Video games in education

Video games can be used in educational settings.Video games can be used as an alternative to a classroom setting while still maintaining levels of difficulty that foster learning.

If a game is successful, gamers will take the time to develop knowledge about all aspects of the game, and the game will be played for a long time with great attention to it. The main goal of the developers is to create a game that will capture the attention of the player in such a way that he or she will want to keep playing and learning through the process of play.

In a traditional classroom model, it is typical for the teacher to stand in front of the class and lecture the students. Since students will learn at different speeds, it is possible that some students will be held back or left behind because of the pace of the class. In addition, while the teacher is engaging the class, he or she is not specifically engaging any particular student. It can be easy for students to get lost in their thoughts and disconnect from what is going on in class.

Video games tend to be more engaging; instead of providing information over an extended class period, games provide small amounts of information at relevant stages. Moreover, video games will provide the information that is actually needed for that junction within the game, whereas this may not be the case in a classroom setting. Many games also involve varying levels of problem solving, requiring an active mind to achieve the completion of a goal. It is traditionally considered optimal for a game to provide gameplay that is doable but challenging enough that the player must work at its completion. Because games follow this model, they create a certain degree of frustration in the player; however, this does not deter them from wanting to play, instead giving them more motivation to continue play and improve their skills. To get the full benefit from this, many games allow players to adjust difficulty levels and allow them to achieve varying levels of mastery over the game. After the player has achieved mastery over the game at a certain difficulty level, they can increase the difficulty setting and receive further challenges.

An example of how a video game can provide information gradually is found in the God of War series. In the beginning of the game, the player character has full access to all the powers and upgrades available in the game, enabling the player to develop basic skills. After a short period of time, all of these helpful characteristics of the avatar are taken away; but the player will periodically be rewarded with new equipment or powers, either from experience of playing well or from reaching a certain point in the game. These new items can be used to achieve success later in the game. A gamer who wishes to master the game would need to learn to utilize all of the upgrades that they are given. By giving the gamer upgrades periodically after a string of successes, the game holds the attention of the gamer, encouraging them to keep playing. Meanwhile, the player can learn to use each piece of equipment individually and become stronger in using it.

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Wikipedia