It is natural that with the boost in technological development the teaching methods will also change.
Apart from the inclusion of various devices into educational progress more and more attention is paid to developing game-based Learning. It has little to do with those trivial games played by teachers with their pupils at the lessons. The learning approach is much more global and is gaining pace today. Hence it is important to consider what trends of game-based learning we will see this year.There is a great shift in learning thanks to game-based education. Parents shouldn’t tear their kids off the computer screens as modern pupils can play and learn simultaneously. The evidence to this fact is an increase in popularity of a game-based learning domain. Since 2011 the value of this business has become 4 times higher and reached almost $5 billion.
The variety of game-based learning shapes allows everyone to find a suitable way of gaining knowledge. According to the survey, almost each 4th student appreciates point scores, progress bars, an instant performance feedback or a level-based progression. At the same time, some users oppose virtual currency and avatars, while every 10th student disapproves scenarios based on stories, competition with friends or giving virtual gifts. Tastes differ, so modern companies should take into account learners’ preferences to increase motivation and encouragement to play and learn. By the way, many companies have already noticed that this niche can be rather profitable and efficient and over 40% of one thousand top global leaders today have already made initial steps of incorporating game-based techniques in the training mechanisms of the employees.Undoubtedly, the popularity of game-based learning will only rise this year. At the same time, we may see some changes in this way of learning too:
1. The researches of the learning objectives and methods will thrive
The game-based niche in education can be called only partially researched, so in 2017 we will see a deeper and more detailed insight into this learning technique. Scientists will try to develop more accurate goals of such learning as well as provide evidence of its efficacy.
2. Game-based learning will continue to go mobile
The tendency of going mobile with any online experience will influence educational process too. That is the reason for the development of game-based mobile apps suitable for learning or adding the existing leaders more educational features.
3. Improved measuring of learning outcomes and preferences
A shift to mobile devices has also eased the way of learning outcomes measurement. It has become possible to track users’ engagement at different stages of learning and evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of the game. Such a quantified analysis helps to enhance tools and receive better results.
4. Collaborative learning through games
The incredible popularity of social network gaming platforms has given a hint to educators that they can be used for learning too. Such games will teach to collaborate, communicate, interact and work in teams.
5. Augmented reality in game-based learning
A new trend of implementing augmented reality into education and other fields will undoubtedly change educational games too.
6. Improved brain functioning due to strategic games
Games meant for learning will be built in a special way for the pupil’s brain to continually develop. A student will have to build up a strategy that can let him win the game and by doing so make the brain function in different ways.
7. Involvement of students in game creation
According to 2016 National Educational Technology Plan, a new approach to learning is to involve students into the creation of text-based tools for games. They can develop their personal games and test them in the classroom giving feedbacks on each of them. Another benefit of this assignment is allowing youth to give freedom to their imagination and crest their own characters, storyline and literary theme.
One more interesting solution was to encourage both teachers and learners to find something useful for education in existing games or offer their changes for these games to become even more important for learning.
8. Use of game-based assessment
Apart from learning itself, games can play the role of assessment tools. Some of them can offer to pass through several stages and to solve one or another puzzle to receive a prize. Each of the stages can replace one or several topics or subtopics and be focused on some skills. The assessment indices will depend on the number of stages a student has passed, while excellent grades will be given only to winners. This type of assessment will not make a pupil nervous and give more motivation to cope with the assigned tasks. Game-based learning is an indispensable part of modern education that has already changed its focus from lectures and written tasks. Educational process should undergo changes together with the development of the world. Modern students have an enormous difference from ones we saw ten years ago and games can be a decisive factor for better results for them. Modern games are played not only by children, so with the shift of most part of the games to educating people, more adults will learn something new and make their brain work for the result. Let’s hope that the latest trends of game-based learning will only contribute to the quality of obtained knowledge and skills as well as inspire for the creation of even more useful for our development computer and mobile games.
