"But Mom, gaming is for my education."

Many parents and teachers alike don't see how playing games can improve learning. As I played Oregon Trail for the first time, I definitely saw the benefits of  games. Gaming can show players what kind of situations they would be in if the game was real. As in the case of Oregon Trail, important decisions about what to buy, how much food to get, and what to do during the journey make you think about what is really necessary to make it to Oregon successfully. The game connects you to history and helps you to better understand the topic you are learning. You put yourself in the shoes of the travelers and think about what you need to do to survive in this game. Understanding what people in that situation had to go through to improve their lives and their country is something that can't be read out of a textbook. It must be experienced firsthand, even if the closest experience a student can get is an old computer game.