With 589 million viewers expected this year, educators need to pay attention. Games offer both teachers and learners a powerful learning resource.
Students involved in extracurricular activities, whether esports or traditional sports, often see their grades, attendance, and college admissions improve because they are more engaged in their schoolwork. This could be because they are invested and committed to their schoolwork themselves.
Stimulate Creativity and Critical Thinking
Esports (competitive computer gaming) has experienced considerable growth and professionalization in recent years. Esports not only develops cognitive and fine motor skills; it also cultivates social and communication skills, as well as media literacy, that will benefit students’ future careers.
Additionally, many games require players to think through situations and evaluate all available options to make informed decisions. This critical thinking exercise is part of the learning process and cultivates problem-solving skills that can be used later in life.
Encourage Active Learning
The challenges posed by games encourage players to think quickly and develop effective strategies, which are active learning techniques. Additionally, games encourage collaboration and teamwork by giving students opportunities to collaborate online to complete educational tasks.
Video games provide learners with a safe space where they can make mistakes without facing real-life repercussions. This can help students develop a growth mindset and become more resilient to failure, resulting in better performance in school and life.
Gamification, which involves incorporating game elements such as points, badges, and leaderboards into classroom learning activities, increases student motivation to learn while also enhancing achievement, social connection, immersive experiences, and the overall meaning of learning.
Promote Decision-Making
Video games present players with challenging scenarios that require rapid decision-making, training them to react quickly, assess risks, and develop strategies under pressure. These experiences have real-world applications.
Simulation games promote strategic thinking and planning, such as resource management, city building, and economic modeling. Team games also enhance communication and collaborative decision-making, building leadership skills and the ability to make effective group decisions.
Over time, gaming experiences can improve players’ problem-solving abilities, as shown in various studies and anecdotal reports.
Promote Collaboration and Teamwork
Gaming teams frequently form, fostering collaboration skills. Team members work together to achieve goals, solve challenges, and support one another. They also develop positive attitudes toward problem-solving and resilience when facing setbacks.
Online games connect players globally, enhancing their communication, collaboration, and computer skills. This global interaction can strengthen social relationships and prepare players for academic and professional environments.
However, it is important to balance gaming time to avoid the isolation that sometimes accompanies excessive solo play.
Promoting a Growth Mindset
Gamers are often hardworking individuals who thrive by learning from failure. Their ability to embrace challenges and persist through setbacks has been linked to better academic performance.
The concept of a growth mindset, popularized by Carol Dweck, suggests that individuals who believe they can improve with effort are more motivated and resilient. Gamers exemplify this mindset as they tackle challenges and strive for success.
Competitive video gaming has even entered some educational systems, combining traditional schoolwork with intensive video game training. Students who participate in esports and other extracurricular activities often achieve higher academic results, have better chances of attending college, and maintain healthier lifestyles.
