how playing games develops our brains

Play allows young children to use their creativity while simultaneously developing their imagination, dexterity, and physical, cognitive, and emotional strength.

It’s through play that children engage and interact in the world around them from a very early age. However, this play as toddlers develops into gaming as we become early teenagers and adolescents. Because of this cerebral development through playing games, there’s an educational approach that motivates students to learn by using video game design and game elements in learning environments — or gamified learning.

A common feeling among teenage students is that they are not learning for themselves but “because they have to”. This is due to a lack of feeling of autonomy and is difficult to solve completely. However, applying gamification to their education can help them feel more in control and independent.

Important video game elements called “game mechanics” can also help the trial-and-error aspect of learning which leads to mastery. These mechanics involve scoring points, completing levels, achieving prizes, being under time pressure, and then feedback — all elements found in both education and gaming. When you gamify learning, the student feels that even though (s)he makes mistakes, progress is continuous, like a platform game.

When gaming, you’re never punished when you fail or make a mistake, otherwise they simply wouldn’t be fun to play. Even if you fail to rescue the princess the first time, you’ll receive some experience (progress) and you can try again immediately. You’re just on your way to mastering.

This is the philosophy that gamified learning wants to employ with young people. It’s not so much about trying, failing, and getting a big red X, but trying again and again, using the progress you make to finally achieve the goal independently.

Nowadays, there are an increasing number of available apps to download which provide gamified versions of Maths, English, Music, History, Geography, and the sciences — lookout for names like TEDEd, Coursera, Udemy, Blinkist, or SoloLearn.

Couple all these with the rapid expansion of technology, and teachers can easily present a lesson at the front of the classroom through their interactive displays, using a quick summative quiz which the class can complete together. This allows for students to interact with their learning, and it can provide the teacher with a quick, up-to-date idea of student progression and their understanding of a particular topic.

The presence of technology in the classroom can make it easier to engage all learners just by streamlining the process of adapting tools and activities. Pre-loaded gamification tools can make it easier to use the theory behind games to capture students’ interests and help make education stick.

The healthy competition and group collaboration aspects can encourage team-working and resilience — key skills for employability as we move into a changing future. What’s more, just like Fortnite or Call of Duty, learning may become addictive!