The last two years were agonizing and had us stay at home. The entire world was shut down, putting a full stop to all businesses and education. People living across the world for the first-ever time had similar emotions and feelings because we all were going through the same. However, many of us, even almost everyone was depressed. Some lost their jobs, some their businesses, some grew stronger while others spent time playing games watching Netflix.
In effect, students showed great disinterest towards education because of distractions and the same old boring methodologies of teaching. They went for online class help and opted to pay someone to do online class. Meanwhile, the gaming industry and games witnessed a spike during the pandemic because games attract both, young and old. I wonder why educators never promote gaming in online classes to make them more interactive and effective.
Days passed and so did a semester with every student getting exceptional grades in exams leaving teachers to wonder the passing rate being unusual. Indeed, teachers were aware of the fact that these students got external online exam help from the internet or had someone to do online exams. Consequently, educators found a way to tackle and get themselves proctor exam tools but that did not affect the disinterest of students towards learning and education. Teachers had to develop strategies to grab students’ attention and make them participate in online classes. Out of many ways, one was to implement games in online learning to make online classes intuitive and interesting.
However, there are several reasons to incorporate games in online classes. The games not only make benefit online classes but also enhance students’ ability to adapt and learn. Let us see how games affect online learning and students;
Games Unleash Your True Potential
There is a thing among students and young that they need support to perform a task or do any job. However, the job can be done without any support, it is just a dilemma that makes them think they cannot. For instance, back in the days, there was this famous game “Prince of Persia”, full of objectives and hurdles, that required active cognitive and problem-solving skills. I used to watch YouTube tutorials on how to pass the mission even though I knew but I needed support and guidance to be sure and not waste time. Despite me being aware of the solution, I opted to get help from YouTube because of immature proximal development.
However, games enhance proximal development for learners to solve their problems without any guidance and ask for help for even the smallest problems. Moreover, the guide even gets overwhelmed with the learner asking the little things. As a result, it embarrasses both learner and educator. Therefore, promoting gaming among the learners will help them unleash their true potential of analytical, level-headedness, adaptability, and flexibility skills. Besides, not every game enhances the capabilities of the mind, many may become addictive and destroy the existing traits instead of enhancing them.
Games that are adventurous and full of puzzles having a great storyline build the emotional and cognitive skills of a learner. They tend to adapt to things quickly and are aware of many things than an ordinary student who has never played a game or barely does.
Topping Scoreboard of a Game or A Regular Quiz
As an educator, what do you think would students prioritize, either topping the scoreboard of a game or a regular quiz? Of course, the answer is the game, students will participate enthusiastically more in a quiz that is actually a game. The sense of competing in a game develops a passion among the students to beat other students.
Besides, the pandemic involved the people in gaming who were never interested in it. They found gaming as the solution to their isolation and depression. Game-based learning has become indispensable for educators to make online classes interactive. Also, quiz games increase the rate of students’ interest in academics and develop more understanding of the subject than ordinary quizzes.
Video Games Help Students to Stick With STEM
Many students tend to detract from science, technology, engineering, and math course due to their initial difficulty level. Courses such as calculus, differential equations, numerical analysis, etc. are quite bewildering for the students at the initial stage of any engineering or tech degree. However, games, primarily action games, enhance the neural processing of learners, improving their spatial skills.
In contrast, educators must develop games incorporating math and science to educate learners and help them succeed. Building games around STEM subjects to teach students basic concepts will eventually help students to stick with those courses. Indeed, not all games support STEM development, therefore, educators must think wisely before developing such games.
Gamers Are Try-harder
We all know the fact that how passionate gamers are about gaming. Despite having a streak of lost games, they will play it with the same affection. Consider an example of a pro gamer, who relentlessly fights other gamers to be on the top. He never gives up to prove that he is the best in the world.
Indeed, today’s learners lack the quality and easily give up at even a small failure. Consequently, seeks online class help from experts to take online classes and exams in order to ace the finals. Therefore, game-based learning has the potential to develop students in a manner that they face failure and try harder next time to achieve desired results.
Indeed, Games Engages Students!
The utmost disappointment in online learning is the disinterest in education and adapting different techniques to avoid online classes. The main concern was also the absenteeism of students during online sessions. It was quite hectic for teachers to direct students and call them to commit students in online classes. Well, most of the teachers found out their way with implementing different tech tools and altering the teaching methodologies. The objective is to make fun and engaging activities in the classroom.
However, I guess the easiest way to prompt students on taking online classes effectively is to introduce games in the classroom. These games can be in the form of quizzes consisting of leaderboards and points to score various rewards. The sense of competing in games incorporating educational and subject knowledge develops an interest in students in order to beat other students.
Moreover, studies show that tasks that interest students and are developed based on their desired environment tend to impose the desired engagement. High engagement is the byproduct of tasks that meets the standards of students. Besides, an average gamer spends more than 6 hours per week playing video games – Limelight Networks State of Online Gaming. Thus, the more time students spend gaming integrating education and learning the more they develop skills and interest in education. In addition, they get attracted to educators and respect their new ways of teaching.
Final Words
By all means, creating games that give an immersive learning environment with real-life scenarios and case studies promises sustainable development among the students. Games let students experience involvements beyond their reach. For example, role-playing games (RPG) and stimulating games that let you live your desired life. Students can utilize these games to learn more about their professional careers ahead.
In contrast, VR and AR video games can provide a mesmerizing and riveting experience of unreachable objects and the environment. Thus, students will eventually stop paying someone to do online classes and attend those active sessions.
