This text is part of the special booklet Private schools
The school, until then a closed sanctuary, is opening more and more to video games within courses which are entirely devoted to it. The Marie-Reine-du-Clergé seminary, based in Métabetchouan – Lac-à-la-Croix, in the MRC of Lac-Saint-Jean-Est, is one of the first establishments in Quebec to offer courses ine-gaming at His students.
“Video games are an integral part of teenage life. Rather than ignoring it, we have chosen to integrate it into our learning ”, explains Tania Larouche, director of educational services at the school. “Tuesday afternoon is devoted to various activities, such as music or sport. Since last year, video games have been on this list for two hours a week. It is an element of motivation for several students who were passionate about it. They are now playing together under the aegis of a teacher.E-Sports specially trained for this. This breaks down the isolation of students and helps to detect and combat cyber addiction. “
Since the appearance of the game Pong in 1972, video games became a culture in its own right. The global turnover of this sector in 2021 exceeds that of cinema and music combined. This shows whether society has fully integrated this new leisure activity. Quite naturally, it is the successive younger generations who are the first to be affected by this mass medium.
The video games discovered during classes at the seminar are offered by the Electronic League of Quebec. Students play strategy games during supervised training. Violent games or games that do not provide any educational added value are not allowed. Plus, gamers aren’t just there to play. The establishment instills in them important knowledge, such as having a healthy lifestyle, eating well, not playing too long.
Not just a hobby
“There is really an educational goal with the opening of this class. Students are taught to solve problems together in groups, they are taught to lose. In addition, various mathematical skills and a better mastery of technology are required to progress. Students are graded for their active participation and how they deal with problems. It is really a complete subject, and not just a leisure activity for young people, as is often perceived ”, continues Mme Larouche. Moreover, the competitions ofE-Sports are real sports competitions watched by millions of players. The Saguenay-Jeannoise school hopes to see many of their students participate in the future.
Learning video games can also complement the understanding of other subjects, such as mathematics or history. The different versions of the game Assassin’s Creed, developed by the Montreal studios of Ubisoft, are very faithful to historical reality, and ultra-realistic.
Alexandre Chenette, teacher and educational advisor at the RECIT national service in the field of personal development, is the first to be convinced of this. “I’ve been using these games for three or four years now. We were dealing with ancient Egypt and the Roman world in class, and the video game came in support of the classic program. There needs to be a pedagogical intention behind that and a debriefing with the students, compulsory after each lesson. Students’ critical thinking about video games is reinforced. In addition, there is a questioning with the classic program, to know what conforms to reality, if the video game is really realistic. Students’ curiosity is encouraged and this prompts them to open books and learn more. “
This additional tool allows students to be interested in subjects to which they do not necessarily adhere. Teachers who are still reluctant to use video games are increasingly opening up to this tool, which strengthens the bond between teacher and student. The collaborative aspect of video games also allows for better solidarity within the class.
” In Minecraft, which is a very popular free construction game in Quebec, the students help each other and participate together in the construction of cities. The collaborative and creative aspects are exacerbated. They have a feeling of belonging to the same universe, and that motivates them. Those who fail at school are drawn to the top, and solidarity is strong. We have to give them success to make them want to continue, ”concludes Mr. Chenette.
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