Educational methods at UNC might evolve to mirror the passions of "World of Warcraft" and "Halo 3" junkies.
On Wednesday, UNC's Information Technology Services hosted a discussion called "Games4Learning: A Symposium," which addressed the impact that computer games can have on learning, and the funding available for integrating those games into higher education.
"If we don't think about what this means for us here on campus, then we're missing the boat," said Elizabeth Evans, academic outreach consultant.
The symposium - which included lectures from professors and a member of the National Science Foundation - was a spawn of Games4Learning, an interest group composed of UNC students, faculty and staff.
The group connects individuals who want to see serious games - those that have a list of rules, a theme or context, a set of goals and no real-life consequences - integrated into University curriculum in the future.
"Games have the wrong reputation of being a waste of time," said John Weis, a Games4Learning student member. "The ultimate pie-in-the-sky goal is giving students and professors a way to supplement their curricula, not replace them."
Demonstrating the educational value of computer games and getting rid of the stigma attached to them is one main obstacle in the developmental process, Weis said.
In the future, serious games could be used as a source of education that entertains students and allows them to apply what they have learned in the classroom in real-world settings, said Evans, who helped organize the symposium.
"Inter-disciplinary activities are the possibility that excites me the most," Evans said. "It would open up the doors for people with different knowledge and skills to work together."
Universities and other research groups can apply for grants through the Research and Evaluation on Education in Science and Engineering program, said John Cherniavsky of the National Science Foundation.
The REESE program aims to advance research at the frontiers of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Researchers are working to incorporate the same aspects found in popular video games into educational curricula.
Nine million people play "World of Warcraft," and "Halo 3" raked in $173 million the weekend it was released, said N.C. State University professor Len Annetta.
Recognizing the popularity of online computer games in younger generations, Annetta is the lead principal investigator in a research program called Highly Interactive Fun Internet Virtual Environments in Science, which explores the potential of instructional technologies such as computer games.
"This isn't for everyone," Annetta said. "But certainly the population is growing."