Educational Games

Gaming is a popular pastime for both adults and children and rather than being simply entertaining it can also provide challenging and educational opportunities. Gaming can be a highly productive activity, which tests and develops a lot of transferable skills and abilities and so with the power to stimulate learning and cognition, gaming can be used to motivate pupils to achieve educational goals. Many educational establishments are realising the potential of this way of learning and are striving to include it in their forward planning in computer studies and in other curriculum areas where it is applicable.

The main benefits of gaming in education are that learning, entertainment, and technology can work together and transform gaming into a wonderful tool for education and learning. In a world where technology plays a role in almost every aspect of daily life, digital literacy and technical skills are crucial skills for children. Video games have the benefit of getting players to see the digital world in an entertaining way, where learning is actually happening unconsciously. So, game-based learning helps players become self-reliant and learn how to use technology to solve problems and make their desired outcomes happen.

Students who enjoy gaming are also more able to overcome digital obstacles so that whether they need to know how a new software program works, how to edit documents and files, or how to find help with essay writing online, they are able to find a solution for many academic or educational challenges.

Many video games require the player to make decisions quickly and to move forward in a game they may need to use logic and strategic thinking. This encourages the development of critical thinking skills and resilience as the player needs to try different approaches until they succeed. These skills are essential in all areas of a pupil’s educational journey and can be transferred to a variety of subjects not just computer studies.

A great deal of the skills needed to do well in education is the ability to memorise information and it has been shown that gaming improves attention and memory capacity. One of the greatest things about gaming is that by putting players in a variety of circumstances, it needs them to remain constantly alert and focused, thus gradually improving their attention span and memory skills. These lifelong skills will be used not just during their school years but also as they move into employment.