As much as I am an advocate for new technologies, I often find myself very skeptical of how games and gaming can transform education. Therefore, I almost feel it is my duty to write about those times when I’m really surprised and blown away by how a game could be used to really enhance something going on in the classroom.

Yesterday, I saw something in my Version Tracker feed that looked interesting. So I plunked down my $20, and bought Peacemaker: The Game. It’s a simulation game where you have to become either the leader of the Israeli government or the Palestinian government and work toward a two-state peace. (Yes, this game does make some assumptions about the best solution is for the Israeli – Palestinian conflict, but they are upfront about those assumptions.

I just finished my second time playing the game on the easiest setting… and WOW, it’s tough. It is a delicate balance of diplomacy, and it does require a) some knowledge of the history of this scenario and b) some really thoughtful decision making. And yes, I could see students playing this game from both sides (I’ve only played one side so far) as part of a unit on the Arab-Israeli conflict. I think students would gain a better understanding of how fragile that part of the world is, and how difficult the road to peace has been.

I still maintain my skepticism about how far we can push this, and certainly, I would want Peacemaker to be part of a larger unit where students did the hard work of researching the issues facing the Middle East, challenging themselves to come up with solutions, etc… but I could see how playing this game could a) inform the about the difficult path to peace and b) help them to see beyond their own perspective to see how multi-faceted this problem is.