3 Reasons to Invest in Game-Based Learning
When the internet first went global in the 1980s, its primary purpose was the sharing of information and resources. People were enamoured with the possibility of exchanging multimedia content with anyone in the world.
Fast forward to today, and the internet has taken on many unforeseen roles. Social media and entertainment sites are constantly rising in popularity, and e-commerce has become a virtual ecosystem in itself.
Yet, at the core of the world wide web, education and information-sharing continue to be paramount.
So much so, that the eLearning industry is expected to be valued at $240 billion by 2023.
What makes eLearning so viable? The introduction of mobile apps, cross-platform technology, serious gaming and personalized learning paths have made education more accessible, customized, and effective than it’s ever been before.
Students are now able to participate in lessons from wherever they are, at their own pace, and benefit from motivating incentives that keep them engaged with their materials.
When you think about it – it really is quite remarkable.
One aspect of eLearning that has gained exceptional traction in recent years is game-based learning – an educational method rooted in the principles of gamification. In game-based learning, students participate in a specifically designed educational game that helps them achieve learning outcomes.
It has generated unbelievable results, with 90 percent of employees being more productive when exposed to game-based learning.
But how can business owners and organizational leaders be confident that investing in game-based learning is worthwhile? And what are the results they can expect to see?
We’ve compiled some compelling answers to these questions, so that you don’t have to.
Let’s dig in!
HERE ARE THE TOP 3 REASONS TO INVEST IN GAME-BASED LEARNING:
- THE ENGAGEMENT LEVELS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES
Keeping students engaged has been a challenge for educators for as long as the school system has existed. But gamification has managed to address this concern in a way that other methods have failed to do.
For example: Did you know that organizations that deploy gamification have improved employee engagement by as much as 48 percent?
This is possible due to visual elements that motivate students to continue along their learning path. Game-based learning features like progress bars, learning milestones, positive reinforcement comments, and individual learner statistics keep students aware of their progress, and excited to achieve new levels of success.
It’s all a part of the psychology behind serious gaming, which caters to the innate human affinity for rewards and positive feedback.
It is this positive psychological impact that resulted in 75 percent of students who tried a game-based training saying the system was enjoyable and engaging, and that they would like to see gamification implemented in other courses they were enrolled in.
With such compelling statistics, the advantages of game-based learning for student engagement are nearly impossible to ignore.
- SKILLS RETENTION IS GREATLY IMPROVED
The ability of a student to recall the skills they’ve been taught is essential to their future success in whatever role they fill. Unfortunately, traditional learning methods produce subpar retention rates, resulting in ill-prepared employees who cost businesses and organizations more money in the long run.
In fact, students will forget up to 50 percent of what they just learned using traditional training methods within the first hour after their lesson.
Ouch!
Thankfully, learning by doing yields much better results.
In a recent study by the University of Colorado, students who played learning games ended up with 11 percent higher factual knowledge, 14 percent higher skill-based knowledge, and 9 percent higher retention rates than those who used other approaches.
In another study by Indiana University found that game-based learning increased retention by more than 300 percent in immediate post-testing, and by as much as 10 times when subjects were tested six weeks later.
These studies show that the positive effects of game-based learning are immediately noticeable, giving businesses and organizations peace of mind that ROI is not only possible, but essentially guaranteed.
- STUDENTS BECOME MORE SOCIAL AND ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THE LEARNING PROCESS
Another fantastic result of game-based learning is how it fosters inter-connectivity amongst students.
To be more precise, 53 percent of teachers find that video games foster positive collaboration between students.
Additionally, companies that encourage social learning see a 3.5X increase in logins and 2.5X increase in non-required activity.
Features like forums and chat functionality allow your students to interact with one another, share their learning achievements, and encourage one another throughout the course of their lessons.
Again, this comes down to the psychology associated with learning, and the positive reinforcement students receive when they are able to share their educational achievements with their peers and coworkers.
With these core benefits in mind, and the available data that backs them up, businesses and organizations are able to make an informed decision about game-based learning and reap the rewards of this new age approach to learning.