Gamertell

The Vista Sheriff’s Station in San Marcos, CA, with help from art and computer science students at Cal State San Marcos, is developing a web game to help teach fourth graders how to deal with dangerous situations.

The yet-to-be named game is only in an early development stage and is expected to be completed in three semesters (I’m guessing that’s a year and a half). Once completed, it will be available in both English and Spanish, and offered though the local Sheriff’s site and local schools.

From the article:

“The interactive game sends a boy through a virtual neighborhood, instructing him with simple commands - such as “go to school” or “go to the grocery store” - as he travels. At each location, the boy is confronted with a situation, including gang-related activity, vandalism and ditching school, in which he must choose right or wrong.”

You mean video games can actually teach kids and have anti-violence messages? his may be the first instance of a government office actually encouraging kids to play video games. Now politicians can simultaneously approve funding for and ban video games.

Kudos to any game that can help kids learn and help parents understand that not all games are bad.

Read [NCTimes]