Use of games dates back to the antiquity. The oldest board game was found in China – it dates back to 3000 BC (Faria, Nulsen, 1996). Some ethnographers are convinced that it was education that was the reason for creating many games. Their task was to reproduce natural living conditions of humans, share knowledge with the next generation and prepare them for proper functioning in the society. A good example may be chess, which was used as a typical simulation game 2000 years ago. Its aim was to prepare soldiers to do battles (Surdyk, 2008).
Different kinds of educational games have different effects. Competitive games, such as chess, poker puzzle games, can develop students’ intelligence and take the student's reaction ability to exercise. The role games and simulation games which have realistic images and complex circumstance more like movies, can make the students gain interactive experience, avoid their delight losing in a boring classroom, and help them to seek the fun of learning. Educational games have a positive effect on students’ intelligence development. Then, we analyze the effect of educational games for students’ logicmathematics intelligence development.
BENEFITS OF INTELLIGENCE GAMES
IMPROVES ATTENTION AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT.
DEVELOPS MEMORY.
IMPROVES PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS
BENEFITS OF USING GAME-BASED TEACHING/LEARNING
Collaborative Learning:
Central to the notion of Game-based Learning, as in constructivist learning, is the notion that students working together, sharing and clarifying ideas and opinions develop communication skills and learn from one another. Working collaboratively enables students to work on their strengths, develop critical thinking skills and creativity, validate their ideas and appreciate a range of individual learning styles, skills, preferences and perspectives.
Situation Cognition:
Learners’ understanding is developed by interaction with their environment. They are formed by a combination of content, context activity and goals and are individually constructed.
Cognitive puzzlement:
Cognitive puzzlement is the stimulus for learning and determines the organization or nature of what is learnt.
Social Interaction
The social environment is critical to the development of understanding. The social nature of games is the foundation for social interaction which often involves negotiation. Interaction is intrinsic to success. Game-based Learning is a part of a larger learning process and should be considered in terms of the other activities and reflection that surround the game and the social component of playing the game and not as a stand-alone activity.
Experiential Learning
Games, like some that involve the Visual and Performing Arts, promote experimental learning – learning through doing/experiencing. The constructivist perspective also puts forward the idea that students learn better by exploring and experiencing authentic contexts for themselves and discovering their own meaning from the experience. 16 | MANUAL: Games-Based and Interactive Learning Activities for Early Years
Problem-based Learning
Problem-based Learning is linked to Game-based Learning as most games involve problem solving, often with a small group of students working to solve a problem. Very often these are cross-disciplinary problems. Computer games and puzzles are strong problem-based games.
Types of Intelligence: Types and Their Meaning Howard Gardner’s (1995), Theory of Multiple Intelligences postulates that intelligence is not a single entity. He argues that individuals possess a basic set of intelligences and these were identified and defined as: 1. Linguistic Intelligence involves sensitivity to the spoken and written language, the ability to learn languages and the capacity to use language to accomplish certain goals.
2. Logical Mathematical Intelligence consists of the capacity to analyze problems logically, and to carry out mathematical operations. 3. Musical Intelligence involves skills in the performance, composition and appreciation of musical patterns.
4. Bodily Kinesthetic Intelligence involves the potential of using the body or parts of the body to solve problems; the mental ability to coordinate bodily movements and dance patterns.
5. Visual Spatial Intelligence involves the potential to reorganize and use the patterns of wide open space and confined areas.
6. Interpersonal Intelligence is concerned with one’s capacity to understand motivation and it allows people to work effectively with others.
7. Intrapersonal intelligence involves the capacity to understand oneself; to appreciate one’s feelings, fears and emotions. 8. The Naturalist Intelligence has to do with understanding the environment and the importance of Flora and Fauna and the individual’s relationship to the naturalistic environment. The characteristics of game-based learning point to various features of Gardner’s eight intelligences. It stands to reason therefore, when students are involved in games activities, several or all of their intelligences are developed. For example, many games are actually propelled by the ability to use language to express ideas and feelings. Therefore linguistic intelligence is vital to the development of dialogue within the games process.