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NATIONAL PRIORITIES
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Box 5.9 Building modern skills: Game-based learning and “gamifying”
education
Learning can be fun. Play can be a great conduit for learning
and creativity because it taps into people’s intrinsic
motivation, satisfying needs of autonomy, competence,
and relatedness. When playing, many people achieve a
state of “flow”—a state of concentration that activates the
brain and is considered optimal for new learning. a Applying
the principles of gaming—rules, goal achievement, progressive
difficulty, interaction and student control, uncertain
outcomes, and immediate feedback—to classroom
activities can teach both cognitive and socioemotional
skills. Some games apply these principles to teach basic
skills, such as math and vocabulary in games like King of
Math and FunEnglish, while others integrate learning into
the game. Dragonbox, Freddi Fish, and Guild Wars require
creative thinking, problem solving, and building on existing
knowledge to succeed. b Requiring inference and problem
solving, rather than direct questioning for learning, they are
more engaging and can lead to sustained learning. c
Games can not only increase engagement but also
improve learning outcomes. A unique English program in
India can be implemented with different technologies (a
specially designed machine or games and activities based
on special flash cards). New methods yielded gains of about
0.3 standard deviation in test scores. d A 2006 study of fifth
graders found that playing math games was more effective
than basic math drills at building math skills, as measured
by performance on a standardized math exam. e And two
science games, RiverCity, which emphasizes ecology and
biology, and Supercharged!, a program on electrostatics,
improved learning outcomes over a traditional lecture by 15
to 18 percent and 8 percent, respectively. f
But most of today’s teachers are not equipped with
the skills to make games effective learning tools, such as
designing materials and environments for game-based
learning, partly because they are not familiar with many
tools of the digital age. g Teachers need to be trained so
that they understand both the potential and the limits of
games for learning and fully understand the game, how
to play, and how to use it as a teaching tool. Teachers can
work with parents in finding appropriate games and defining
parameters for usage. Updated curricula, reformed
assessments, and resources for learning games can all
help to shift classrooms to be focused on learning. Policy
makers could also encourage more research and development
to create successful learning games that are engaging,
thoughtful, and immersing, and facilitate efficient
learning.
The future of games and game-based learning extends
beyond the classroom. Evoke, developed by the World
Bank, uses social media tools and narrative approaches
commonly found in video games to empower young
people to start solving urgent social, real-world problems.
Food Force, created by the United Nations, teaches strategy
and networking by simulating aid agencies working in food
insecurity. The Facebook game Half the Sky highlights gender
equality and raises money for female empowerment.
Games can also be tools for job training, especially when
real on-the-job training is dangerous; the U.S. military has
used video games to teach strategy, skills such as first aid,
and military rules and ethics. h
a. Jarvilehto 2014.
b. Becker 2007; Prensky 2006; Jarvilehto 2014.
c. McFarlane, Sparrowhawk, and Heald 2002.
d. He and others 2007.
e. Grabowski and Fengfeng 2007.
f. Mayo 2009.
g. Prensky 2006; Becker 2007; Jarvilehto 2014.
h. Prensky 2007.
Countries with a local technology industry
or where online work is common, already teach
advanced ICT skills outside the education system.
In Kenya, NairoBits equips youth with knowledge
in web design, IT skills, creative multimedia, and
entrepreneurship. This technical training is combined
with training in socioemotional skills to build self-confidence.
NairoBits-trained youth have secured employment
in both formal and informal sectors and report a
job placement rate of 90 percent. 55 Similarly, iHub, one
of the innovation and hacker spaces in Kenya, holds
hacker labs for children and youth aged 10 to 16.
Many developing countries are partnering with
the private sector to develop technical training in
advanced ICT skills after general education. Mexico
First, a partnership with Cisco and Microsoft, targets
professionals and university students to facilitate
training and certification in ICT.