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Further Reading...

Want to know what's going on in the world of games and education, and how they can have a positive effect on your life? Try some of this then!

Here we will be putting a wide range of links to articles we have found from across the world for you to have a look at and consider. There will be a variety of themes and angles suggesting which games are good to use, who with, how and why... as well news bites that we have found interesting too!

Some of them are serious others are far more tongue in cheek. All of them should make for a good read and all are based in or around the world of games and education.

Click on the title of any article below to open it in a new tab or window, depending on your browser. Please remember these articles may contain a very rare use of more adult language and never more than that. Please do not hesitate to contact us should any of the links below expire or lead you to have any cause for concern so that we can deal with appropriately. Thank you!

That said, here goes - Happy Reading!...

***NEWEST!***

Posted: 04/02/13

Incredibly Intricate Maze!

An incredible endeavour, this chap has designed an incredibly intricate maze, by hand, and it took him 7 years. Itching to have a go but fear I would never finish!

**NEW!**

Posted: 01/02/13

Love English, Hate Maths? Numbers Should Be Cool Not Scary!

An English teacher talks about why English has become cool in recent years and why the world still frowns over maths. They need to talk to us!

*NEWISH!*

Posted: 31/01/13

The Board Game Theory Of Life!

We often think as board games as relatively new things that families play together but as this brief article shows they have been around far longer than you would imagine. Even those games you would imagine were totally original have far more exciting histories behind them!

Posted: 31/12/12

Christmas 2012 Boom in Board Game Sales

Perfect way to round off 2012 with a short report from the BBC that retailers have had at least a 12% rise in board game sales compared to the same period last year. Great news!

Posted: 17/12/12

Board Game Dads Who Hate To Lose!

Study finds fathers will go all out to win – but mothers are happy to see their children take victory

Posted: 12/12/12

Year of the board game?

We hope so!

Posted: 03/12/12

Systems Thinking Through Playing Strategy Games

The focus for the workshop was on the learners learning about systems thinking. We intended to introduce how to play and think about the games through systems thinking techniques and vice versa.

Posted: 03/12/12

Psycho Killer Board Game in Class Assignment?!?!

Definitely how NOT TO DO IT!!!

Posted: 20/11/12

Support for Logistics Board Game?!

Two former school teachers are seeking business partners from the logistics community to help develop an innovative board game that has been devised to teach young people about logistics while they play.

Posted: 20/11/12

The Great Chess Revival

How the ancient game sharpens young minds . After all but vanishing from schools, the game is undergoing a revival thanks to its problem-solving skills

Posted: 20/11/12

Chess is Making a Dramatic Comeback in Primary Schools

…Thirty years after it all but disappeared completely from the state school scene.

Posted: 20/11/12

Game Based Learning and Traditional Classroom Play

How is game-based learning different from the games you’ve been incorporating in your classroom all these years? This article look at that question in a simple yet interesting way.

Posted: 08/10/12

Student creates board game, helps ease famine and drought in Kenya!

Blimey I knew we thought board games were useful… but wow?! Thinking big at its best!

Posted: 20/09/12

Is India leading the way in how children should be taught?

An interesting article showing how an educational centre in India see gaming and other social activities as integral to how they educate children. The positive effects on the adults from the local area is also very evident although our reluctance in England to have adults and children mix may make this a pipedream for us.

Posted: 20/09/12

Ofsted chief tells schools to make better use of pupil premium

Schools must demonstrate how they are using money to raise standards among poor children, says Sir Michael Wilshaw. Schools receiving money from the government's £1.25bn flagship "pupil premium" policy need to show how the funds are making a difference to the achievements of poor children, the education watchdog has said... Clearly this is something we feel Imagination Gaming is perfect for and so do our schools!

Posted: 17/09/12

Life Lessons Passing Go!

A tournament games player talking about the positive effects of more mainstream games and how people play them. It’s a positive look at these games which we often deride a little and gives several reasons why these classics are so popular. Although an older article it is always nice to see something such as this get in to a more mainstream arena, the BBC website.

Posted: 06/09/12

Games In Schools and Libraries… Down Under!

Looking for another perspective on why games are so important in education and how to actually make them work in your environment… here is an Australian blog soley focused on just that! You can also find their latest podcast here and subscribe to all their podcasts here!

Posted: 03/09/12

Study on the Effects of Table Top Role Playing Games

An in-depth study into whether playing Table Top Role Playing Games enhances your creativity. These are the highlights if you fancy the full version then you can purchase it, but you may need a thesaurus and several cups of coffee!

Posted: 27/08/12

Fighting Fantasy Resurrected!

A brief history of the seminal Fighting Fantasy series of adventure books, their colossal impact on all forms of gaming and the celebration of their 30th anniversary.

Posted: 15/07/12

Children's University Chancellor Launches Story Lab

This years Summer Reading Challenge was recently launched in London with Michael Morpurgo, author of the best-seller Warhorse, reading from his olympic tale Out Of A Rainbow, the original story of the London 2012 mascots Wenlock and Mandeville. See how Imagination Gaming are supporting this years Summer Reading Challenge Here!

Posted: 22/06/12

Are Board Games Better Than Video Games?

This article looks at the differences between traditional games and video games and asks which the better is? It’s written by a video games developer but the conclusions he draws are surprising.

Posted: 22/06/12

The Benefits Of Board Games

Here is a far more simple look at why we should play board games and other family games more often. Looking at younger children in particular it points out the obvious benefits they can have as well as recommending several games. Not sure if I would jump at the chance of playing all of these recommendations but the sentiment can’t be faulted.

Posted: 22/06/12

Split Screen: Not Quite Monopoly

This article is from an Australian publication that looks at the ‘original’ of the new style of board games, Settlers of Catan. He looks at why it is so popular and suggests other games of that ilk for people to try out for themselves.

Posted: 22/06/12

Why Are Adults Still Launching Tabletop War?

Another interesting article looking specifically at the game of Warhammer 40K, a tabletop miniatures game and asking why adults are still playing this game in their thousands. A great little article with more than a few comments after it!

Posted: 22/06/12

Creative Tabletop Gaming: Dungeons & Dragons And Libraries (Oh My!)

This article looks at the possibility of using role-playing games in libraries and gives examples and tips on how they themselves have used them. Great games with the right group of people they carry an undeserved stigma outside of the hobby and are the ultimate way of producing imaginative and creative gaming.

Posted: 22/06/12

Head Math: Ditch The Calculators & Iphones. We’re Doing This Old School!

The next is a short and to the point article on how games can and should be used in schools to promote and develop basic maths skills, rather than letting the ‘phones’ do the work. Gives a couple of examples of games that he uses but there are several great games out there for this. Take a look at our website and games like Zeus on the Loose for a terrific example.

Posted: 22/06/12

Dungeons & Dragons: Could The Next Edition End The Edition Wars?

This article looks at the attempts of the American company, Wizards of the Coast, to produce a new edition of the classic game and re-engage with their customers. The last edition split the community, which is a huge shame as it is already a hobby and a market in decline and the infighting helps no-one. The politics of gaming!