Gaming and education: how video games affect learning

The overlap of gaming and education in recent years has sparked debates among professors and educators concerned about the practical application of video games in educational processes. While some parents and researchers have been adamant in declaring gaming a serious distraction, others encourage students to consider gaming as an advanced learning tool of our century. Gaming for schools can become a potentially valuable innovation that redefines the reputation of video games, shifting from an entertaining distraction to a skill-building tool that enhances cognitive development. 

With conventional education models no longer capable of working successfully and long-term, teachers address the combined power of education and gaming to aid them. Where traditional education is not viable, gaming takes over, commanding attention and revolutionizing the field. However, most educators are faced with the same concerns and challenges such as excessive screen time and accessibility of unsupervised content. For those who want more meaningful insights into the future of gaming, hiring a professional essay writer to write my paper for me will help manage their schedule effectively and find the best educational games for self-development.

The benefits of gaming in education

Gaming education offers a range of benefits to students and educators who want to enhance student engagement with interactive elements:

• Enhanced engagement. Students have a short attention span and need to be engaged constantly, thus the need for engagement tools remains vital. Gaming emerges victorious where other educational strategies meant to capture the student’s attention fail miserably. It allows teachers to stabilize the learner’s attention and keep students focused for the duration of the class without incorporating traditional methods. Whenever they are combined, gaming and education provide an interactive way of learning for students who need to get the motivation to study and achieve new heights.
• Skill development. Another benefit of educational gaming is the fact that games with an educational edge help learners develop a whole range of useful attributes that can be later applied to real-world situations and classroom scenarios. These include problem-solving skills, logical reasoning, and instant decision-making. If you are someone who finds solace in playing strategy-based games on your computer, this, in turn, allows for cognitive enhancement and a critical thinking mindset that can be used in situations where you need to plan ahead, prioritize tasks, and organize study schedules without the help of productivity apps.
• Collaboration and teamwork. The process of selecting the best gaming consoles for students implies that you have someone you can play against using the said console. This ties into the narrative that gaming in education is incredibly beneficial for fostering long-lasting friendships. Games that require two players are the pinnacle of collaborative effort, allowing students to work as a team and develop communication skills as the game progresses. Moreover, multiplayer games are ideal for teaching collaborative problem-solving and cooperation skills.
• Personalized learning. If the AI-powered educational game is introduced to learners, this means the game’s smart tech allows it to monitor the player’s speed of reactions, gaming preferences, and learning speed. The platform then provides detailed feedback on the gaming experience with valuable suggestions on how to strengthen the weaker gaming spots and increase their learning speed effectively.
• Memory retention and cognitive skills. Recent reports suggest that prolonged exposure to gaming in education improves student productivity and increases memory retention. In other words, the learners enhance their cognitive functions, as strategy-based and puzzle games often require increased focus and recalling information down to the last detail. 
• Instant feedback and progress tracking. If you are used to playing educational games in real time, you know that most of the time, the game will provide you with immediate feedback on what you did wrong and how your outcome can be improved the next time you decide to engage. This instantaneous reciprocation and breaking down of what went wrong and what could be improved can help students learn from their mistakes as well as provide teachers with hands-on tools on how to deliver constructive criticism in gaming and education and remain responsive whenever students request homework help or need an additional explanation.  

Gaming in education: challenges and considerations

Despite there being numerous benefits of gaming in education, there are still certain challenges that need to be addressed before gaming starts being implemented in the educational sphere:

• Screen time management. Staying in front of the screen for a long time can result in negative health effects, including reduced physical activity. It is important to balance your screen time with quality time outside and other distractions.
• Content appropriateness. Despite there being tons of gaming content available, not all games are suited for students, especially those of middle school age. Parents need to double-check the gaming apps installed on their children’s phones to ensure no inappropriate content is downloaded. 
• Accessibility and digital divide. Not all students have a stable Internet connection required to successfully combine gaming and education. It falls to schools to resolve these issues and provide people from low-income areas with the necessary tools and equipment. 
• Distraction potential. Gaming implemented into a school curriculum does not always serve an educational purpose. Teachers should be careful not to let their students lean too much into the entertainment aspect of gaming to avoid distractions.
• Cost and resource allocation. If the educational games the schools are selecting truly belong to the high-quality category, then the establishments need to consider their budgets carefully before incorporating the said games into their schedules.
• Teacher training and implementation. No matter how popular the gaming and education approach is among younger students, some teachers are not familiar with the principles of gamified learning. Thus, training courses and proper education should be provided to instructors and mentors.

Educational games: notable games and platforms

Check out the most notable games and platforms that won the hearts of learners around the world with their straightforward approach and strategy-based interactive gaming options:

• Minecraft Education Edition. This is not your usual version of Minecraft the players have learnt to seek out and love no matter the complexity level or the amount of rewards promised. Minecraft Education Edition is a version of the mega popular game that has been specifically tailored to students in schools. It allows learners, from the very young to high school students, to embark on glorious trips and explore historical sites, solve math problems together with the world’s best math experts, and even discover the basics of coding programs online. 
• Kahoot. Kahoot is a learning program based around quizzes and challenges. It is highly competitive and encourages students to participate in competitions in real time to earn significant digital rewards as well as solve intricate puzzles and answer tricky questions together with other learners. 
• Prodigy. Prodigy stays true to its name and allows math enthusiasts as well as literal math prodigies participate in an adventure-based storyline as they combine their quest with challenges that include solving math problems and leveling up their analytical abilities. 
• Duolingo. The language-learning app that has now acquired an almost legendary status, Duolingo allows learners to turn the process of learning a foreign language into a game. The participants earn coins and lives with a free version available. Duolingo further gamifies the experience with daily challenges and rewards reserved for the most dedicated language learners that can compete with other students and look at scoreboards to know their progress. 
• Osmo. Osmo allows learners to take their gaming in education to the next, incredible level. It is a game that contains VR elements and immersive tools, with students interacting with real-life objects and tools on screen to create a personalized experience. 
• Brainpop. Brainpop is a great educational tool that uses vibrant colors and animated, engaging videos to teach students about math, history, and science in a way that feels more like elaborate storytelling than a tedious lesson that makes students drop the focus within minutes.
• Codecombat. Here, students will be introduced to coding essentials through a gaming lens. It is a perfect tool for learners too scared to approach the coding fundamentals from the perspective of traditional learning but still wanting to improve their coding skills, albeit in a more gamified and relaxed manner. 
• Dragonbox. Dragonbox was designed with younger audiences in mind. It is a complex series of math games that transform the process of learning algebra algorithms and geometry equations into a fun game where you can earn coins for the correct answers. 
• Kerbal Space Program. An innovative game for space explorers, Kerbal Space Program revolves around physics and the knowledge of outer space, allowing learners to construct their own spaceship from scratch and learn about astronomical discoveries and engineering as they are taught about exploring the further reaches of our galaxy.

Educational gaming and future trends in learning

The future of gaming remains bright and promising. Below, you will find some of the most popular emerging trends in educational gaming that you might need to watch out for:

• Virtual and augmented reality. VR and AR technologies can revolutionize the education sector by providing the players with a unique opportunity to recreate historical events and conduct science experiments in real time without having to leave the classroom or attend a lab with special equipment for the successful study conclusion. These tools offer a world beyond imagination that can be accessed with a few simple clicks and advanced VR software. 
• Artificial intelligence in gaming. AI in gaming allows students to have a more customized online experience, with AI tools adjusting the complexity levels based on the student’s average performance. AI in gaming can also provide learners with extensive reports on recommended improvements for even better outcomes.
• Esports in education. Esports offer a rewarding experience to students in a sense of teamwork and strategy as they help learners understand the foundations of collaborative efforts and what makes the decision-making process in a group truly successful. Competitive gaming can also teach digital literacy, shaping career pathways and offering job opportunities for dedicated gamers. 
• Blockchain certifications. Blockchain certifications can motivate students to enroll in educational gaming courses and earn real money while doing so. The courses entail participating in advanced learning programs and receiving digital coins for engagement. 
• Adaptive learning systems. AI-driven adaptive learning platforms will continue to improve content based on student engagement, performance, and preferences. These tools make education more effective and provide students with sufficient time to adapt to changes and transformations.
• Game-based assessments. Game-based assessments are a potential substitute for traditional exam evaluations where students are given grades based on their performance. The game-based assessment, at its core, examines the student’s decision-making and problem-solving skills and offers a grade based on these qualifications.

Conclusion 

Gaming remains one of the most beloved hobbies for students who want to achieve a perfect work-life balance and spend some time on recreation with an educational edge. Should video games be used in education? Gaming has perks that cannot be undermined by stereotypical thinking that refers to gaming as an entertaining distraction. It offers enhanced learning opportunities, innovative experiences, and personalized learning options allowing students to accommodate their pace and speed based on their individual preferences. In a world where attention spans continue to dwindle down and students need to stay focused no matter the circumstances, an immersive approach to education provided by online gaming guarantees they will stay invested and sufficiently engaged. How can games help students learn? By achieving the right balance between entertainment and education, gaming can serve as a powerful tool that will shape the future of learning.