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Running head: GAME-BASED LEARNING

Game-Based Learning in Education


Julia Warner
Graduate Student, University of Nebraska at Kearney

GAME-BASED LEARNING

Thinking back to my early years in school I had many great teachers and learned
the skills needed to succeed in life. However, if you asked me what is my favorite
memory from my elementary years I would have only one answer: The Oregon Trail. In
fact, if you asked any individual who attended a Nebraska elementary school in the
1990s I can guarantee that they would have the same fond memories. The Oregon Trail
was a computer game that was created to teach students what it was like to be a pioneer
on the Oregon Trail during the 19th century. While the concept seems simple in our
modern day world of technology, this was a game that shaped my learning and left a
lasting impression on my educational memories. The Oregon Trail was only the
beginning of the game-based learning trend. Many teachers, schools, and districts have
embraced the gaming trend that has swept our youth, and incorporated game-based
learning into their classrooms. With its lasting impact on students, I believe that gamebased learning will continue to be dominant in our K-12 schools in the coming years.
According to recent research, 97% of kids ages 12 to 17 play some form of digital
game each week. Out of that 97%, half of those kids play a digital game daily
(Schaffhauser, 2013, pg. 1). My own first grade students are already fascinated by
Minecraft and cant wait to play it, read Minecraft handbooks, or even show off their
newest Minecraft lunch box. With these kinds of statistics it is hard to ignore the impact
that games can have on our students and their learning. Many teachers are starting to
realize the impact game-based learning can have on their students and are slowly
beginning to integrate it into their daily routines. I am witnessing this current trend at my
own elementary school, and it makes me beyond excited that teachers are willing to

GAME-BASED LEARNING

embrace the gaming trend, instead of pushing it to the side for more traditional practices.

Many teachers who are embracing the game-based learning trend are learning
many of the benefits that it can have for both teachers and students. First, as teachers we
spend endless hours grading homework and providing feedback to our students. In
digital games the students are provided with almost immediate feedback (Knightly, 2013,
p. 28). This can be essential as students are learning new skills and are beginning to
work independently. This helps teachers as they do not need to be side-by-side with a
student at all times to be sure that they are performing their skills in the correct way.
Also, when using games, students will voluntarily do harder problems and more work
than they would on a traditional worksheet or activity (Knightly, 2013, p. 18). I see this
in my own classroom, as students are more willing to try math problems that stretch them
out of their comfort zone if it is part of a digital game. Not to mention, during one game
a student may answer fifty math questions, when their worksheet may only have them
answering fifteen.
As stated by Jessica Trybus, Learning doesnt mean rote memorization-it means
acquiring the skills and thought processes needed to respond appropriately under
pressure, in a variety of situations (2014, pg. 5). Game-based learning provides us with
this opportunity in education. When students are engaged in digital games they are going
beyond memorizing facts and reproducing them onto a worksheet. Students are
connected with the learning process and learning to use their skills to prepare to face realworld challenges (Trybus, 2014, pg. 6). This is what we need more of in our classrooms
today! It should be our ultimate goal as teachers to prepare our students for the world in

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front of them. Mindless worksheets, note taking, and quizzes will not get them there, but
game-based learning will.
Game-based learning has made many significant advances in education in the
years past. The Oregon Trail was just a glimpse at the power a game could have in the
classroom. Teachers cannot deny that games are a significant part of their students lives
and they offer a way to challenge them and provide feedback instantly. Most importantly,
game-based learning is helping to prepare our students to face the real world problems
ahead of them. It is giving them a true learning experience that teachers cannot always
provide. With these undeniable facts, it is obvious that game-based learning will play a
prominent role in education for many years to come.

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References

Knightly, S. (2013). Game-based learning: Dont eat the chocolate coated broccoli
(PowerPoint slides). Retrieved from
https://drive.google.com/a/blairschools.org/folderview?
id=0B0furo7_ulDCNHFmMGluVGFwNWM&usp=sharing#.
Schaffhauser, D. (2013). Will gaming save education, or just waste time?. The Journal.
Retrieved from https://drive.google.com/a/blairschools.org/folderview?
id=0B0furo7_ulDCNHFmMGluVGFwNWM&usp=sharing#.
Trybus, J. (2014). Game-based learning: What it is, why it works, and where its going.
New Media Institute. Retrieved
from https://drive.google.com/a/blairschools.org/folderview?
id=0B0furo7_ulDCNHFmMGluVGFwNWM&usp=sharing#.

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