Monday, November 2, 2009

Using Video Games to Reinforce Key Physics and Math Concepts

As the popularity of video gaming continues to increase, teachers are starting to assess the usefulness of video games in the classroom for reinforcing key concepts. For example, the racing game, Forza, allows students to "tune" their car prior to racing. Key tunables include:

This game could be used to reinforce concepts related to friction and corresponding normal force (via tire pressure and performance trade offs), vehicle dynamics (e.g. acceleration/deceleration, momentum), dampening and concepts related to aerodynamics (e.g. drag)

Below is a video of a testimonial from a highschool student who enjoys playing Forza while at the same time has increased his understanding of automobiles and related physics concepts.