EDUC-310-01.....................................................................................................

Tyler Pham
02/08/2018......................................................................................................Position Paper

Pokémon Go in the Classroom: When Augmented Reality Is Effectively Used

I have always been a fan of Pokémon and its games, which is why I was excited when

Pokémon Go was launched. It is an augmented reality game where players can catch

Pokémon in real world. Since its release, it has become incredibly popular worldwide and

been increasingly used as an educational tool in classroom. In my opinion, Pokémon Go is

definitely worth a try for teachers who want to incorporate advanced technology into their

lessons because of its limitless opportunities as a teaching apparatus and benefits in

improving students’ cognitive performance.

Pokémon Go has been a cultural phenomenon since its release, and innovative

educators have not passed up the opportunity to explore its uses in classrooms. According to

the article “14 ways to bring Pokémon Go to school” on the ISTE website, Pokémon Go can

be used in numerous ways to promote learning, from taking students on a Pokémon field trip

to teaching students to collaborate with one another. What I found on this article that can be

applied to my content area is teaching vocabulary through Pokémon Go. I can take students

on a field trip and teach them words on nature and environment while showing them how

they relate to the game. Students can have fun playing with augmented reality while learning

useful vocabulary. I can also use Pokémon Go to teach many useful skills to students, such as

collaboration, data collection and research skills. Students can form teams to compete with

each other, and simultaneously learn how to collect data and research on how to find certain

Pokémon types based on the weather and geographical characteristics.

Studies have also shown Pokémon Go to have a positive effect on students’ cognitive

performance. The article “Effect of augmented reality game Pokémon GO on cognitive

performance and emotional intelligence in adolescent young” demonstrates findings from a

recent study of Pokémon Go’s effects on Spanish teenagers’ cognitive performance and

emotional behavior after 8 weeks of exposure to the game. The study has found out that

adolescents, after having spent 8 weeks playing Pokémon Go, show improvement in their

attention and concentration, and better capacity to socialize with their peers. They are also

happier and more willing to go outside and engage in physical activities. These positive

outcomes prove Pokémon Go as a valid tool for teachers to improve students’ engagement.

However, one precaution with Pokémon Go is its concern for safety and accidental

crimes. Because the game requires walking outdoor, students may hurt themselves and get

involved in accidents if they are too absorbed in it and become unaware of their surrounding.

Furthermore, they may commit involuntary misdemeanors if they wander into someone’s

house or other private properties. Therefore, teachers need to instruct students on the game’s

possible hazards and how to engage in the game safely.

All in all, Pokémon Go is an engaging, entertaining and useful tool for teachers if they

want to include technology and physical interaction into their curriculum. Students will

benefit tremendously from it, both in their content areas and their psychological

development. Pokémon is not just a video game; it is also becoming a part of classroom

technology, one that teachers and students are going to enjoy.

 Works Cited:

La Flamme, Art. Gauthier, Josh. “ 14 ways to bring Pokemon Go to school”. ISTE.org. July 7

2016. Web.

Ruiz-Ariza, Alberto, et al. "Effect of Augmented Reality Game Pokémon GO on Cognitive

Performance and Emotional Intelligence in Adolescent Young." Computers &

Education, vol. 116, Jan. 2018, pp. 49-63. EBSCOhost,

doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2017.09.002.