1 Games for learning

Games are frequently cited as being motivational for learners. In fact Futurelab surveys on games identify that 80% of teachers who used games in their teaching said it was to motivate or engage students, and nearly half of the teachers who would use games in the future said they would do so because they would develop their students’ motivation and engagement.

So, while we see games as a motivational medium, in reality just putting a game in a classroom is unlikely to result in a motivational or engaging activity for students. If we really want to understand how or why games can be motivational we have to identify what factors make games motivational for young people. Research identifies that digital games themselves are not inherently motivational, but rather specific elements of their use can motivate students.

Using games in the classroom can be motivational because:

• They can support students to engage in autonomous learning experiences and active exploration of learning environments. Games allow students to make their own choices, especially role-playing games where the player directs their own path through the game.
• They use familiar media content. Students are motivated by the fact they are using something they know about in the classroom. Of course this means that if they are using a game they don’t know about or dislike, they might not be as motivated as when using games they have experience of (Futurelab, 2006 [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] ).
• They encourage risk-taking. The role of failure in games is very different than it is in school. If you fail in a game it is not a costly mistake, you can just go back and try again. So games are felt to offer a place where players can take risks and try out hypotheses that might be too costly in the real world (Gee, 2008).
• They put students in a role – this can be motivating by supporting students to explore a new identity.
• Good games are felt to create a ‘flow experience’, where students get immersed in the game play. This can result from smooth progression through the game by being given guidance at the right time and creating an immersive experience.