By Karan Baweja
Game-based learning (GBL) stands to revolutionise education by seamlessly merging the engaging world of games with innovative teaching, not just gamifying learning but edu-flying games, fostering cognitive skills and emotional well-being through challenges, collaboration, and adaptive technology, making it a holistic approach for the 21st-century educational landscape.
First, game based learning is the edu-fication of games, rather than the gamification of learning. This fixes games by making them positive and is much more effective than intrinsic gamification rewards.
Games often present challenges and obstacles to students that require critical thinking and problem-solving. Students, while immersed in gaming scenarios, develop the ability to analyse situations, strategize, and make decisions, thereby honing their problem-solving skills. Inherently fun and competitive, games make learning an enjoyable experience. This captures students’ interest, motivating them to actively participate and invest time in their studies, positively influencing their attitude towards learning. Multiplayer and collaborative aspects of educational games encourage teamwork and communication. Students learn to collaborate, share ideas, and collectively solve problems, fostering a sense of community and improving their cognitive abilities through social interaction.
Games are designed with built-in repetition and reinforcement mechanisms. This aids in the retention of information and the ability to recall facts. The interactive nature of GBL facilitates a deeper understanding of concepts, ensuring that knowledge is not just temporarily memorised but comprehensively understood.
Game-based learning often evokes emotions such as excitement, curiosity, and satisfaction. These emotional engagements contribute to a positive learning environment, helping students form a connection with the subject matter and creating lasting impressions.
From a technology perspective, game-based learning platforms can incorporate adaptive learning algorithms that adjust the difficulty level based on individual student performance. This personalised approach ensures that each student is appropriately challenged, promoting continuous cognitive development. Allowing students to progress at their own pace and explore topics that align with their interests, this customization empowers learners, giving them a sense of control over their educational journey, ultimately positively impacting their emotional well-being.
Lastly, it helps children understand and deal with failure. Failure is an inherent part of gaming, and GBL provides a safe space for students to fail without the fear of academic consequences. This helps in cultivating a growth mindset, where students perceive challenges as opportunities to learn and improve, fostering resilience and perseverance.
The author is the Founder of upsurge.