Conclusions

Conclusions ﻿﻿﻿As discussed in this wiki video gaming as a learning tool has potential to bring learners together and engage otherwise struggling learners. It helps to develop social skills such as taking turns and is described as being fun and enjoyable. Games such as Sims and second life mirror real life and allow students to act out scenarios such as building, stock markets, relationships, responsibilities as well as problem solving and enhancing literacy skills and at times giving real life context to mathematics skills. Interactive platforms taken up by many UK schools and USA schools offer alternatives to fitness programs and music lessons. Both can be used at lower primary and elementary level. Considerations needs to be given to the costings for schools and the professional development opportunities for teachers. At present middle socio-economic schools are struggle to purchase basic hardware such as computers and IWB so gaming consoles will not even be considered. There needs to be a clear strategy by the ministry to disseminate the positive reasons for gaming in schools to counteract the reasons for not playing. Support material from the developers of games need to make the terminology consistent and regular across the different platforms and more games that are intuitive, like wii, should be developed. (This means games that draw on life experiences such as hitting a ball with a racquet rather than manipulating a controller). __Further Research __ Further research in this area is now required and this wiki has highlighted some areas that now need to be attended too. The key questions are listed below:
 * What sort of video games are need to be able to cross the gender differences ?
 * How long is the optimum time to be playing a video game?


 * Is there going to be Professional development for reluctant teachers and how do you get them to attend the courses?


 * Are there generic reasons in New Zealand why gaming is not made available to our students when the research shows that it is beneficial to learners?


 * What platforms should schools use?


 * Does it really assist the reluctant learner?


 * What can be done to convince reluctant parents, teachers, BOTs and Principals?


 * How can a school afford the equipment with cuts in funding already happening?


 * How can schools better utilize their current teaching spaces to accommodate interactive technology?


 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Is there time within the school day to implement this learn in an already over crowded curriculum?