Fun and Educational, In the Same Sentence!

It is no secret that my favorite game is Sims.  I love to make people, dress them up, ruin their lives, drown them in the pool... Needless to say, it is a world where I can do whatever I want without experiencing real-world consequences.  That being said, Sims is not without its drawbacks.  My biggest problem with Sims is that I get addicted to it so easily; throwing my social and academic calendars out the window to pick the perfect wallpaper for my virtual victorian-style home.  Today, I unearthed some information that could placate my addictive tendencies.  There is a new version of SimCity that is to be utilized as a learning tool. That's right.  It is an educational Sims game, called SimCityEDU.  I could play Sims, and learn at the same time, which makes me feel far more productive. Basically, teachers can upload lesson plans, and encourage students to play along with them.  Players are asked to build virtual cities, around which lessons in business, economy, geography, and other subjects are centered.  Produced by EA in coordination with GlassLab, SimCityEDU is specifically geared toward students studying in the STEM format, meaning science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.  GlassLab is a nonprofit organization dedicated to merging electronic and education companies for the edifaction of modern learning.  What I love about this idea is that it directly relates to the students of the millennial generation.  We primarily  understand and learn through technology, yet so often we are taught through old media vehicles.  By placing education in the context of gaming, I would argue that a student would be far more receptive to educative materials.  Students would not only learn better because their attention is more engaged, but learn more through the interactivity associated with human-computer technologies.  I really hope these methods can continue to be developed, especially for the sake of younger generations.  Play on Sim lovers!