A school in Washington D.C. shut down in 1996 due to declining enrollment and on-campus violence has made a comeback. in 2002 the school re-opened and ever since that time administrators have had to think outside the box when it comes to education. The Mckinley Technology High School in Washington, D.C., has re-invented itself mostly by embracing a unique approach to its curriculum: video games and simulations.
Computer simulations have played a major role in education at this school. Teachers and administrators want to graduate creators, not consumers:
"We want our students not to be consumers of simulation technology but designers of simulation technology," said Daniel Gohl, the school's former principal. "By bringing the students and technologies together we are able to ensure that the kids see connections beyond just the standard written text or the math problem; to see why math feeds into video game design; how algebra, physics and geometry are part of what must be considered when trying to design an engaging and interactive experience."
Students gobble up the class material too:
"Just the energy at McKinley is so different. It makes you want to learn. They teach us programming and animation and 3-D modeling and things like that and it's really exciting," said student Ciarra Belle.
A school that encourages creating and playing games can work according to administrators. It also teaches the importance of literacy, mathematics and science, which are important to the future success of students who want to compete in a workforce that is global.
Source: WFMY News 2
