Are social games helping students perform better?
By Richha Bhatnagar
Looking to understand a concept in mathematics or some other subject? Struggling to comprehend what your textbook is trying to tell you? Just take a break and play games. Yes, now you can log on to any online website that provides game-led learning.
Using gaming techniques to explain concepts seems to be the latest fashion in education. The world of ‘Gamination' helps kids understand better through visual methods rather than conventional methods of learning. A lot of fun-filled games enhance learning skills and also keep you engaged. But such games should be used for constructive purposes. Audit and consultancy firm Deloitte has identified ‘gamification' amongst the Top-10 technology trends for 2012.
Read about Ashish Gupta, a third standard student in a Bangalore school messes up with fractions just like many other eight-year-olds who find it difficult to deal with fractions. One fine day his mother asks him to play an online game on a site recommended by her friends on facebook. The kid logs on to Classtopper.com where he plays a game on lookalike fractions. He tries to solve a fraction but gets confused and clicks on the wrong answer. Whereas, on Farmville and Angry birds sites, he tops the game and his score starts appearing on the page as well. Then he goes back to the Classtopper.com and reads the whole instruction asking him to count the number of equal parts, count the number of green parts, and so on. Such simplified approach to fractions finally leads him to learn and master the concept.
At a glance, fractions seem like a challenging task for students, but with the right lessons and practice games, not only do students learn but they also enjoy the process. Such educational games also help in managing depression amongst students.
In New Zealand, parents are reported to be showing interest in computers and video games as educational tools, so much so that several of them believe that some video games help their children understand technology, maths, science, planning, language, work, life and society in general. (Also read)
In 2010, the world of digital games has generated sales of over $25 billion. With gaming becoming popular, online education providers have picked up the trend and are looking to offer new ways of learning through fun-filled games. So now students can have fun as they learn and understand their educational lessons. Playing such games may help in enhancing the brain process, improving mental focus and self-regulation.
A week back, two IIT-Mumbai alumni -- Ashish Rangnekar and Ujjwal Gupta -- co-founders of BenchPrep have launched the first game-based GRE test preparation app for iPad, called GRE Score Quest. This application can be downloaded free from App Store. (Read more)
Ashish Rangnekar told Economic Times that as soon as you attempt a question, the application will show you a scoreboard which will rank each kid, their school and country with the relevant focus on areas of improvement and it also evaluates the student's performance with his or her friends. It is a similar application like Angry Birds and Farmville.
Are social games useful as educational tools for better understanding or not? share your opinion here
Other interesting reads:
- Career Options in the Creative World of Gaming
- Look up for game design colleges
