Parents and teachers often think of video games as competition for learning. After all, students never argue for less screen time and more homework time.
However, the more we learn about gamification and its impact on the brain, the more we see its usefulness as a learning tool. Video games have a surprising number of benefits as a pedagogical tool and might fit into your math, history, or English lessons more naturally than you think.
8 Cognitive Benefits of Video Games
When people think of video games, they often picture players zoning out and not interacting with others or thinking critically for hours at a time. However, research has debunked this image many times, and in many instances, the opposite has proven true: According to a review of decades of research, video games can actually boost students’ learning skills and create new avenues for social interaction.
Here are eight ways video games can benefit students’ cognitive abilities:
- Coordination: Video games involve detailed and sometimes complex visual and audial stimuli. Unlike when watching videos, players don’t just passively take in these stimuli; they have to move and react to what they see on the screen, giving them a chance to practice their coordination skills. And with advances in motion tracking and virtual reality, video games increasingly have the ability to encourage players to move their whole body to advance through a game, creating opportunities for exercise as well.
- Problem-solving skills: Video games are rich with puzzles, challenges, and rules and limitations players must work through to reach their goals. Students often don’t even realize they’re exercising problem-solving skills because they’re so immersed in the game and focused on winning—a persistence teachers don’t always see in the classroom.
- Memory enhancement: Video games require players to exercise their working memories. To succeed in most games, students must remember the game’s rules, controls, objectives, and (in story-based games) details about settings, characters, plot, and more.
- Improved focus: There’s no question that video games are great at holding people’s attention. Although it’s not easy to replicate the addictive nature of games, students can learn good motivational principles from them. For example, can students create a study reward system for themselves where they earn points or abilities based on time spent or skills mastered?
- Effective learning tool: As discussed above, more and more research is finding that video games can be a great pedagogical tool thanks to the principles of gamification. The next few sections will discuss how you can use video games to teach a variety of subjects.
- Speeds up brain function: As mentioned above, video games are full of visual and audial stimuli that players must take in, interpret, and react to, often in a fraction of a second. Studies show that video games can train people to react more quickly without sacrificing accuracy.
- Multitasking skills: Many games require players to monitor multiple issues simultaneously, such as their avatar’s health and inventory, time limits on a level or task, and possible incoming challenges or threats.
- Social skills: This skill benefits most from adult supervision because students can easily get caught up in the heat of the moment. When done correctly, video games can help players socialize as they learn to work in teams, participate in healthy competition, and bond over shared in-game experiences.
More Ideas for Integrating Tech in Your Classroom
Video games are just one of the many tech- and game-based tools teachers can take advantage of in the classroom. Today’s students have grown up playing video games and engaging with the world through technology; when educators can meet students where they are, it can make for powerful, memorable learning experiences.