Scribblers Abode: Turning the Sims 2 into an Educational Tool

Imagine finding a way to combine your child's computer game with education. Scribblers Abode is an online web site and forum that has found a way to do just that. Scribblers Abode focuses on helping teenagers and adults improve their writing, while using the game Sims 2 as a teaching tool.

Sims 2 is a simulation game created by EA Games where you create families and create a life for them. You control when they eat, sleep, and use the bathroom. You decide what type of job they will get, how many children they have, and who they marry. As you play the game you are creating an entire life for a computer character. The game, created by Will Wright, is a favorite among males and females of all ages.

The Sims 2 has a feature where you can take photos of your Sims and put them into a slide show with words. The end result is that you are creating a story. This story can be uploaded onto the Sims 2 website for the entire world to read. The database of these stories is called the 'story exchange'. You are the writer, photography, and publishing company. The quality of stories on the exchange ranges from excellent to really bad. Not surprising since the writers range from tweens to those in their mid-twenties or older. Everyone is on a different level in their writing and photography.

This is the aspect of the game that Scribblers Abode is utilizing as an educational tool. The majority of forum members are teenagers who come to the site hoping to find advice for creating better stories. Scribblers Abode is determined to help them. The site offers many group activities, tips, and advice for improving your writing.

Probably the most beneficial aspect of Scribblers Abode is the critique groups. Each critique group has 4-6 members who can privately share their stories with each other. The other members read the story and give the members tips on how to improve. They point out spelling errors, undeveloped plots and characters, and errors in grammar. These groups are effective, especially for the youngest members of the site. The staff of Scribblers Abode has slowly watched their members improve their writing skills over time.

The aspect of the site that has members most involved is the role playing. Members create a character in their game, take a photo, and create a biography for the character. Once enrolled in role playing they create a story for their character and create relationships with other characters. Role playing teaches character development and plot development. Through this Sims 2 role play, other story ideas develop.

Scribblers Abode offers a little something for everyone who plays the Sims 2 and wants to become a better writer. There are writing and photography contests, a group story that 10 writers and photographers are working on together, a board to ask all of your writing questions, and more. The best part about Scribblers is that it gets 13-year-old girls to work on their writing skills and improve, but it doesn't feel educational. Instead, it is fun.