Games 'deserve a place in class'

According to British researchers, computer games could enhance learning and have a legitimate place in the classroom.

Academics from the Institute of Education at London University found that "games literacy" was a key skill for youngsters, BBC News online reported.

As well as being used in different areas of the curriculum, games could be a legitimate area of study in their own right, the researchers said, adding that pupils should also be able to create their own games.

"Like all games, computer and video games entertain while promoting social development, and playing and talking about games is an important part of young people's lives.

"Games literacy is a way of investigating how games are means of expression and representation, just like writing or drawing."

The researchers conducted two studies into the impact of games on education, the first looking at how they can be used in different curriculum subjects to enhance learning. The second project looked at how games can be integrated into media education and concluded that writing games should be a core part of studying them.