Video games may be the key to the future of education. It may be helpful in facilitating learning for students.
According to Ed Tech, research suggests that students who are successful in playing video games can translate that to school. Apparently, students who played online games were able to get higher scores on standardized tests compared to students who spent a lot of their time on social media.
"When you play online games you're solving puzzles to move to the next level and that involves using some of the general knowledge and skills in math, reading and science," study author Alberto Posso on Business World Online said. One school, Quest to Learn (Q2L) has used its students' passion for video games to education while sticking to high learning standards.
The Q2L website reported that the average one-year rate of educational growth for an eighth- to 10th-grade is already at the same level with that of a college student. Some may think that it would be difficult to integrate video games in the classroom without chaos. However, games that focus on developing skills that students should learn can be of help.
"Minecraft: Education Edition" is slated for release on Nov. 1. It can be of great help to teachers who want to use gaming as a tool for learning.
Gaming can benefit students through personalized learning. It can also help them develop their creativity. One educator, computer science teacher Douglas Kiang at Punahou School, in Hawaii, has used gaming situations to understand his students' learning styles.
Video games can also be used to help students become proficient in reading. Games help motivate students to try their best to read and understand the words that are being used in the game.
Moreover, multiplayer online games are good for increasing communication and collaboration skills in students. It was also noted that the use of video games in the classroom created a climate of collaboration.
Making elementary and high school students adept at video games can help them land a scholarship at the University of California - Irvine. The school will be giving away 10 scholarships for students in its eSports team. UCI has also recently unveiled its eSports arena which is equipped with 70 high-tech gaming computers.
