| The PC is one of the most important tools a child | | | | games input is directed through the specially |
| can learn in their primary years. While console | | | | designed hand-held controller, in educational PC |
| games teach hand eye coordination and problem | | | | games the child has to use a keyboard and |
| solving skills educational pc games teach both | | | | mouse to respond to requests for information |
| these skills as well as keyboard recognition and | | | | from the software. |
| mouse control both essential skills for 90% of | | | | This word-based focus develops not only hand |
| employable professions. | | | | eye coordination but also larger literacy and |
| In educational PC games the emphasis is on | | | | grammatical based skills. Console games are great |
| supporting the child to learn a particular curriculum | | | | for hand eye co-ordination but not so for |
| based subject or, more often, a range of skills | | | | challenging and expanding the ability to |
| applicable to the child's age and grade level. | | | | communicate broader linguistic skills. |
| Learning is undertaken via visual and audio cues | | | | The console gaming industry is changing rapidly. |
| including animation, video, music and audio | | | | Revolutionary consoles such as Nintendo's Wii |
| narration. These elements work together in a well | | | | system have transformed the way people |
| researched and developed game to produce an | | | | interact with computers, becoming more |
| engaging environment for the child to learn in. | | | | interactive and dynamic than ever before. |
| They "want" to play the game because it is so | | | | Nevertheless the basic skills of typing, keyboard |
| much "fun", all the while their interaction with the | | | | recognition and mouse manipulation remain the |
| program is developing brain muscles that challenge | | | | predominant way we communicate complex ideas |
| in an entertaining way. | | | | to one another. |
| Educational PC games differ from console games | | | | Children who are comfortable in that environment |
| in that they generally require the child to respond | | | | are bound to succeed in whatever future |
| to requests for information by using either the | | | | evolutionary direction humans and their computers |
| mouse or the keyboard. Where in console based | | | | take. |