Giving Compass' Take:

· Writing for Education Week, Matthew Gaydos and Kurt Dean Squire explain how the popular video game Fortnite can be used as an engaging learning tool to teach kids about online safety and appropriate ways to respond in stressful situations.

· How can Fortnite be used as a learning tool? How can video games teach children manners and appropriate speech?

· Learn how the University of Wisconsin-Madison is using video games to reduce bias in the classroom.

Kids around the country, if not the world, spent the year mimicking Fortnite dances, discussing Ninja’s scoperless-sniper rifle shots, and being generally obsessed with the popular video game. Is Fortnite something we should be concerned about?

What does research say about this latest kid obsession?

As researchers, educators, gamers, and parents whose kids play Fortnite, we see little to be concerned about with the game, but some things that could be encouraging. Playing video-game shooters, we now know, is not a major contributor to youth violence. Granted, kids’ enthusiasm for Fortnite can be a little much, but we are old enough to remember Garbage Pail kids and have played Pokémon.

For kids, coming home and playing Fortnite is very similar to playing army men in the woods and building forts. From purely a safety standpoint, playing digital laser tag is probably safer than having crabapple battles with garbage can lids as shields like we did, or shooting each other with BB guns.

This isn’t to say that we should just let kids go at it alone online. Recent news highlights how racism, xenophobia, and bullying have come out of the shadows and are thriving online. It’s more important than ever that we talk with kids about what is appropriate behavior, what’s acceptable humor—and what’s not.

Read the full article about learning from Fortnite by Matthew Gaydos & Kurt Dean Squire at Education Week.