Technology and Human Development

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Table of Contents

Knowledge Type
Effectiveness of Video Games in Passing Procedural Knowledge
Grounding Knowledge
Revising the Technology for More Effectiveness
The Most Effective Way of Using Video Games
Other Activities to Be Used with Video Games
Audience
Conclusion
References

The technological revolution of the 21st century has changed the way learning takes place. Different learning avenues have emerged to complement the traditional class-based models, which have been associated with numerous shortcomings. Educational technologies, such as software, websites, television shows, videos, simulations, and video games play an important role in determining how information is passed to learners.

Particularly, video games have gained popularity as one of the highly effective educational technologies that could be used in different learning set-ups. Games have been used as learning tools since humanity started knowing how to learn, which explains the popularity of video games in contemporary educational environments. For instance, any form of training or practice in preparation for the execution of a certain event can be termed as a game.

In the ancient times, hunters would train and practice on how to trap wild animals during their hunting expeditions. This concept has evolved in modern times with the advent of computers and advancement in technological sophistication. Currently, video games occur through interactive computer systems, which in most cases create virtual learning environments. This paper discusses video games as learning tools to highlight the kind of knowledge that they present to learners and their effectiveness in enabling people to acquire the knowledge. The role of video games in knowledge grounding will be discussed together with giving suggestions on how the technology could be made more effective.

Knowledge Type

Learners acquire procedural knowledge through video games. According to Shahar and Meiran (2015), procedural knowledge involves understanding how to do a given task. As such, people using this kind of knowledge learn a series of actions that should be executed in a specified manner to achieve the desired outcomes. In other words, people using this kind of knowledge learn how to do things. This aspect of learning the “how” part of executing tasks makes video games a resourceful educational tool in the modern world where people are bombarded with too much information, which might be irreverent in a given context. In most cases, students go to school to acquire specific knowledge on how to do certain things.

For instance, medical students attend school to gain relevant knowledge on how to diagnose and treat patients suffering from different health conditions. In elementary school, children learn how to count numbers and pronounce letters among other educational activities in preparation for advanced learning where such skills would be applicable.

Learning through video games prepares individuals for real-life situations where people can apply the knowledge that has been gained. In other words, video games facilitate learning by doing as opposed to the conventional way of listening and taking notes.

One great example of this form of learning is the use of video games in the US army. Using a centrally based server, instructional learning is provided remotely where military service members can receive training on diverse items. For instance, the learners receive equipment simulations whereby they are allowed to push buttons or move cables with the simulation responding accordingly. Ultimately, such learners gain invaluable experience that would have taken months or years to acquire using the traditional lecture-based learning.

Effectiveness of Video Games in Passing Procedural Knowledge

The effectiveness of video games as learning tools used in passing procedural knowledge to students is hinged on the associated benefits. This learning technology has addressed some of the shortcomings found in lecture-based learning. First, certain game aspects could be tied to specific learning outcomes, and this approach facilitates the achievement of the set goals. For example, some video games allow feedback in the form of guidance and reflection, which improve learning outcomes. In guided feedback, learners may be given a test and review their scores afterward with accompanying explanations on why the chosen answer is wrong or right.

Consequently, such students have the opportunity to interrogate their thought process and improve on their weaknesses. Additionally, through reflection, students may be asked to explain their answers or choices to a given test. This process allows learners to think deeply in the course of explaining their choices. A randomized controlled trial study conducted by Barr (2017) showed that video games are effective in developing skills for graduate students. Video games also allow interactivity, which promotes learning and knowledge retention among students.

Giving instructions through interactive tutorials makes games easier to play, and thus learners are less frustrated, which leads to better performance. Additionally, video games provide anonymity in competition, and thus learners are not afraid to lose because their identity is not known to the involved competitors. Consequently, students are confident to use creativity and try new things because even if they fail, no one would know.

Ultimately, the students’ learning capabilities and strategies improve through such endeavors. Other video games are designed to give learners specific skills, which are highly useful in life. Wright (2017) wrote an informative book on this subject by giving specific examples. One of the video games cited by Wright (2017) is “Spent”, which is an online game that allows users to experience what it means to live in poverty. In this game, users are required to make financial decisions within the context of having little or no money. In a bid to win the game, users have to make the right financial decisions.

Therefore, such gamers ultimately gain invaluable knowledge on how to make financial decisions in the face of scarcity. In modern times, financial planning is a problem because the majority of individuals lack the requisite skills to manage their money properly. “Spent” thus is an effective tool for teaching learners on how to make prudent financial decisions, which is a much-needed skill in contemporary times. The preceding examples highlight the effectiveness of using video games to instill procedural knowledge, which is applicable in real-life situations.

Grounding Knowledge

Video games could be used to ground knowledge. As noted earlier, video games equip learners with specific skills and cognition, which forms the basis of knowledge grounding. In other words, video games can be used to give the learner basic knowledge on a certain subject. According to Black, Khan, and Huang (2014), “A powerful role for games and simulations is providing rich, perceptually grounded experience with the content being learned, which when combined with more formal learning activities, provides deeper more robust learning that transfers” (p. 290).

For instance, when learning about the history and nature of slavery, students may not understand the concepts as presented through lecture-based learning. However, using video games, learners could be allowed to use avatars role-playing and highlighting the different dynamics that were involved in slavery. Such students will be in a good position to understand better the learning materials taught in conventional learning environments.

In one study, it was shown that by playing video games involving archeological sites, the experience improved the students’ ability to argue and interpret data using the observations made in the game (Black et al., 2014).

Therefore, video games are used to ground knowledge by allowing learners to have experiential learning, albeit through simulations. Learning through experience instills lasting knowledge to students because they can relate to whatever is being taught. Additionally, when learning through games, students stay on task, they persist through failure to achieve the set objectives, and they work in teams to solve problems. These learning characteristics are the envy of any teacher because they allow learners to consume and retain information effectively.

Revising the Technology for More Effectiveness

The effectiveness of video games as learning tools can be improved through different ways to ensure that learners gain relevant procedural knowledge. The first step is the design of the video game, which is the foundation of any learning tool (Turkay, Hoffman, Kinzer, Chantes, & Vicari, 2014).

The technology should be easy to use. Such a characteristic allows users to learn how to play the game with ease, and thus they create interest. This approach ensures that learners are motivated to play the instructional video game, without facing the barrier of complicated user guidelines. Additionally, video games should span different learning stages, which would expose learners to the initial application of concepts. This aspect would play an important role in ensuring that students achieve the set learning objectives as they have fun in playing the involved games.

Another strategy to improve the efficiency of video games as learning tools is to design them in a way that accommodates different learning styles. Students learn differently, and thus no universal style can meet the needs of all learners. Therefore, video games should incorporate different learning styles to allow students to choose the one that fits their learning needs. Video games should also be flexible to allow constant updates for the effectiveness of the learning system.

The technological revolution is happening fast, and thus video games should have the capacity for upgrades and updates or risk being outdated in a quickly changing environment. Video games as learning tools should be adaptable to the diverse levels of instruction. For instance, such games should have introductory, intermediate, and advanced learning levels to allow different gamers to use the system depending on their level of study. Finally, video games should not be mere supplements of learning, but they should be integrated into different courses. Ultimately, this technology would be effective in delivering procedural knowledge to students in diverse learning environments.

The Most Effective Way of Using Video Games

One of the most effective ways of using this technology is for teachers to use game-based learning (GBL) in classrooms. In GBL, teachers use actual games to teach specified subjects with clear learning objectives. However, GBL has many versions, such as browser-based games. Nevertheless, using highly rated games, such as AAA games, would be one of the effective ways of using video games as learning tools for instructors.

Students play AAA games at home, and if the same is incorporated in learning set-ups, learners have fun while using them. In some cases, students may even be allowed to carry their devices to classrooms depending on the different policies that diverse learning institutions have. In such cases, students are required to work in teams to complete certain tasks in a particular game using personal devices that they normally use at home. Students may also be encouraged to create their games using online platforms that offer such services. Allowing students to learn using their favorite games would capture their attention. Under normal cases, it takes over 50 hours to master a game.

Therefore, if a student has mastered a given game, it means that he or she has spent enough time learning. Instructors could thus use this concentration effect and integrate learning objectives into the games. This way, students would be motivated to play their games, but they would be learning at the same time. This approach solves one of the biggest problems with lecture-based learning, which is to ensure that students are engaged or motivated to listen and take notes. As such, the most effective way that instructors could use video games in learning is by using games that students have already learned to play and integrate learning lessons into them with specific objectives that should be achieved.

Audience

The most appropriate audience for video games as learning tools is students at different levels of education. The majority of the current gaming applications are classified as educational tools. The available research on the use of video games as learning tools is based on educational set-ups such as schools. Therefore, the most appropriate audience for this technology is students because of the evidence-based studies that have been carried on the subject as highlighted throughout this paper. However, this technology might be adapted for other audiences such as organizations in the marketplace.

Companies spend considerable resources on hiring the right employees and training them to be competent and effective with their duties. However, organizations are not guaranteed that such employees would perform as expected once they enter the marketplace.

Therefore, organizations could adopt video games as a strategy for training their employees by simulating real-life experiences. Such workers will be fully prepared having gained firsthand experience from the video games. For instance, marketers would play video games with simulated market experiences and be guided on how to handle potential clients. Similarly, organizations would save valuable resources, which are being used in trial and error methods that most companies employ when testing ideas in the market.

Conclusion

The education sector is undergoing unprecedented changes caused by the technological revolution of the 21st century. The invention of computers and the Internet has affected the way learning takes place. Conventionally, students would be required to learn through the lecture-based system, but this aspect is changing with the emergence of other learning tools. One of the technologies that have revolutionized learning is video games.

This technology allows students to acquire procedural knowledge on how to perform certain tasks to achieve set objectives. Video games allow users to have experiential learning, which promotes better knowledge acquisition and retention as compared to the traditional lecture-based approach to learning. Therefore, this technology is highly effective in passing procedural knowledge to learners. Similarly, given the experiential nature of learning, video games are useful tools for grounding knowledge.

Gamers learn the basic concepts on a given subject by gathering and consuming the relevant information. However, the technology has its weaknesses, and thus it could be revised for improved effectiveness. For instance, other activities, such as theoretical learning and assessment mechanics may be incorporated into video games to achieve better results as educational tools. Video games may also be used in organizations in training the workforce for improved profitability.

References

Barr, M. (2017). Video games can develop graduate skills in higher education students: A randomized trial. Computers & Education, 113, 86-97. Web.

Black, J. B., Khan, S. A., & Huang, S. C. (2014) Video games as grounding experiences for learning. In F. C. Blumberg (Ed.), Learning by playing: Frontiers of video gaming in education (pp. 290-300). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Plass, J. L., Homer, B. D., Kinzer, C. K., Chang, Y. K., Frye, J., Kaczetow, W., … Perlin, K. (2013). Metrics in simulations and games for learning. In M. S. El-Nasr, A. Drachen, & A. Canossa (Eds.), Game analytics: Maximizing the value of player data (pp. 297-729). New York, NY: Springer.

Shahar, N., & Meiran, N. (2015). Learning to control actions: Transfer effects following a procedural cognitive control computerized training. PloS One, 10(3), 1-22. Web.

Turkay, S., Hoffman, D., Kinzer, C. K., Chantes, P., & Vicari, C. (2014). Toward understanding the potential of games for learning: Learning theory, game design characteristics, and situating video games in classrooms. Computers in the Schools, 31(2), 2-22.

Wright, T. W. (2017). Paradox of the learning game: The promise and plight of video games and learning. Philadelphia, PA: Design Meets Mind.

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