into a child’s life, so it would be close-minded to ignore the impact they have on the youth lifestyle. It’s about time the public education system adapted to the 21st-century, shook off its paranoia and brought video games into the classroom. Even games like Grand Theft Auto.
