Any educators out there that have used Civ3 to teach?

[jb1964]

Over the course of this school year, that ends today, I have noticed that my eldest son's history teacher has a lesson plan that appears to have been inspired by Civ3.

Are there any educators out that that have used, or been inspired by, the Civ series of games to teach thier classes?

 

[Dell19]

I think someone has said they used it before although I've always wondered whether Civ3 should be seen as something that might encourage learning rather than something that actually teaches since how the game actually plays isn't exactly accurate and most of the historical stuff can be missed if you don't read the Civilopedia...

 

[Tranquility]

Well, i've learned an enormous amount of history thanks to the game, and made me consider becoming a history teacher beacua i'm so fascinated by this. While i'm no educator, i think i'd use civ a bit just to see what they have to say, not to do my entire course, and add interesting points.

 

[dmanakho]

Well, i've learned an enormous amount of history thanks to the game, and made me consider becoming a history teacher beacua i'm so fascinated by this. While i'm no educator, i think i'd use civ a bit just to see what they have to say, not to do my entire course, and add interesting points.

I work in private school. We had Civ2 on our computer image and it was THE ONLY game allowed to play on campus computer when students have free time.

 

[Dell19]

I work in private school. We had Civ2 on our computer image and it was THE ONLY game allowed to play on campus computer when students have free time.

Thats a bit odd, why not other games? Was it because that was the only game that they had a licence to run on a network?

 

[Blind Ryan]

The first time I played Civ 1 in the 90's, I asked myself the same question. I'm sure someone else has implemented this somewhere but they aren't on the forum (yet)

In the future, when there are millions of computers in the classroom, they can use this archaic game to teach the children. Have a big multiplayer game and have them write reports on why they died (or survived.)

Maybe a computer lab teacher with free time could set that up

 

[dmanakho]

Thats a bit odd, why not other games? Was it because that was the only game that they had a licence to run on a network?

I guess, It's just was one of few games that teach something in addition to simply having fun and wasting time.

 

[dojoboy]

Over the course of this school year, that ends today, I have noticed that my eldest son's history teacher has a lesson plan that appears to have been inspired by Civ3.

Are there any educators out that that have used, or been inspired by, the Civ series of games to teach thier classes?

I have a middle school level Civ3 club. I don't actually use it in class. I teach sixth graders. I allow 7th & 8th graders in the club. We spend one rotation playing individual games and another playing a group game. The civilopedia references, on each civ, are probably the only viable pieces of information in the game. But, I do use Civ3 to transfer the idea of "real politik." Again, this is only a club, nothing in-class. Yet.

There is a moving trend toward games in the classroom that offer teachable moments.

 

[Eumaeus]

When I was in third grade I remember getting civ 2 for the first time. I was completely hooked, and my stepmom though it was horrible. What actually happened though was my interest in history was triggered, and I started learning about the civilizations old and new. Then once I learned about some civilizations I started learning about wars. None of my friends even heared about the Babylonians untill the sixth grade.

Now Im a freshmen going to one of the top 100 high schools in the America with geometry already finished, English I finished and a speech credit. Im not saying civ did all of this, but I cant help but think that civ 2 triggering an interest in history had something to do with this.

 

[dojoboy]

...., but I cant help but think that civ 2 triggering an interest in history had something to do with this.

We never know what will trigger one's thirst for knowledge.

Btw, do you recognize me, Eumaeus?

 

[Chieftess]

There've been a couple of teachers (highschool and college) that came to this forum asking for suggestions of how to help their students use Civ3 to learn history, and giving their teaching plan, too.


dojoboy - Is that on a Mac, or IBM?

 

[King Alexander]

The civilopedia says a few words in a very general description. It's not much accurate. If anyone is interested for a more valid history of each nation, there are a lot of places who can start looking.

But, it's a good tickling for someone to be interested more about world history.

 

[dojoboy]

dojoboy - Is that on a Mac, or IBM?

IBM.

 

[WackenOpenAir]

Things like this DO inspire me, certainly playing the conquest campains, i would like to read something that gives me a good overview of history.

In school when i had history, it was always detailed about one subject, but i never knew the order in which all those things happened.

Also movies like Troy inspire me. When i have some spare time, i will go read the illias.

 

[TrailblazingScot]

Hmm, have I used Civ3 in any lessons...er, no.

I've got to make my lessons relevant and engaging to the lives of my pupils, not to my life

Also, Civ3 is a weak platform from which to teach science and hells, bells history too!!!

 

[LLXerxes]

I don't use civ3 to teach, but I learn from it!

 

[kb2tvl]

Civ I & II lowered my GPA over 4 years by .2 points!

 

[Andu Indorin]

I'm afraid I encounter too many inaccuracies in Civ3 to use it in a course on Comparative Civilizations ...

 

[srd2k7]

When I used to play Star Wars Galaxies, my wife on the game said that Civ3 was used to teach in one of her history classes. Their game/project was graded and they had to give a reason why they made each move. I guess that it can be used to teach because it shows the scientific/cultural/military progress of humanity. She didn't say what grade or year of college that Civ3 was used in.

 

[Longasc]

I think Civ3 is rather counter-productive -> it wastes time you could have spent reading history or whatever.

But it MIGHT tickle the interest in history, or perhaps even statistics (check your chances and wonder how often you get worse results with that damn spearman, hehe)...


It is basically the same as America's Army Online -> it does not train you to be a soldier at all, only on a very basic level.

But it might tickle interest!! and cause some young guys to get a positive view of the US Army and join the USMC perhaps?