Computer games can motivate young people to learn

Citation

(2005), "Computer games can motivate young people to learn", Education + Training, Vol. 47 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/et.2005.00447bab.008

Computer games can motivate young people to learn

Computer and video games can motivate children and young people to learn, according to a report from Ultralab and the Learning and Skills Development Agency (LSDA). The report, based on a review of research literature, provides plenty of evidence to show that the alleged “addictive” nature of computer games and simulations can be used to help learners to work towards educational goals. Although it is often suggested that computer games are bad for children because they have a negative impact on academic performance as they consume valuable homework time, the report, a study of the available research evidence, uncovered positive as well as negative messages about computer games.

The conclusions, published in The Use of Computer and Video Games for Learning, suggest that games that entice people to win or achieve a goal can be useful learning tools, particularly for subjects such as numeracy and literacy, foreign languages, sciences and business administration. Games are also useful for teaching scientific or mathematical concepts that may otherwise be hard to visualize or manipulate. Action and adventure games, in particular, can be used for industrial training as they help to develop thinking and spatial awareness.

Computer games, used as learning tools, can:

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  engage young people (and adults) who may lack interest or confidence in learning;

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  deal with different levels of challenges that allow learners to progress;

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  reduce the time spent by teachers in training or instruction by offering opportunities for practice;

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  give instant feedback in a safe environment;

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  help to teach manipulation of objects;

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  help to improve skills in literacy and numeracy – educational games have been produced that have had positive results in helping poor readers to make progress;

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  help to develop skills in visualization, experimentation, creativity, manual dexterity, strategic and tactical decision making; and

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  help to develop critical thinking, problem-solving and decision-making skills.

But teachers need to be wary, as learning objectives may not be the same as game objectives and the competitive element can distract people from learning. To be effective, educational games must be well designed and pitched at the right level. Games that are too easy or too difficult can fail to motivate and games that take a long time to play can cause problems with timetabling, the research suggests.

Jill Attewell, LSDA research manager, said: “Computer games can be a useful learning aid and their full potential has not yet been fully realized. There is evidence of positive benefits ranging from helping people to improve their literacy and numeracy, to developing complex skills that combine physical dexterity with advanced problem-solving. However, to be effective, educational games need to be carefully designed and deployed to appeal to, and meet the needs of, specific learners, taking into account their abilities, preferences, learning objectives and the context in which they are learning.”

The Use of Computer and Video Games for Learning, by Alice Mitchell and Carol Savill-Smith, is available free from: Information Services, LSDA, Regent Arcade House, 19-25 Argyll Street, London W1F 7LS. Tel.: þ44 (0)20 7297 9123; E-mail: enquiries@LSDA.org.uk.