Activity #2 


The majority of pupils play games at home, most frequently in their rooms. Pupils are more likely to play elsewhere in the house than older pupils. No more that 15% girls report playing at friend's house. Very few report playing games at school, with the only significant incidence 12 % of girl report playing.
Computer games are a more embeded part of boy's leisure culture than that of the girls. Boys are more likely to read computer games magazines and use them to inform their purchase of gsmes; also they favour games that are associated with their other interests especially sport. Boys view game playing as a first choise activity, whereas girls are likely to play when they are bored or have nothing better to do. The teacher need to know what things like a their students inside the classroom. The game which pupils prefer and which keep their attention are those which offer an appropriate level of challenge, and multiple levels so that they can make progress. Generally, althouh arcade style game are common, adventure and race game are also popular.
Parent's views of the subject knowledge that computer games might support provided the following results. Almost half of  parents questioned believe that computer game have helped with maths in some way, a third that computer contribute to spelling  and almost a quater that reading  is enchanced by the use of the computer. 10% of parents see computer literacy as knowledge learnt and  12% of the parents identified logical thinking as a valurd outcome. Science, history and geography were mentioned by  at leat.
The greates obstacle to integrating games use into the curriculum is the mismatch between the skills and knowledge developed in games, and those recognised explicitly within the school system. Throughuot the teacher evaluation reports there are comments following an often long list of hightly desirable skill sets developed through playing the game, to the effect that thereis not time for these gamesin school as they do not match curiculum  requirements. It seems that final obstacle to games use in schools is a mis-match between games content and curriculum content.and the lack of opportunity to gain recognition for skill development.