The world has witnessed a steady increase in video games in the past three decades. Some have been integrated into education, stirring the debate: Is gaming the future of education?
Gaming in Education
A survey in the UK revealed that over 80% of kids aged between 12 and 15 played video games. These findings invited a debate on whether schools can integrate video games into education as a learning aid. What impact will this transition have on education? Will it replace conventional learning methods? How about getting into these details as they explore the pros and cons of the transition?
In March 2022, Twitch became the most popular gaming streaming site, with a record high of over 72 million hours. The ripple effect was gamers carving out lucrative careers on the platform by earning an income from their streams.
In the digital age, social media has become an integral part of our lives, influencing how we interact, entertain ourselves, and even learn.
How Can Schools Introduce Gaming?
Video game developers have leveraged the opportunity to tap into education as a potential market for their products. Schools have embraced the idea, inviting questions about its safety and effectiveness.
Schools can include gaming in their curriculum in these ways:
Classroom Gaming
Playing games in the classroom is not a strange thing. Over the years, teachers have depended on games as a significant part of teaching. Games have been resourceful in keeping the learners engaged.
However, there is more to gaming than what we see. Gaming has been linked to learners acquiring technical skills. It also encourages learners to strengthen their problem-solving skills.
Gaming as a Lunchtime Club
Other schools have embraced gaming as a lunchtime club and encouraged learners to engage in interschool competitions. These interactions have fostered the need for conversations about reliable online essay writing service providers.
Positive Impacts of Introducing Gaming in Education
Outlined below are the benefits of incorporating gaming into education:
Improved Problem-Solving Skills
Gaming improves a learner’s technical skills. It also enhances their digital competence since the learner is immersed in the ever-evolving gaming industry. Incorporating gaming into education is also an opportunity for learners to sharpen their technical skills.
Improved Creativity
Video games rely on the player to exercise their creativity when moving from one level to the next. As a result, the player’s competence and ability to comprehend what is going on before making the next move is tested. Doing this stretches their thinking and creative skills.
Improved Social Activity
Gaming prompts the learner to improve their communication skills, especially when teamwork is required. It also fosters a more relaxed environment for learners to sharpen their social skills. The learner can better form meaningful connections since they interact with like-minded individuals.
A Fun Learning Experience
Gaming fosters a better attitude towards education since it entails using non-conventional learning methods. Students are likely to understand a concept better if the teacher incorporates elements in gaming since the process is also engaging.
Negative Impact of Gaming on Education
Like any good thing, several adverse effects are associated with introducing gaming in education. Even though most of them can be contained, it is crucial to note that they pose a significant risk to the learners if not well contained. They include:
Cyberbullying
Exposing learners to online games puts them at risk of being cyberbullied. Even though, on most occasions, the learners are the victims, in other instances, they are the perpetrators of the vice.
As a result, it is crucial always to have a member of staff or technician supervising the students as they play. The supervisor should also go through the in-game chats to ensure that the conversations being held there are appropriate.
Gaming Addiction
Did you know gaming addiction is also a concern? Playing video games can also be addictive, and feeding the habit could have dire consequences. For instance, getting addicted to playing video games could easily eat into your social life. You are less likely to have the motivation to engage in the activities that used to make you happy.
Getting addicted to video games could also work against the gains made in introducing video games in class as a strategy to help students understand concepts better. A learner addicted to video games is less likely to stay focused and understand a concept being delivered using video games.
Moreover, when learners get addicted to playing video games, they are less likely to grasp the educational value of gaming in class. Therefore, as a teacher, you are advised to limit the time you let your learners spend playing video games. It is also vital to foster a balance between gaming and other learning activities and modes.
As a supervisor, you should observe how learners respond when asked to stop playing video games. Their attitude will determine if they are beginning to get too hooked on playing video games to the detriment of their academics.
If you encounter learners who struggle to keep up with gaming as a learning tool, encourage them to seek secondary options to supplement their education. For instance, they could explore academic service providers that allow one to hire essay writer services.
Perpetuating Violence
Some games can be graphic and include violent content. Moreover, letting the learners play video games means anyone outside the school network can join them in the game, putting them at risk.
Therefore, to combat this situation, having a supervisor in the online game’s live chat is advisable to monitor all the participants and their activities.
Having the supervisors and teachers go through the video game to ensure it is age-appropriate is also crucial.
They should install parental controls to prevent learners from interacting with random strangers online to minimize the risk of getting cyberbullied.
In Conclusion
Integrating gaming into education has promising results. It is also a chance to break away from the norm that is conventional learning methods. However, it is vital to adequately research the pros and cons before adopting it. It is also important to note that it should be introduced with moderation since the sudden shift can result in overreliance, especially by learners.
