By Komal Emmanuel
Games are being used for educational purposes.Does’NT it sound fascinating? Not only for kids but for me as well. Some of the researchers reflected that games proved to be effective tool for learning. Advancement in technology is so rapid these days I think ten or twenty years from now people will not be able to breathe without technology. It is just an assumption rather than you can consider it myth or a joke.
However the fact cannot be denied at all that technology has both negative and positive aspects simultaneously so does the games.Studenrs achievement can greatly be enhanced by the use of games in the classroom. In today’s technology rich world we often see kids playing games on their ipads, cellphones, and computerps2s and so on. Kids love to play games so why not tap into that interest us a function in increasing student motivation to learn academic concepts?
Robert Marzan, a learning education researcher has observed that in more than 60 studied conducts by classroom teaches on an average using academic games in the classroom is associated with a 20 percentile point gain in student achievement.Inspite of the fact when evaluations were conducted the students expressed that the classrooms were a fun they did not even know that they are learning only for the teachers who incorporated games in learning. Last but not the least one of the middle school witnessed as the result of using game increased classroom participation, enchance understanding of concepts react in improved assessments.
In order to support my view point I have an example how games can be used in classrooms to make it an interactive class. The name of the activity will be WILL THE WINNER LOSE proved to be an extremely effective review games. Students are divided into teams. It totally depends on classroom size and dynamics. This is not a game of speed and than they are not racing to see who gives the answer first. As these teams are competing with each they will able to think critically. Each team is given a question and given time to come up with the answer. If they proved a correct answer each of the other team have an option to pick a correct or to pass. In the other teams pick a negative card and they lose point. The next team then is asked a question and then the game continues.
Furthermore one of the articles depicted that war video games proved to be beneficial in the history class where students able to understand their topics. Although these games has merits for education but I do not favor to use such violent games. As these games contains violence which will results in psychological disorders in students such as depression and aggression. One of a very famous game Grand theft auto was banned in many European countries due to its extreme violence. Despite of PG the government took an initiative to ban it as parents cannot always supervise their children to refrain them from playing these games.
But if we look at this perspective in the terms of Pakistan where students come from different backgrounds. Not all the students hold the same financial status. In addition some of them do not even have the clue how to use video games? I n this case situation prevails to be thought provoking. Their cognitive learning will not be to the level where they could think critically on spot regarding games. This problem can be solved if the stakeholders pay attention towards it and invest more money for providing students with initial games from grade 1.In this way they will learn how to play as well as increase their mental capabilities especially for those who do not has access to such luxurious. So, this method cannot b e implemented in P akistan.I am leaving you with a question is it right to use games as tool for learning in classrooms or not?
References: Education World Lesson Planning: Will the Winners Lose http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/03/lp321-04.shtml
Education World Lesson Planning: Will the Winners Lose http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/03/lp321-04.shtml
Think, Analyze & Share 
Games are very good trick to an gage students with the topic and their studies. Teachers can make their subjects and topics intresting fir the students by playing games with them or assign them. This is much helpful in the kindergarten education as at that age students love to play and the best learning they can get is by playing. As it is observed that chidren learn more in the play time as compare to the whole day. Teachers can introduce differnt concepts by playing games as for example my younger brother dent know the numbers wellthen we have started playing a game ludo with him which helped him learn the numbers how to add them as he started liking the game and use to play it daily for many times. So all in all it’s a good way of teaching and it really has a great beneficial outcomes.
Games turn out to be the most effective tool for learning. We can easily observe children interest more towards games as compared to those traditional boring lectures. Students are always attracted towards something fun, practical, colorful, social and playable. I totally agree and can understand the overload of too much information at one time. Students get frustrated with an overload of any new information.The fact that these games tapped into students interests and were able to channel it positively and excited them about learning is encouraging. As komal mentioned in the above post that technology has both negative and positive aspects, i would say that this mostly depends on its use. Games are the best tool for learning purposes if it is used in a productive way.
Games are an effective way to motivate students towards their studies. It also help the teachers to meet his objective by gaining productive outcomes from students. I agree with Komal that games on computers, laptops and i pads for educational purpose give effective results at kindergarten, middle and primary level. I would like to share my own example. I search a game related to my lesson plan on vertebrates and invertebrates. in this game their were many pictures of different animals moving in upper column and students were required to drag them in their correct boxes of vertebrates and invertebrates with in one minute. The faster they do the more points they will earn. So in my opinion video games really help a teacher to achieve goals as well as to attract students towards studies.
In my opinion games can never replace the role of a teacher, but games can accomplish a lot of things that traditional teaching methods can’t. Video games let students simulate historical events and scientific processes and experiment for themselves. Games can help get unmotivated students excited about math and ancient history, and reach students who don’t respond to conventional teaching methods. Aside from just teaching new concepts, video games can get students to apply critical-thinking and problem-solving to subjects they have already learned.
Students become disheartened when they feel overwhelmed by large bodies of information and complex subjects. Most video games break down learning concepts into smaller goals and milestones. This makes the feeling of progress and improvement much more attainable and concrete, and students feel the immediate effects of their improvement as they become better at the game.
Unlike receiving information passively from a lecture or a book, games allow students to actively interact with the subject matter. Educational games make a learning an active and physical process. Just like playing a musical instrument, combining physical movement and mental energy creates new neural connections and promotes a deeper level of learning. Engaging with the experience of westward expansion using Oregon Trail is ultimately more memorable for kids than reading about it in a textbook because the game is an active experience.
yes I agree we have to use modern learning tool in pakistan by this we can teach better and is dont matter by which background we come we know Not all the students hold the same financial status. some of them do not have even the clue how to use video games but if we teach or creates awareness in students they pick as well .students have also ability to pick this thing some take a lot of time some pick quickly and at last access to such luxurious is not good its important that we make able to our student how they use these tool by for there self.
Yes off course, games can be very much beneficial if used in classroom. Its a way where students very readily agree to do what you want them to do; they enjoy playing a game, at the same time they are learning something. Games provide ‘hands-on’ interactive tasks for both school and home. Children can work independently of the teacher. The rules of the game and the children’s motivation usually keep them on task. Games provide opportunities for building self-concept and developing positive attitudes towards studies, through reducing the fear of failure and error. Games also make students to do team work when they play in groups. Games also enables students to solve problems and make decisions appropriately in less time.