How gaming can help students with their learning

As the summer holidays approach, the thought of our kids locked into their screens for hours is an understandable worry. Gaming has become one of the most popular hobbies of young Australians, and it’s likely that many students will be spending their free time playing video games.

Modern games have become more than mindless entertainment, and for most gamers, deliver an extra level of enjoyment and reward over other leisure activities. While gaming has traditionally been linked with negative effects on children, studies suggest that gaming has a lot to offer students and learning.

The downsides of gaming

By design, video games provide fun experiences, a safe space to fail, and immersive worlds to get lost in. Beating enemies, solving puzzles, or completing challenges, players get rewarded with upgrades, tokens, and treasure, and this feeling can be addictive and give gamers a false sense of achievement.

At times this engaging nature is exploited by game publishers to convince players into spending more money. Features like microtransactions and chance-based loot boxes simulate gambling and can even resemble slot machines, and without guidance younger gamers are more at risk of developing problem behaviours.

For the majority of younger Australians, playing video games is not just a personally rewarding activity but a common way to socialise and feel connected to others online. However, online games, especially competitive ones like esports, can be environments of stress and aggression, and it’s not uncommon for children to experience cyberbullying in online gaming.

What are the upsides?

For many of the same reasons it can be addictive, gaming can also be an asset for young minds and learning.

Exploring and navigating challenges in virtual 3D worlds, players grow their spatial awareness, reaction speed, and hand-eye coordination. Together with the critical thinking and problem-solving that is called upon across video game genres, this is a fantastic way for students to develop their cognitive skills and brain power.

Within the context of popular online video games like Minecraft, younger gamers are at an even greater advantage. The social nature of these games often requires teamwork and effective communication to be successful, which provides an accessible and fun way to practise interpersonal skills. Unsurprisingly most teenagers and younger Australians already see gaming as a purely social activity, and almost 1 in 3 gamers have made friends just by playing games.

What are some good games that combine fun and learning?

While not all games are student-friendly or appropriate for younger audiences, there are plenty of titles that are good for both fun and student learning.

Sid Meiers Civilization

Platform: available on PC & Mac OS

Genre: strategy

Ages: suitable for year 7-12 students

Learning: creativity, logical thinking, and historical/social studies

This series of top-down strategy games puts players in charge of real-life civilisations as they make decisions on politics, research, and allocating resources. Through their successes and failures, students can develop their multi-tasking, game theory, and resource management skills, all within a historical setting.

Journey

Platform: available on iPhone, Playstation 3, Playstation 4, & Windows OS

Genre: adventure/story

Ages: suitable for year 5-12 students

Learning: literature studies, social & emotional learning

Stunning art and easy-to-learn mechanics invite students into the moving story of this adventure game. Exploring complex themes like life, death, and partnership through metaphors and world-building, the game is an excellent example of media writing and literature for students to study.

Crazy Gears

Platform: iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch

Genre: puzzle/educational

Ages: suitable for year K-3 students

Learning: critical thinking, science

This STEM-themed game asks players to find different ways to connect a ball and chain by building simple machines with different tools and parts. Through experimentation and trial and error, children engage with basic physics concepts like gravity, friction, and tension.

Scribblenauts Remix

Platform: Android, iPad, iPhone, Kindle Fire, & Windows

Genre: puzzle/educational/platformer

Ages: suitable for year 5-8 students

Learning: creative & critical thinking, English-language skills

This side-scrolling adventure combines simple challenges with word-based problem-solving. With the ability to spell out objects and make them appear on screen, players solve different puzzles. With colourful animations and unique scenarios, the game allows kids to practise their vocabulary and creative side.

Roblox

Platform: PC and Mac OS

Genre: game design

Ages: suitable for year 3-12 students

Learning: coding, collaboration, creativity, collaboration, design

Roblox is a game creation platform where users can create, share, and play their own 3D games with friends and followers online. Using simple templates and a kid-friendly coding language called Lua, this platform allows students to express their creativity and programming skills and see them come to life.

So should students be gaming?

Like most things that are enjoyable, the key is moderation. By helping them get the right balance between screen time, physical activity, and their responsibilities, parents can ensure their time in front of video games is more beneficial and educational.

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