Running head: Video Games in Education 1

Video Games in Education

John M Vazquez

University of Houston
Video Games in Education 2

Video Games In Education

Background

Videos games are constantly evolving and started in the 1950s with Professor A.S

Douglas creating ​OXO​ or tic-tac-toe at the University of Cambridge, as mentioned by

History.com Editors. (2017, September 1). The 1970s and 1980s would lead to the foundation of

video games with titles such as ​Pac-Man​ and ​Donkey Kong​. 3D gaming would soon become

popular in the 1990s. For many years, video games would receive backlash from the older

community because the older generation believed that video games led to violence and laziness.

After decades of improvement, video games have led to a $100 billion industry and created many

different genres of video games. Video games now being used in the classrooms have changed

the way educators teach content.

Research

Elizabeth, S. S. (2005) states that video games offer various routes to success, create

autonomy, and simulate real-life consequences. Just like the mainstream games, video games

allow the user to enter a fictional world in which they can take the role of a fictional character

and help them make decisions that will affect their life. According to ​Staiano, A. E. (2014), ​he

highlights research indicating that the activity of fitness play appears to improve a player's

executive functioning skills, as well as cross-sectional data that show an association between

children's fitness and higher executive functioning. If implemented properly, video games can be

used in the classroom for physical education classes. Educational video games come in more

than one genre including but not limited to role-playing, simulation, and strategy.

VR Games in the Classroom

Video Games in Education 3

This may not be a genre of video games but this style is unique to 2D and 3D gaming.

Pantelidis, Veronica. (2009) states that VR gaming provides the user with a more enhanced

first-person style experience with learning material and cannot be obtained with any other style

of formal education. She also notes that VR gaming aligns with Constructivism theories of

education. Also, VR gaming ensures that the student is actively participating and does not allow

passivity. VR gaming has been present in the gaming industry for decades and even includes a

failed model from Nintendo called the “Virtual Boy” that was unpopular among gamers in the

1990s. This past decade in the 2010s, the rise of the VR entered the gaming industry as graphics

and sound dramatically improve. Once VR becomes more prevalent in the gaming industry, there

was a spark in interest from the educational community as teachers began to experiment with this

technology in the classroom.

Current Uses in the Classroom

Video games are currently being used in the classroom and are making a difference in a

child’s education. ​McElhany, L. S. (2016, May 17) recommends educators to use to following

programs such as ​Minecraft EDU, Kahoot, Class Dojo,​ and ​Quizziz.​ ​Class Dojo​ is a classroom

management tool that helps students with behavioral issues and encourages students to be active

listeners and participate in the classroom. ​Minecraft EDU​ can help students create instructional

experiences by having the students create worlds similar to worlds in fictional books like ​The

Hunger Games.​

Personal Experience

From my experience from a one-month-long assignment for a lower elementary

technology teacher, I have seen video games being assigned to students. Some of the current
Video Games in Education 4

games that are currently being used in classrooms include ​Kahoot, Quizlet, CoolMathGames​, and

Interland.​ I have seen students use ​Interland​ in class as it guides students on how to be safe on

the internet while presenting a role-playing game. The students would tell me that their

technology teacher teaches it to them.

Suggestions

Staiano, A. E. (2014)​ recommends that educators ensure that video games are not

“boring” but challenge the student. Also, the games should match player skills and interests

otherwise the game will feel too simple or too challenging for the user. The teacher should

experiment with more than one genre of games and cater to the interests of the students. As noted

by Dr. James of the Center for Children and Technology; academics build games based on

psychological theories meanwhile game designers focus on “hunches” or their gut feeling in their

game design. Another suggestion is to have educators check to see if the games help the students

identify a real-life simulated problem from a video game. Kenny, R., & Gunter, G. (2011)

recommend that educators overcome any stigma against video games and create content-specific

strategies that can be used to integrate content into video games.

Final Thoughts

As video games and technology have dramatically changed in the past thirty years, the

audience remains the same. Children are the main audience for popular video games and

technology will often be used by children such as Ipads and VR. With the rise of video games in

the classroom, there will be more deep first-person experiences that students can use for an

experience of past events. VR will eventually become popular in the classroom but will require
Video Games in Education 5

additional time due to costs. Teachers and administration need to prepare for the constantly

changing technology that’s about to enter the classrooms and be ready to integrate content.
Video Games in Education 6

References

Elizabeth, S. S. (2005). Evolution in the Classroom: What teachers need to know about the video
game generation. TechTrends, 49(5), 17–22. doi: 10.1007/bf02763685

History.com Editors. (2017, September 1). Video Game History. Retrieved from
https://www.history.com/topics/inventions/history-of-video-games

Kenny, R., & Gunter, G. (2011). Factors Affecting Adoption of Video Games in the Classroom.
Journal of Interactive Learning Research, 259–276.

Lieberman, M. (n.d.). Four Ways to Teach with Video Games. Retrieved April 23, 2020, from
https://currents.dwrl.utexas.edu/2010/lieberman_four-ways-to-teach-with-video-games.html

McElhany, L. S. (2016, May 17). The Hidden Value of Gaming in Education. Retrieved from
https://www.sagu.edu/thoughthub/the-hidden-value-of-gaming-in-education

Pantelidis, Veronica. (2009). Reasons to Use Virtual Reality in Education and Training Courses
and a Model to Determine When to Use Virtual Reality. Themes in Science and Technology
Education.

Staiano, A. E. (2014). Learning by Playing: Video Gaming in Education—A Cheat Sheet for
Games for Health Designers. Games for Health Journal, 3(5), 319–321. doi:
10.1089/g4h.2014.0069