Gaming in the Classroom



Education games are a great way to engage students in learning. But there are both benefits and challenges that come with using educational games in the classroom. According to Roblyer & Hughes (2019), some benefits of gaming are that students can engage in problem-based learning, collaborative learning, and realistic environments. With problem-based learning, students can solve real-world problems and develop skills that they would not get with just instruction. They can also work with others around them and gain different ideas and perspectives. Some challenges, according to Roblyer & Huges (2019) are that students may focus more on having fun than learning, that there may not be a strong alignment to the curriculum and learning objectives and that learning may not be transferred outside of the game. If students are just having fun and not actually gaining knowledge from what they are doing or if they struggle with transferring what they learned outside of the game, then the learning objectives have not been met.

In my classroom, I did not use gaming for student learning. Any gaming that students engaged in was before class started and as extra practice for some of their other classes. Some instructional strategies that I have observed in the field are using gaming during small group centers as an enhancement to learning. Some strategies that we could use in the classroom to make gaming effective, are explaining the objectives and reviewing background knowledge with students prior to engaging in gaming. Then after students have been gaming, have class discussions about how they can apply what they have learned in the game to real life. This allows students to transfer knowledge and collaborate with each other further before moving on. Roblyer & Hughes (2019) suggest that students should know the correlation between game rules and objectives and that they should know how the knowledge and skills used in the game transfer outside of the game.

Gaming is inappropriate to use in an instructional setting if used in lieu of instruction. According to Nguyen (2021), games should not be a substitute for other forms of learning and should be used only if they match the objectives. Teachers should make sure that games are integrated thoughtfully in the classroom and used to enhance learning and not hinder it. Educational games used should match the curriculum and objectives.

References

Nguyen, H. P., (March 26, 2021). How to use gameplay to enhance classroom learning. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/how-use-gameplay-enhance-classroom-learning

Roblyer, M. & Hughes, J., (2019). Integrating educational technology into teaching: Transforming learning across disciplines (8th ed.). Pearson.


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