Who Says Library Instruction Can't Be Fun? Using Games to Engage and Motivate Students
Abstract: Using traditional education models for information literacy instruction has failed miserably. Students who are taking credit courses in information literacy, as well as students who participate in one-shot bibliographic instruction sessions, “are begging [librarians] to make these sessions more interesting” (Doshi, 2006, p. 15). One way to make information literacy instruction more engaging is to incorporate games into the curriculum. This paper traces the development of game use in the classroom from its inception in early childhood education through its recent popularity in higher education. The benefits of digital and nondigital games are discussed, and examples of both are given. By providing tips for designing good digital games, the author hopes to encourage librarians to use their programming skills, or the programming skills of computer science colleagues, to develop information literacy games that address the needs of today’s learners.
Presider: G. Andrew Page, Dionysius Techonlogy, LLC