The Use and
Effectiveness of Game-Based Learning
In
elementary school, and beyond, math was my least favorite subject. It was dull,
unrewarding, and certainly didn’t hold my interest in the same way that literature
or history did. I remember in the middle
of my third grade year being told by my teacher that I had to memorize my
multiplication tables. I also remember doing everything I could to avoid the
tedious activities of being drilled by flashcards or writing my times tables
over and over. My math grades suffered as I struggled to commit each problem to
memory until one day I arrived home to find a shiny new software box by the
family computer. Though I’m not certain
of the exact name of the game, I do remember that effectively solving sets of multiplication
problems earned me the reward of playing a shooting game. After few minutes of
playing, I was hooked, and in a couple of weeks I knew my multiplication tables
inside and out. What elements of this simple game made things click for me? Why was a computer program able hold my
interest and essentially teach me the basics of multiplication when other
methods were less effective? Why did game-based learning work for me? My blogging research topic for this semester
of Game Design 344 will be “The Uses and Effectiveness of Game-Based Learning.”
In my research I plan to explore the three main realms where game-based
learning is utilized, to provide examples, and to discuss the effectiveness of
this learning in each realm.
Game-based
learning is essentially a way of conveying information and working towards a
goal through the use of a virtual model (Trybus). This model could be as
elaborate as a high-tech computer program, or as simple as a board game. Why
did game-based learning work for me in my example? Jessica Trybus, the Director
of Edutainment for Carnegie Mellon University's Entertainment Technology
Center, says that “when education or training feels dull, we are not being
engaged and motivated. In other words, we’re not really learning.” My teacher’s method of writing tables over
and over and using flash cards was certainly dull to me and my grades reflected
that I certainly wasn’t learning. Trybus
also states that “in an effective game-based learning environment, we work
toward a goal, choosing actions and experiencing the consequences of those
actions along the way. We make mistakes in a risk-free setting, and through
experimentation, we actively learn and practice the right way to do things.
This keeps us highly engaged in practicing behaviors and thought processes that
we can easily transfer from the simulated environment to real life”(Trybus). Although it was far more basic than some
software, my simple computer multiplication game had me working toward the
primary goal of understanding and learning my multiplication tables, as well as
the secondary goal of solving problems to reach the shooting game reward at the
end of each level. As I played, I felt totally safe and unembarrassed if I
answered a question incorrectly. In fact, making a mistake caused me to better
remember the correct answer the next time the same problem was given. In the end, I was easily able to transfer the
knowledge that I obtained while playing on the computer into the classroom.
The
classroom/school setting isn’t the only venue where game-based learning is
effectively utilized. Game-based learning
is also frequently used as an effective form of transferring knowledge in the
military in terms of tactical, strategic, and global levels of warfare (Project
on Defense Alternatives). Its other main use is in many industrial settings.
For example, in the healthcare industry computer programs allow doctors to
perform virtual surgeries in a safe setting. In the aviation industry, pilots
can use flight simulators to practice difficult landings without the fear of
putting real lives in danger. No matter
what the setting is where game-based learning is utilized all have similarities
in terms of creating virtual worlds, fostering collaboration, providing goals
and motivation, providing a safe place to practice and make mistakes and
allowing knowledge to transfer from virtual to actual settings (Conetta &
Knight).
Sources
Conetta, Carl and
Knight, Charles. “Project on Defense
Alternatives, Briefing Report #4.” August 1993. Web.
Lymbery, Judy. “The
potential of a game based learning approach to improve learner outcomes.”School
of Educational Psychology and Pedagogy. Victoria University of Wellington,
2010. Web
Trybus, Jessica. “Game-Based Learning: What it is, Why it
Works, and Where it's Going.” The New Media Institute. Carnegie Mellon
University. 2009. Web
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