Games offer effective methods for students to engage with and master problem-based learning and stimulate critical thinking and active learning, says Intel Middle East, Turkey and Africa director for innovation Hitendra Naik.

The use of games in education is still in its formative stages, but there are few more effective ways to get pupils to engage with educational content and technology. Games also stimulate cooperation, team play and social interaction, as well as learning about the hardware and software systems on which the games operate.

One of the most powerful aspects of using games in education is that it is a digital medium of play that stimulates early and controlled familiarity with technology, emphasises Naik.

Games have already stimulated a generation to learn about computers and technology, mainly to get the games to work, says games-based learning firm Bravado director Andreas Hadjipaschali, citing himself as an example.

Despite the focus on the games as the end-goal, the technical knowledge and skills developed through active engagement, trouble-shooting and problem-solving provided a significant boost for him when he had to engage with technology in an academic and commercial environment after his school career.

“Gaming is a key part of youth culture in the same way as social media and other trends enabled by technology [are]. Having examples of the balanced use of games in a school environment ‘normalises’ the concept and we have an opportunity to blend them with educational elements and capitalise on the passion poured into playing games,” explains Naik.

He encourages schools to make facilities available for pupils to play games in a controlled environment, as a games-based approach to teaching promotes creativity and discovery.

Teachers have to provide an environment where children feel free to experiment, fail and try again. Teachers need to plan games that include activities that encourage thinking, problem solving and that are fun, challenging and relevant to the lives of their learners, he explains.

Further, if teachers are relying on commercial games – such as games on tablets or gaming platforms such as Xbox – then they must become familiar with the games to evaluate whether the desired outcomes are aligned with the curriculum.

“Teachers should identify teaching moments in the games to ensure that their education outcomes are being achieved, mainly by stopping the games periodically to make the most of those teaching moments,” he adds.

Key to using games in education, and aligning them with the curriculum, is a thorough knowledge of the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statements outcomes for the specific grade. As the use of games in education matures, more tools and guides will become available, not only to align them to the curriculum, but to add a level of analytics to gain greater insight into students’ learning and skill-development patterns, concludes Naik.