Here’s Why Video Games Are Necessary For Students

Video games are undoubtedly one of the most popular mediums in the modern era, and the segment has seen exponential growth during the pandemic, where people were forced to stay indoors. As per an estimate, the global gaming industry will be valued at $268.8 billion annually by 2025, which is a significant jump from $178 billion in 2021.

But video games still aren't considered an important aspect of children's growth and are mostly been subjected to addictive mediums. However, there are several factors that can prove effective with the use of video games in classrooms. Here are a few reasons why video games should be considered in classrooms:

 

Gaming Keeps Students Engaged

A student, on average, spends only 60% of the time learning in a classroom. Extending school time to provide more time for learning has shown a significant impact. However, learning can be maximized with engaged time on task. If students are interested in a topic, they tend to be more curious about it.

Teachers can keep students engaged in a classroom, but for homework, they have to depend on other ways to keep the students motivated. Educational games can be developed to motivate students, providing them with more engaged time on task.

Feeding Complex Knowledge Through Gaming

It has been theorized that it's not possible to give knowledge to students; they construct knowledge in their minds. Learners dwell on previously learned concepts to construct higher-level knowledge and make it their own.

Students might have a hard time learning the periodic table of elements; however, learning a complex 3D matrix with 27,624 values has been done by students that play the popular game Pokémon. The game makes players figure out how to combine 17types of attack when fighting out with opponents.

Players do not learn the combinations by remembering a large table but by playing the game. With the help of gaming, students develop a deeper knowledge of the game. Although the game wasn't specifically developed as an educational game, its design principles can come in handy to amplify the educational experience of students.

Gaming Offers Unique Learning Experience

To build a strong workforce for the future, students need to learn creative problem-solving skills. There are a few games that require players to solve math problems in a fantasy setting. It can help students develop the skill of critical thinking.

There are games that allow players to act as civil leaders, which gradually makes them gain skills and knowledge with experiential learning that conventional methods of learning might not offer.

Helping Students Stay Close To Science

A survey has found that nations should have a strong STEM workforce for the future. One of the reasons students opt out of STEM is due to difficulty in introductory courses such as calculus. Researchers from the University of Oklahoma created a game that enabled students to succeed in calculus. Research suggests that student mastery of calculus gets better while using a purposeful learning game.

Learning From Mistakes

Games are one of the best ways to teach students to learn from their mistakes and take failures in a positive way and try again until they get the job done. Some games out there making losing more fun, which allows players to learn from their mistakes, fix them and move on.

Losing in a video game is something that makes it more engaging. Players might feel inadequate after losing in a game, but they can quickly re-spawn and work out different ways to get past the hurdle.