A middle school teacher has gone viral after playing Assassin's Creed in class to ‘teach students about history.’
Forget history text books and documentaries - you know, all the ways that spring to mind when it comes to getting clued up about history.
That's because this teacher tried a different tactic to get the attention of his class, and it's unconventional, to say the least.
See for yourself:
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The teacher has now gone viral on TikTok after he uploaded footage playing Assassin’s Creed in an effort to teach his class history.
If you're wondering why he opted for the popular game, that's because there are many references to key points such as Ancient Egypt and American Revolution within the game play.
Social Studies teacher Mr Mahathey played Assassin’s Creed Odyssey to show off The Battle of Thermopylae as a way to educate his students about Greece, which definitely grabbed their interest.
Mr Mahathey can be seen showing the kids the location and explaining: “So, right there, that’s going to be the entrance to Thermopylae. That’s a very narrow passageway in order for the Persians and the Greeks to fight.”
TikTok users were backing his way of teaching, impressed with his engaging style.
One viewer commented: “this is how teaching should be done. Not with AC specifically. But creating a teaching style that students can relate to, and engage with.”
Another wrote: “That’s smart i would 100 percent pay way more attention if my teacher did this.”
Another commented: “This is an amazing use of technology that is so engaging for students. I would have retained so much more with this imagery. Love it.”
The video, titled ‘Teaching the Battle of Thermopylae with Assassin’s Creed’, now has over 700,000 views on the platform.
And it seems the teacher could be onto something, as other experts have spoken out about how informative the game can be, specifically when it comes to Ancient Egypt.
Dr. Kate Sheppard, associate professor of History and Political Science at Missouri University of Science and Technology, and Dr. Chris Naunton, a writer, broadcaster, and Egyptologist, previously told GamesRadar: "I like to think that we can show the Egyptological community that video games can provide an incredibly realistic and immersive experience of a reconstructed past, which can be done with credibility and accuracy!
"And I guess we hope to provide some of the solid history and archaeology for gamers who are familiar with the game and environment but maybe not the real-world evidence that's been used to create it."
Chelsea Connor