This week Pokemon Go was trending big time on twitter! If you're one of the few people who haven't been bitten by the bug or formed an opinion on the game let me give you a brief overview. Pokemon Go is an augmented reality game by Niantic Inc that allows users to catch Pokemon that are overlaid in the real world by using a smartphone's camera and gyroscope. The game promotes exercise by requiring players to get out of the house in order to hunt down Pokemon, there's also a social aspect to the game because players can choose 1 of 3 teams and take down gyms together. I participated in an Edtech chat on the topic and was happy to see that a lot of educators are seeing the game through a positive lens. I brought up the fact that a lot of the gyms and pokestops are street art and statues since I started playing I've gotten the chance to discover art within my city that I otherwise probably would have never seen. Another educator brought up the fact that Pokemon Go is a numbers game, it takes strategy to level up and math skills are definitely utilized.
Not to mention the health benefits of the game! Pokemon Go has gotten more people to willingly exercise than any health app or fitness tracker ever has. I walked 10 miles in a single day without even realizing it!
What's your opinion on the education potential of games like Pokemon Go? Comment below.
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