Videojogos: Um (novo) média para a educação

Abstract

This paper discusses the potential (addictive) qualities of digital games, particularly in their positive aspects. The fact is that even some of the self-proclaimed violent videogames’fulfil (or may fulfil) their role as fundamental educational tools, namely by helping to solve problems and by simulating ancient historic contexts (as such strategy games as Sid Meier’s Civilization (Microprose, 1991), Rome Total War (Creative Assembly, 2004) or Portugal 1111 (Ciberbit, 2004). Alternatively, this can also be achieved by allowing gamers to move about within a simulated space (in fantasy terms or by replicating’reality), thus enabling them to access new or improved educational contexts, or even by making possible certain forms of catharsis and/or therapies (this can be the case, for instance, of the games used for post-traumatic treatment of former war soldiers). The "ergodic experience of gameplay", besides an (addictive) dimension of violence, in many cases also present in other medium, also holds a generating (and even motivating) ability regarding (new and crucial) knowledge/skills in new (educational) contexts of action.