Games have often been portrayed as a source that is fun. This is in fact true, games are a source of fun and entertainment. However, there is more to them that most people don't see. Games have been an effective tool within the education system as it has assisted children in absorbing the information at a more rapid pace due to them enjoying the aspect of learning rather then being bored and not having anything to look forward to. Stephen Slota (2014) states "their immersion and built in instruction can provide learning experiences not possible on the play ground".
I support this as games are not just made for non educational games, but in fact are made more and more everyday for educational reasoning. Most elements that are produced on games can not be successful in real life, so a child is gaining ideas and learning aspects out of the game as they are not able to construct this in real life. This can improve an individuals wellbeing as some games can also be direct meaning 1 on 1 allowing students to not feel overwhelmed on getting answers wrong and going at their own pace can assist the student in achieving more.
Also, Penny R (2018) states that online games do help children to "develop certain skills such as social skills, Recreational skills and Academic skills. I feel this effectively helps a child develop at their own pace as they feel they don't have to develop these skills in front of anyone but the more they play these games they are enhancing the learning aspects of social skills, Recreational skills and Academic skills. This could also be distinguished by socially helping children interact with peers assisting with communication skills leading to important aspects within a child's life such as self esteem.
As a future educator, I will without a doubt implement sources of gaming within my classroom. I feel gaming will not only be an enjoyable and fun aspect but it will give students a chance of growing by assisting them in developing skills of both learning and life skills that I think will be an effective asset in their lives. I agree with Stephen Slotas (2014) theory "games can serve as a valuable educational tool", establishing that games have come a long way within the educational system.
Reference
Penny, R. (2018). Games are fun and they help children learn. Paths to Literacy.
Retrieved from
Slota, S. (2014). Education through play:How games can help children learn.University of Connecticut. Retrieved from
Smartphone use can hinder children's reading skills, [image]. (2016, September 29). Retrieved from
Hi Allyssa,
I like the structuring of the blog which makes reading easy and clear, the introduction is very clear and introduce the topic really well. The body paragraph is really clear in stating your own opinion and showing the research that supports the opinion. I like the conclusion, which states your future ambitions by implementing gaming in the classroom.
A way to improve this by stating the negative effects of gaming in general or in the classroom which can also add what you can do in the future to avoid these problems.
- Gloria Zhao
Hi Allyssa,
You have shown great understanding and evidence on how games can be an effective tool within the education system. I agree with your point that games help develop certain skills. Some other things you could possibly include in your blog, could be your own experiences with educational games, both negative or positive; or if you’ve seen improvements in children’s learning or your own. You could also maybe give examples of educational games like Mathletics and Minecraft or other games children use in classrooms to enhance their learning.
Here’s a piece of literature you could use:
Beavis, C., Muspratt, S., & Thompson, R. (2015). 'Computer games can get your brain working': Student experience and perceptions of digital games in…