“I’m so smart!” screams Susan during science class.
“Wait, how’d you do that?” another student asks her.
“OK, what level are you on?”
This is the sound of authentic engagement – an elusive, tantalizing goal for any teacher when designing lessons. But why are these students so engaged? In this case, they’re playing video games. Now, it’s fairly obvious to anyone who’s seen a student play a video game that this is a great way to capture students’ interests and pique their curiosities. But are the video games really teaching kids anything useful?
Educators and administrators across the country have used game-based learning to connect with difficult to reach students, present complex concepts, and provide professional development opportunities to educators. Not only do game-based learning programs provide a productive and engaging digital experience for district-wide hardware implementations, they also provide an environment where students can demonstrate a new form of literacy – games literacy.
Why Game-based Learning
When games are used in the classroom, educators noticed that students are no longer afraid to take risks. Instead of worrying about finding the correct answer, students are more willing to explore, try, iterate, and fail as they make their way to a successful outcome. Their familiarity and literacy with games as a medium provides them an accessible, supported environment to try new things. Through this process, students are building 21st-century skills while mastering complex concepts.