Computer Adventure Games: Value and Interest to Teachers and Pupils Available to Purchase

A survey assessing to what extent teachers in primary schools were using computer adventure games in their teaching and how their use helped or hindered the teaching of other subjects in the curriculum is outlined. The interest of pupils in such games was also sought, as was their ability to learn from them. Questionnaires were circulated to 30 randomly selected teachers in six primary schools, as well as to 60 pupils. The results of the survey indicated that teachers found computers in general and adventure games in particular to be of use in their teaching. There was evidence to support the contention that teachers were integrating the use of such games into their overall teaching strategy. Pupils clearly enjoyed such games and could make conceptual links with other subjects from puzzles that they encountered in an adventure game. Although INSET was strongly favoured by teachers,the view that computers in general, and adventure games in particular,had a considerable contribution to make to teaching and learning in the primary school was strongly supported.