The knee-jerk reaction that I have when I see someone playing video games is to think that they are wasting their time on something that is mind-numbing and pointless. I know that I have definitely internally judged my friends before for spending too much time in front of a console and subconsciously thought of them as being lazy. When I babysit, I often try to get kids to go outside instead of staying inside and playing games because I think of it as an unhealthy habit (my mom did the same for me).
However, it turns out that there is a body of emerging research that shows that gaming is not a passive activity and that it can be a powerful tool for learning. After reading several articles on the topic, I’m realizing that I have actually been wrong in a lot of arguments with my husband about games being worth his time. Here’s why:
Games Provide Instantaneous Feedback:
One of the most important functions of a teacher is to provide feedback to students. Without feedback, a student can continuously practice doing something the wrong way, the whole time thinking they had it right. In games, users get instant feedback instead of having to wait until papers are graded, etc. and can immediately correct what they are doing wrong. They spend more time striving to get things right than doing the same thing over and over again without results.
Games have Data-Tracking Built In:
Current trends in education emphasize the use of data to make decisions. Teachers are expected to collect data on a daily basis in order to evaluate how effective their teaching is and modify their methods. Research shows that students show more improvement in school when they get regular updates on their progress and track their own data. Just being aware of where they are is motivational—games inherently contain systems that instantaneously update users on their progress.
Games Encourage Users to Try, Try Again:
In a school setting, many students give up after a few attempts at understanding a concept. However, I’m sure that you can think of examples of children trying the same level in a game dozens of times until they succeed in leveling up. The level of engagement in games provides for a distraction from the frustration levels that they would be experiencing.
Games are Scaffolded:
Most games are designed so that it is impossible to move to the next level without mastering the last. This means that if a user is not naturally gifted at a certain level, they have to put in time and effort to get better before they can move forward. The same is true for learning. According to research by Carol Dweck, effort and having an optimistic mindset are better predictors of what someone can learn than natural ability.
Games are Rewarding:
I think that most of us can say that we are motivated by winning. Students are definitely engaged by competition, and according to The New Science of Learning, attention is absolutely necessary for learning. Wanting to win is a great way to focus attention. There are also collaborative games where everyone works together to meet a goal in order to win—these are great for students who may not have a natural advantage over others.
Games Give a Sense of Agency:
In order to stay motivated, one must have a sense of agency—the feeling that they have control over their lives and can influence change. Games require and give opportunity for choices. There is a direct cause-and- effect relationship over what the user decides and what happens in the game. The user can also choose an avatar that they feel truly represents themselves so they identify with what they are doing.
Games Encourage Critical Thinking Skills:
In order to make the best decision in a game, the user must consider all of the factors at play simultaneously in order to make a quick decision that will have instant consequences. Even though they are in a situation that is new to them, they base this decision off of knowledge that they have from various experiences, predictions they have made, and overarching goals that they have. They are thinking critically.
As research emerges, more and more educational games are appearing in classrooms and on well-reputed educational websites. Stay tuned for more blog entries about this as I explore different games that are currently available for k-12 education!