ЦИФРОВІ ІГРИ ДЛЯ STEM ОСВІТИ: АМЕРИКАНСЬКИЙ ДОСВІД

Abstract

The article highlights foreign experience of using digital games in studying STEM-disciplines: Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, which are combined into one block based on the application of digital technologies and the Internet. The use of digital gaming has become a promising area of innovation that ensures the active involvement of American youth in STEM-disciplines. Digital games are an important means of developing cognitive, creative, communicative, collaborative skills of students necessary for successful functioning in the modern technological society. For Ukraine, American experience of using digital games in studying STEM-disciplines is of a theoretical and practical interest. The purpose of the research is to analyze the use of digital games in STEM-education for students of American schools. Methods of scientific research include the use of content analysis of monographic, periodical pedagogical literature to find out the basic notions, concepts of the research; netnography for the sites analysis, blogs where scientists, teachers, parents of students exchange experience of digital games usage. The article describes American programs which support the use of digital games to increase the efficiency of STEM-education; the essence of the main categories of the research is defined: digital game-based learning, digital games, epistemic games, simulations. Epistemic games are interactive simulations that help players capture innovative ways of thinking and powerful digital cognitive tools. The peculiarities of epistemic games are pointed out, the plots of the games Pandora Project, Escher's World, Journalism.net, Digital Zoo, Urban Science, Land Science, Nephrotex are presented. It is noted that epistemic games stimulate students to study STEM-disciplines, give students the opportunity to practically explore the process of solving real problems that arise in a particular professional field. The game action involves the formation of skills for the implementation of successive stages of the scientific research, which is based on the integration of knowledge of different disciplines and the ability to co-operate with other people. Thus, epistemic games create an innovative learning environment in which students acquire the experience of professional behavior while finding ways to accomplish tasks of natural-mathematical and engineering-technological character. Key words: American experience, STEM-education, digital games, simulations, epistemic games.