Lauren Loeffler

CUIN 3313
Video Games and their Pedagogical Use in Learning and Education

Video games are already in education, and many educators do not realize it. Video games

are inherent in the way we learn and have left an imprint of various topics in the gamer’s minds.

Specifically, video games cause us to have fun, which can increase the retention of the learner.

Not only are they entertaining, but they are interactive which causes the learner to remember

information more easily, especially adult learners. Often times, video games can help a gamer

complete challenges, some in which problem-solving patterns are developed as a result of the

game. Games also can subliminally cause us to remember events or locations of events due to the

constant interaction of them based on the scenery of the game, which increases amount of

knowledge on a particular subject. Due to their interactivity, the retention in which video games

can provide, the development of key problem-solving techniques, and the aspect of fun, video

games play a substantial role in education.

Adult learning appears to be similar to a code which every designer attempts to solve.

While some strategies may work for children, such as bright colors and happy songs, the same

simple strategies do not work for adults. What does tend to work, however, is interactivity. Some

of the ways in which interactivity is important to the learning process are due to its engagement,

more involvement with the learning process, providing a dialogue with content, and granting of

applicability (Sysoieva 2013). More and more, presentations today are asking the facilitators to

move away from a lecture style and to incorporate more interaction. One way to encourage

interaction, especially for e-learning, would be to develop a video game based on the topic as

video games allow gamers to learn about explanations (Kubota 2017). In video games, a gamer
would be directly involved with the choices or the development of the game. For instance, if a

gamer made a decision to go right instead of left, they would follow the right path. Similarly, a

game developer could tailor the situation to match the topic of learning and often make these

decisions regarding relatability of content, as seen in Kubota’s article in a statement by Schwartz

(Kubota 2017). In this sense, the learner would be making the choices directly, either clicking or

thinking about their scenario, as opposed to passively listening to a lecture.

Not only are games interactive and user-based, but video games are highly immersive,

and are very likely to have a theme which helps the user identify key concepts through repetition,

in which games can focus on a particular topic and rinse and repeat in different settings (Coyne

2003). Education, and the success of learning, revolves around the ability for the learner to recall

and retain the key concept of a presentation, and repetition, according to Freud, is aligned with

the uncanny which causes people to actively remember the information (Freud 1919). Since

video games so easily allow for this, educators should look to incorporating video games into

their e-learning or educational modules. Repeating certain symbols, messages, or missions in a

video game would inherently stick in the learner’s mind, as the repetition and constant

interaction with the material would require the gamer to learn the symbol. If the game designer

bases the success of the game on the remembrance of a certain theme or choice, then the gamer

would have to actively focus on retaining the information early on as the information would be

directly correlating to success.

Even if the individuals are not success-driven, all individuals would have to go through

the problem-solving process. Whether it’s solving a puzzle or making a choice in a scenario, all
video games utilize some form of problem-solving. In 2013, a study found that the more children

played strategic (role-playing) games, their school grades improved (Granic et. al 2013).

Additionally, as students play shooter games, their three-dimensional reference is increased as

spacial skills were developed (Granic et. al 2013). In education, problem-solving with the

information learned is part of implementation. Implementation is shown on level 3 on

Kirkpatrick’s Four Levels of Evaluation, which shows a change in behavior. Being able to use

the information and apply it to an issue to solve a problem is the end goal of any program which

seeks to teach a population a new skill or idea. The first level is merely reaction, which the

gamer encounters early on in the game, deciding if they like the game. The gamer would then be

interacting with the problem throughout the game and have to make decisions based on the idea.

The constant interaction leads to learning, and through this process, a gamer is able to apply the

knowledge through problem-solving techniques which they learn throughout the gaming process.

Learning how to answer questions or solve situations is a people skill that most people have to

learn through interaction, and being able to learn this skill virtually is detrimental to those who

are less people inclined.

While the examples are present in how video games can enhance education throughout

all stages, video games are also fun. It has been shown in Willis that video games lead to greater

levels of dopamine, endorphins, oxygen and which are all involved when having fun (Willis

2009). Having fun while learning is also proven to enhance the retention of knowledge on a

topic. In addition, a learner does not have to sit and merely listen to the information, but they get

to interact with it, to touch it. Depending on the game design, the video game may have a success

factor based on the choices made throughout the game. This increases the nature of fun for the
game, as some people have fun when competing. All in all, video games provide an environment

which can increase learning by a substantial factor in education, especially when focusing on

learner retention, allowing adult learners to interact, teaching basic problem-solving techniques,

and incorporating fun into a traditionally boring process.

References

Coyne, R. (2003, May). Mindless repetition: learning from computer games. Design Studies,
24(3), 199-212. Retreived from
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0142694X02000522#BIB10.

Freud, S. (1919). The ‘uncanny.’ A. Dickson (Ed.), The Penguin Freud Library Volume 14: Art
and Literature, Penguin, Harmondsworth, UK(1990), pp. 335-376. Retrieved from
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0142694X02000522#bBIB10.

Granic, I. PhD, Lobel, A. PhD, Rutget C.M.E., Engels PhD. (2013). The Benefits of Playing
Video Games. American Psychologist, Vol. 69(1). Retrieved from
http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2013/11/video-games.aspx.

Kubota, T. (2017, May 3). Faculty and students at Stanford argue for increased study of games
and interactive media. Stanford News. Retrieved from
https://news.stanford.edu/2017/05/03/interest-grows-study-games-interactive-media/.

Sysoieva, S. (2013) The Concepts: Interactive Learning for Adult Learners. Theory and
methodology of non-substantive professorial studies, Part 3, 56. Retrieved from
http://elibrary.kubg.edu.ua/9018/1/S_Sysoeva_NPO_3-4_2013_KUBG.pdf.

Willlis, J (2009). Research-Based Strategies to Ignite Student Learning: Insights from a

Neurologist and Classroom Teacher. Hawker Brownlow Education. Retrieved from
http://www.growthengineering.co.uk/why-fun-in-learning-is-important/.