Civilization IV an Education tool?

[Sian]

do like we do in Denmark ... several smaller parties, none of them big enough to have the majority alone, and make it so a gorvernment just don't have to have the majority against it

 

[revengeofmakno]

There is some limited educational value in civilization. There could be a lot more if certain aspects of the game were made more realistic. On the other hand, it does get some people to actually have an interest in subjects such as history, economics, political economy, diplomacy, etc. That in itself can boost education.
Another way it could be educational is to learn the game and then play it in another language.

 

[johnfalcon99977]

Here's a link to an Article in a Melbourne Metropolitan Newspaper.

Civ 4 used to educate Primary school children

When a game becomes mainstream, and ends up being used in schools as an educational tool, does it stop being fun to Play?.

Or has Firaxis, discovered a way to indoctrinate the young into the Civ Community, and being the dealers of intoxicating dreams, they seek to hook the young on their produce.

This deserves a Poll, hey its Election time in Australia today Saturday the 21/Augustus/2010 more Education from Civ 4

Ha ha! thats a good joke............Right?

 

[Fleme]

To add to my previous response, the game served as something that gave me a lot of ideas. When I first learned English, thanks to mostly civ and it's extensive civilopedia which I've always used a lot, I started picking up on the civilizations and concepts the game includes and then studying up on those on my own.

For example, all the mediterranean civilizations tickled my fancy so I did all I could to read up on Babylon, Greece, Egypt and even to a more specific degree like learning what the composition of an actual legion was or what triremes really are. To this day, that interest in ancient history has remained and while I really couldn't be bothered with modern history, anything involving the ancient era always interests me to a great degree.

Civilization must've been the first game that had such a huge in-game manual with parts of actual history in it. I mean, when you read up on Hammurabi for instance, you do get a small picture of what he did and meant for his nation and what kind of a role he played in history. The entries are perfect in arousing interest and I can't help but to think that if it wasn't for civ, I wouldn't have the interest in ancient history that I do now.

Hmp. Well, given the chance of presenting my future children with either fps, rts or tbs games, I will definitely lean towards tbs with a hint of rts tossed in the mix. I wouldn't count on them to learn from the games per say, but maybe they'd get the spark to study certain subjects such as history.

 

[Ataxerxes]

There is some limited educational value in civilization. There could be a lot more if certain aspects of the game were made more realistic. On the other hand, it does get some people to actually have an interest in subjects such as history, economics, political economy, diplomacy, etc. That in itself can boost education.
Another way it could be educational is to learn the game and then play it in another language.

Some of the mods would be better for this than regular Civ. RFC, for example, has the Civs show up at approximately the right time and has features such as the plague and stability.

 

[AutomatedTeller]

Someone in Canada did this, either with III or IV, some years ago.

I don't see why it can't be a useful tool AND fun.

 

[revengeofmakno]

Some of the mods would be better for this than regular Civ. RFC, for example, has the Civs show up at approximately the right time and has features such as the plague and stability.

Sure, RFC is definitely a step in a direction that would be more educational.

 

[m2v22]

I played SimCity in TechEd all through Jr. High School. The Civilization series is MUCH more educational than SimCity! Even taking college level history courses, Civ has informed my knowledge of what a trebuchet, hwacha, trireme, ball court, ziggurat, etc. are.

 

[Roots]

Video games should never be used as learning tools, it's stupid and inefficient.

 

[katipunero]

whatever works as substitute for old methods, is fine by me. I just don't think Civ 4 should be made the sole instruction materials for primary students. it could be a good thing to learn during recess or breaks. civ 4 should not take the place of books, lectures and manual learning the old-school way.

 

[Jolly Rogerer]

Video games should never be used as learning tools, it's stupid and inefficient.

I disagree completely, though I think a game as complex, ahistorical and unfocused as Civ is probably a poor choice. But simpler games that teach a concept or a few concepts can reinforce lessons very well. What's more they can teach students who learn better by doing than by absorbing concepts through reading, and can do so while being fun and satisfying.

 

[cardgame]

Civ 2 was very educational for me... I never would have learned anything about Geography or History without its influence at a young age

cIV was available as an after-school program a few years ago because of 21st Century Grant, although I didn't sign up for it.

 

[Abegweit]

Certainly Civ would be far better than what they currently inflict on innocent children.

 

[Karalysia]

It's not just to learn history. It's to learn about many things like diplomacy

Anyone who learns diplomacy from civ will fail the Foreign Service Exam I guarantee that, and if by some freakish abomination they succeed in becoming an ambassador they will be duly shot after causing an international incident. Civ is worthless as a learning tool since it's a pop-culture bastardization of history, culture, diplomacy and everything else.

Edit: Also sexist.

 

[AutomatedTeller]

anyone who gets their history from Civ will be... confused.

anyone who is inspired to learn more about history because of civ, though...

 

[Agent327]

I´ve generally found little at fault historically with the Civpedia throughout Civ-CiV.

If this is for real then it is ******ed.

The Canada History mod is a result from using Civ IV as an education tool by a history teacher. Nothing ******ed about it, I should think. Also, Rhye´s and Fall of Civilization mod (RFC for short) is an interesting attempt at increasing historical accuracy when playing Civ III-IV.

 

[Taktix]

A game becoming too popular can happen (SimCity is a good example) because once the market share is a certain size, the bean counters start to take over and force the designers to make new versions of the game more appealing to wider audience in order to retain that market share. Since most people are stupid, this leads to a watering down of the game to a level that it's not playable anymore.

Luckily, the Civ franchise would never meet this fate.

Oh, wait...

 

[Osetjka]

Great! Now to direct them to CFC and pledge them as fanatic for life!!!

Epic poll, if a bit confusing. I agree that the game should never be substitute for proper history books, though it definitely makes for an interesting starter tool to get people interested.

Kids should definitely stay away from ciV though, lest they become genocidal maniacs due to the constant razing of cities and psycho-sociopath AI.

EDIT: I'm still hoping for a Sim City 5 that will (somehow) top Rush Hour...

 

[ronnipalooza]

First post here guys. Been coming here since the civ IV release.

One of my history teachers used Civilization II as an educational tool. Entire class marched to the computer room and got in teams which lasted for the entire semester. Only did it once a week or so but it worked.

I guess it worked with the course material of the time. We were learning about Babylon and other ancient Mesopotamian civs. Got me into history and civ -what makes a successful civ, the necessary foundations, ect.

 

[mariogreymist]

It might actually build an interest in history, but it's hardly a teaching tool and probably doesn't belong in the classroom.