Guest Post Written by Emily Johnson
Video games are brilliant—we all know it. In fact, there’s actually an argument to make that the video game industry is not only a worthy pursuit but a downright meaningful one as well. So why aren’t school boards jumping on the bandwagon to improve your productivity?
As fervently as teachers and parents will advocate for music, sports, and arts programs, why is it that schools seem more interested in cutting back than full-on embracing what seems like a surefire way to keep students engaged, awake, and learning?
10 Reasons You Should Make Video Games Part of Your School:
For many kids, though, video games aren’t just something to do for fun or something to do when they get bored; they’re also a great way to learn new things. These are the 10 best reasons why we should be using video games in schools more widely:
- Learn More Efficiently:
Video games are a great way to learn – They can teach us new things and make it easy to understand complex ideas, especially when compared to textbooks.
- Strong Memory:
They can help in developing our memory – We can learn many facts by playing video games. It improves our concentration and this is true for both children and adults.
- Development of Motor Skills:
It is highly effective for us to develop our motor skills (our ability to control the movements of our bodies) – Video games use movements that we have not done before in real life, which makes them good for developing this kind of skill.
- High Satisfaction Level:
These games do make us feel more satisfied after completing them – This is a feeling that is not common with other types of schoolwork. They get a sense of accomplishment from being successful at something difficult.
- More Learning Opportunities:
Video games can be educational and can teach things not easily found in textbooks. If a teacher wants to teach about the radioactive compounds of Beryllium and Boron, for example, he or she can create a game that requires students to collect gems as they fight their way through a world where these elements are common.
- Helps in Strategical Thinking:
Computer games often force players to think strategically, work cooperatively and solve problems creatively – all considered vital 21st-century skills – making them a natural fit in the classroom.
- Effective Learning:
Video games often motivate kids to learn more effectively than conventional teaching methods do. The game may start off giving you hints when you’re stuck, but after a while, you figure out how to solve new problems on your own—and then the game stops giving hints! It’s like magic!
- Inexpensive Resource of Learning:
Many video games are free or relatively inexpensive, which means schools wouldn’t have to shell out lots of money for new software or hardware for each student to utilize in the classroom.
- Immediate Results:
Electronic games offer immediate feedback and instant gratification. Students can see the positive results of their actions immediately, rather than waiting for a grade to eventually come in the mail.
- Master to Handle Difficult Situations:
Gamers are motivated to master difficult material quickly so they can move on to the next level or advance their character in the game world (something they couldn’t do if they just read a textbook or listening to lectures). Games can be used as educational tools across the curriculum, whether students are learning social studies, history, math, science, or any other subject matter.
“Video games have no educational value.” This is a statement that is constantly being said, but it isn’t true. Video games can be used in a number of ways to increase the skills and knowledge of the player. Here are some examples:
- Enhances hand-eye coordination.
- Strengthens eye-hand coordination.
- Greatly enhances depth perception.
- Helps to improve reflexes
- Increases problem-solving skills
- Improves creativity
- Greatly enhances spelling
- Helps boost reading comprehension
- Improves math skills
- Increases general knowledge
Good grades are never easy, especially if you are a student and have so many different commitments outside of school. Electronic games may seem like a waste of time but they can actually be a great idea, especially if you want your kids to stay focused in class.
Conclusion:
So, there you have it, 10 reasons that video games can be great in the classroom, largely because they are just so engaging. Having said this, there are still some concerns around the use of video games in the classroom (for example kids will just play mindlessly rather than properly learning, teachers don’t know how to use them, etc.). However, with time and more people understanding what games can provide for education, it is likely that these concerns will become less and less relevant
Author’s Bio:
Emily Johnson is a charismatic Educationist who has been working in the field of education for the last 15 years. She started writing seriously when she discovered how much fun and helpful it is to write. Now writing is her full-time profession.
