Today, game-based learning is a highly practiced methodology of classroom teaching. It infuses motivation in the classroom environment, forces analysis, and helps in decision-making. When children play, they discover, create, improvise, and imbibe effortlessly. Research canvasses not to segregate school and play. For children, these two categories are inextricably associated.
Before we delve deeper into the subject, let’s comprehend the fundamental ingredients of game-based learning.
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Goal
It is highly essential that a game has a designated desired outcome. This ensures that everyone works towards a common objective that needs to be accomplished in a given time frame.
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Rules
There can be no game without rules. One has to allocate certain parameters that need to be followed to achieve the desired goal.
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Feedback
This becomes mandatory to comprehend one’s actual position in the game. It also paves way for the players to work on facets that facilitate goal completion.
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Participation
The players must display intrinsic motivation towards participation. Voluntary participation ensures everyone in the game follows rules willingly and has a clear understanding of the goal.
Now that the components of the strategy have been understood, it’s time to outline to positives of this methodology.
1. Stimulates Cognitive Faculties
Innovative games help develop your tiny tot’s cognitive facilities!
Games increase cognitive power, promote imagination, and encourage creative problem-solving among children. In totality, game-based learning develops a positive attitude towards education and reinforces concepts.
2. Promotes Social Skills
During the course of playtime, children tend to develop the ability to relate to others. Games initiate a process of discussion, negotiation, collaboration, and sharing of ideas. This enhances bonds and promotes social skills that can help your children later in life.
3. Enhances Communication
Improve your communication skills with classroom learning games!
Game-based learning provides a platform to practice oral and written skills. It encourages students to interact and communicate with each other. Games generate an authentic context for the usage of language.
4. Breaks Monotony
Plain pages of text can make learning monotonous. Games help break this monotony by creating challenging situations that keep the motivation levels afloat and help maintain effort while trying to achieve the objective.
5. Facilitates Grasping of Complex Concepts
Games can be an asset to all learners. By means of fun and entertainment, complicated topics can be dealt with in a simple manner. Games can be designed in a way to complement the lessons. This methodology appeals and gels with diverse learning styles.
6. Reinforcement of Topics
Educational games also help your little ones remember their lessons better
Apart from using games to engage and teach, facilitators can also implement play to reinforce curriculum content. It may be a good idea to initiate a group activity that motivates students to compete and earn higher scores.
Summary
Game-based learning can prove to be a very influential and effective tool in a student’s life. However, it is vital that educational games do not lose sight of the learning objectives.
Once the game is aligned with your learning goals, the students are certain to gain from its implementation. You can now look forward to a more engaged classroom!
