In a research article that conducted an investigation on whether online game-based games work in formal education, the authors of this article explained that this method of teaching has a positive effect on learning, particularly within the low and moderate-academic achievement students. They found that it did not have such an effect on those who were in a higher academic achievement rank. However, their research conducted sheds light on enhancing various designs for online games and work that may provide new insight and methods for academic achievement for all students. This article highlights the positive effects and benefits online games have on students and how it can help aide teachers with their pedagogy and teaching. With proper control by the teacher, monitoring and guidance, online gaming is a very good tool for teachers to use for their students in the classroom.
With the advances in technology today, online games and the internet in general is revolutionizing the world as we know it and the people. It is attracting a lot of attention, in particular the youth, students. Research has shown that these online games creates cognitive gains. The article sheds light on the fact that online gaming in particular, Virtual Interactive Student-Oriented Learning Environment (VISOLE) allows students to use real life situations to enhance and conduct critical thinking and active participation. The article provided examples of several games that brought forth the perviously mentioned skills such as SimCity and ZooTycoon. These games brought for real life scenarios and allowed and forced the gamer to perform critical thinking skills that are done in reality.
On another note, the article not only talked about education within games, but educational games itself. These games were based on pedagogical propositions and educational content itself. The article talked about how games were simulated to which the student would encounter different types of communities and cultures that someday they might encounter. This is an interesting tactic and innovative. It is also relevant and shows that those who conducted the research are not bias or suggestive as to assume that students will only be among a certain type of community for the rest of their lives. They go beyond the familiar, beyond the idea of a monotone life and expand the horizons to variety and new scenarios and life that students may and will encounter whether they are in school and after finishing school.
The results of the study conducted for the article are positive. Their study shows significant positive results for students with advancement in curricular knowledge. It had a positive effect mainly on those with low and average-academic success. These findings were further evaluated and showed that these particular students were more into online gaming compared to the advanced-academic students who were not and did not do so well in the game. This article is useful for teachers who struggle with teaching those who find it not interesting to learn or do not learn well in the traditional sense. It can be a new pedagogy and way to get those particular students engaged and interested in learning. The results will bear positive outcomes, as the study has shown.
In conclusion, this article offered a lot of insight on some of the positive effects of online gaming as a new method for teaching within the schools. Although it should not be the sole and only way for teachers to resort too when teaching students. However, it should be a crutch and tool for teachers and students to go to when students seem uninterested in a particular subject or lesson. It is a creative way and engaging for the students to experience real life situations and still be able to learn. Most students may not even realize that they are learning while playing the game until after the fact. Online gaming is a good tool for teachers and students to use in the classroom, but it should not be the only means for teachers to teach and for the students to learn.
Y, J. S., Morris. (2015). Does online game-based learning work in formal education at school? A case study of VISOLE.Does online game-based learning work in formal education at school? A case study of VISOLE,26(2), 249-267. Retrieved February 24, 2017, from http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?sid=7b839b3f-c314-4963-a5d3-dc1f363976d4%40sessionmgr4010&vid=0&hid=4204&bdata=JkF1dGhUeXBlPWlwLHVybCx1aWQmc2l0ZT1laG9zdC1saXZl#AN=103381165&db=tfh
