Billions of people enjoy video games and spend many hours playing. And it’s really a lot! While some think this harmful habit ruins lives and leads to addictions, others see it as a great option to open new horizons and self-develop. And who could ever think that gaming technologies would be successfully implemented in education? Learn more about this innovation; it will change your outlook once and forever!

Gamification and People’s Psychological Needs

Playful education is not new. For example, it is difficult for elementary school pupils to sit at textbooks and notebooks for a long time, so teachers often turn the learning process into a game. However, such an educational system is now implemented in numerous institutions, and even adults can take advantage of this option. It doesn’t mean that you will play casino slots instead of classes, and all knowledge will be passed to your brain automatically. Unfortunately, the world still hasn’t develop such technologies.

Psychologists proved that video games provide players with positive emotions and dopamine, the happiness hormone. They involve users due to the following reasons:

• A player has a certain goal and does his best to achieve it
• It’s pleasant to feel the progress after the successfully performed tasks
• Simple tasks are set in the beginning and become more complicated with the plot development

All these principles are also relevant in education, so more teachers pay attention to the gamification system. It implies using game elements and game mechanics in non-game environments to enhance targeted behavior and engagement.

Gamification Implies More Practical Skills & Knowledge

None of us likes sitting in the classroom for many hours listening to boring lectures. It’s much more exciting to base the education on real case studies, allowing us to analyze specific situations. Such tools help master the theoretical material and apply the acquired knowledge, developing algorithms for solving specific tasks and problems. This method is great for educating psychologists, managers and executives, journalists and political scientists. Business games can take the form of negotiations, debates, interviews or presentations.

Useful Video Games for Education

Many believe that not only the gamification method is useful for education but also the games themselves. Of course, not every game where you just have fun will work out. Some popular games that help in learning are:

• Minecraft Education Edition was released specifically for schools. It’s a game where a player should get resources and then build different structures. In addition, Minecraft helps to develop mathematical, planning, and programming skills.
• SimCityEdu, developed by Maxis Studios, allows building the city in a state of global warming. The game draws attention to the current concerns taking place in the world and contributes to the search for their solutions

And we are confident that the number of such gaming solutions will only grow! Of course, it won’t fully replace the traditional education system. It’s a great addition to lectures, providing real experience, which is highly appreciated by learners.