A Case for Game-Based Schools: The Why and How of Game-Based Learning as an Effective Pedagogy for 21st Century Learners

By: Asha Murphy, Kalaivani Chellappan, Abhilasha Panwar

“We feel, therefore we learn” is the catchphrase of Immordino-Yang and Damasio (2007) in the paper which articulates the neuroscientific evidence that emotional processes have a significant effect on learning, attention, memory, decision-making, and social functioning. This means that if we want to teach effectively, we need to engage the emotional thinking of our students. And what activity is most likely to do that? Playing games, of course!

The why

Whether physical or digital, games possess inherent principles conducive to learning. In a video by Thorn (2013), Professor James Gee lists 13 learning principles featured in games. The principles fall into three (3) categories:

• How games engage the body and mind through empowered learning
• How games develop skills, strategies, and expertise through problem-based learning
• How games cultivate deep understanding through systems thinking

These game features align with the findings by Immordino-Yang and Damasio (2007), as they involve emotional thinking. Gee (Thorn, 2013) views both teachers and game designers as learning designers. However, the field is still evolving.

The challenge

Many educators recognise the significance of including social and emotional learning in classroom practices to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes but only some advocate for the integration of emotionally resonant tools such as games (Immordino-Yang & Damasio, 2007; Kahn et al., 2016). The prevailing educational structures in many schools still adhere to traditional models that position teachers as “sages on the stage,” with their purpose being to disseminate facts on a one-to-many basis thus hindering the potential for teachers to act as “guides on the side” who are co-discoverers with their students in a learning experience and offer guidance according to individual needs. (Meyer, 2013; Cornelius-White, 2007). This dichotomy between recognising the need to cater for individual needs and provide student agency and the prevailing one-to-many delivery methods, highlights the need for a pedagogical and operational transformation in schools.

The How

Research on teachers’ perceptions of game-based learning (GBL) reveals both positive attitudes and challenges. Teachers recognise GBL’s potential to increase student engagement and motivation (Siburian & Mahmud, 2022; Jong et al., 2006). However, teachers face difficulties in curriculum integration and adapting to learners’ abilities (Park & Park, 2010). While some teachers are uncertain about GBL’s impact on learning outcomes, they appreciate its educational paradigm (Jong et al., 2006). Implementation challenges include the need for systematic approaches, financial support, and guidelines from public institutions (Park & Park, 2010). Teachers often compare GBL to traditional teaching methods and use games to achieve conventional learning goals (Loperfido et al., 2019).

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated GBL adoption in online learning, but concerns about declining grades persist (Siburian & Mahmud, 2022). Overall, teachers seem to be in a transitional phase, gradually incorporating games as an innovative teaching resource (Loperfido et al., 2019).

Figure 1: Game-based learning incorporation challenges

Challenges of incorporating digital game-based learning

One reason schools are reluctant to include digital games in the classroom is the misconception that all video games are addictive. However, a carefully designed challenging educational game that aligns with Professor Gee’s 13 principles (Thorn, 2013) can create a sense of flow. What may be seen by teachers as an addictive behaviour is likely to be a student being in a state of flow, described as very desirable in human performance (van der Linden et al., 2021a, 2021b). Flow is linked to positive moods and well-being (van der Linden et al., 2021a). In other words, players feel good and hence they learn more effectively which reinforces the findings of Immordino-Yang and Damasio (2007).

In a paper on the impact of digital technologies on well-being, Howard-Jones (2011) concluded, that “Rather than label any type of technology as being good or bad for our brain, it is how specific applications are created and used (by who, when and what for) that determine their impact”. (Howard-Jones 2011). Well-crafted digital games that have all the principles of a good learning game will have positive impacts on the well-being of both students and teachers.

The next steps

The research supports the rising perception of the positive impact of GBL on academic achievement across diverse disciplines in different curricula in the K -12 education landscape (Arcagök, 2020). The impact of games to positively affect cognitive abilities has also been highlighted in previous studies (Pratama & Setyaningrum 2018). There is growing recognition of the potential of GBL to positively influence non-cognitive skills such as collaboration, communication, engagement, motivation, emotional intelligence, and empathy.

To make it easier for schools to adopt GBL as a whole-school philosophy, a group of social innovators from Catalyst 2030 formed the Game-Based School (GBS) Collaboration. Their goal is to enhance teachers’ appreciation of the benefits of GBL to provide a framework for schools to become Game-Based Schools.

To delve deeper into understanding teachers’ perspectives on GBL and their experiences with its impact on both cognitive and non-cognitive aspects of students’ learning, a case study was conducted to explore GBL practices across several schools in the Global South. Additionally, to create a GBS framework, the team investigated whether students’ diverse needs and interests were accommodated when utilising GBL in the schools’ curricula and pedagogy, and how it was used to develop students’ skills, values, and attitudes.

The GBL practices of educational organisations located across Africa and India were studied through their responses to questions about methodology, intentions, expectations, and challenges faced by the teachers, and observed student outcomes.

The nature of the games was left open to get a cross-section of the types of games utilised by the schools when considering GBL. It is well-observed that schools use diverse play methods to carry out educational activities. One school utilised sports, another used Lego Robotics, a third school used board games, and one school combined digital, board, and word games.

When asked about the specific educational objectives behind using games, the responses indicated that most teachers had not used games to gauge recall but rather intended to foster students’ soft skills — collaboration, communication, critical thinking and cognitive skills. This suggests that most respondents have a mindset shift away from the traditional objectives of classroom activities which was only to acquire content knowledge and technical skills which is often referred to as hard skills. These teachers recognised the potential impact of GBL in enhancing students’ agency, motivation, engagement, and cognitive abilities. In addition teachers appreciated the role of GBL in building soft skills.

The outcomes achieved aligned with the teachers’ intentions to build soft skills. When asked about any changes in student attitudes towards learning since implementing the game(s), most teachers responded that along with increased enthusiasm, interest and enjoyment in learning, they observed improved teamwork and collaboration among students.

While acknowledging that students’ performance and achievement in content knowledge are key indicators of overall progress in a traditional educational setting, we asked teachers to share examples of student achievements or successes attributed to the games in terms of content knowledge and skills development. It was observed that, despite not being their primary intended outcome, teachers acknowledged that games do positively impact content mastery, concept building, and academic improvement. This reinforces the efficacy of GBL as a pedagogy that improves both hard and soft skills.

The case-studies provide further global indications that GBL pedagogy is effective across many different play-based methods and it appears that a whole school adoption can provide signfiicant benefits. However, more data needs to be collected for this to be conclusive.

Conclusion

The qualitative data obtained from this case study corroborates existing research findings on the efficacy of game-based learning. It offers nuanced insights into teachers’ perceptions of implementing GBL within their classrooms. This research marks a meaningful advancement toward the establishment of game-based educational institutions. There is a compelling need to develop more Game-Based Schools to fully realise the potential of GBL in enhancing educational outcomes.

Authors:

Asha Murphy, Creative play-based learning advocate

Kalaivani Chellappan, National University of Malaysia

Abhilasha Panwar, Ministry of Education and Higher Education Qatar

Peer-reviewed & Edited by:

Ernest H.S. Chan, Social Tech, HealthTech & EduTech Professional

Howard Blumenthal, The University of Pennsylvania Positive Psychology Center

Teddy Florea, Social Design Innovator

Appendix

1. Case Study Schools

• Bubango Primary School, Busia, Bunyala, Kenya
• Young Engineers, Nairobi, Kenya
• SSMI School, Delhi, India
• Bramble Learning Space, Arikanki village, Oyo state, Nigeria

References:

1. Immordino-Yang, M. H., & Damasio, A. We feel, therefore we learn: The relevance of affective and social neuroscience to education. Mind, Brain, and Education, 1(1), 3–10, 2007 https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1111/j.1751-228X.2007.00004.x
2. Chris Thorn [Video] Jim Gee: Principles on Gaming. 2013 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aQAgAjTozk
3. Kahn, T., Rogers, A., & Roberts, D. (2016). The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Teacher Performance. Educational Studies, 42(5), 450–469. https://doi.org/10.1080/03055698.2016.1159100
4. Meyer, L. (2013). The SAGE on the stage versus the GUIDE on the side: Every teacher can thrive by learning from their students. Educational Leadership, 71(4), 60–63.
5. Cornelius-White, J. (2007). Learner-Centered Teacher-Student Relationships Are Effective: A Meta-Analysis. Review of Educational Research, 77(1), 113–143. https://doi.org/10.3102/003465430298487
6. Siburian, S.N., & Mahmud, Y.S.. Primary School Teacher’s Perception of Game-Based Learning in Online Learning: the Advantages and Challenges. 5(2), 2022. IJECA (International Journal of Education and Curriculum Application).
7. Jong, M.S., Shang, J.J., Lee, F.L., Lee, J.H., & Law, H.Y.. An Exploratory Study on Teachers’ Perceptions of Game-based Situated Learning. IEEE International Conference on Consumer Electronics, 2006.
8. Park, H., & Park, S. (2010). An Analysis of Perceptions of Teacher for Game-Based Learning. Journal of Korea Game Society, 10(4), 91–101, 2010.
9. Loperfido, F.F., Dipace, A., & Scarinci, A. To play or not to play? A case study of teachers’ confidence and perception with regard to digital games at school. Journal on Educational Technology, 27, 121–138, 2019.
10. van der Linden D, Tops M and Bakker AB. The Neuroscience of the Flow State: Involvement of the Locus Coeruleus Norepinephrine System. Front. Psychol. 12:645498, 2021. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.645498
11. van der Linden, D., Tops, M., & Bakker, A. B.. Go with the flow: A neuroscientific view on being fully engaged. European Journal of Neuroscience, 53(4), 947–963, 2021.
12. Howard-Jones, PA. The impact of digital technologies on human well-being. Nominet Trust, 2011. http://www.nominettrust.org.uk/soa-impact-internet-brain
13. Arcagök, S. (2020). THE IMPACT OF GAME-BASED TEACHING PRACTICES IN DIFFERENT CURRICULA ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT. International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET), 8(2). 778–796, 2020.
14. L D Pratama, W. S. . Game-Based Learning: The effects on student cognitive and affective aspects. J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 1097 012123, 2018

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Cite this Article APA

Murphy, Chellappan & Panwar. (25 October, 2024). A Case for Game-based Schools: The why and how of Game-based Learning as an effective pedagogy for 21st century learners. Retrieved (month date year) from (https://medium.com/@catalyst2030/a-case-for-game-based-schools-the-why-and-how-of-game-based-learning-as-an-effective-pedagogy-for-57a715bec601)