Classroom Implications
Digital game-based learning is a model that incorporates educational content into video games that students play in class and thus learn from. It is different from the traditional style of teaching because it changes the role of the teacher to a facilitator of learning and a curator/creator of game content. The student learns differently in this model because he or she learns while playing the game, rather than listening to a lecture or taking notes. Research suggests that the digital game-based learning model can be effective in the classroom, as it creates a more engaging and stimulating learning environment. Digital game-based learning can also be effective for students with special needs, as games move at the pace of the player. The learning style can offer personalized learning experiences, which is essential in the special education classroom.
The Evolution of Game-Based Learning
Game-based learning has evolved greatly overtime. The evolution of game-based learning dates back centuries ago. In the Middle Ages, noblemen would play chess to learn the strategies of war. Since its integration into learning models, games have gradually become more complex and assistive to learning through the years. In the 1980s, powerful games like Oregon Trail became mainstreamed into most primary classrooms. This integration of games and learning proved to be engaging for students in the classroom. Today, games as advanced as ClassCraft and MinecraftEDu, which model games played at home like Minecraft and World of Warcraft, are being utilized by teachers in their classrooms, again suggesting that games can be useful and engaging when learning and practicing new material. The future of game-based learning will likely lead to an increase in research to test the efficacy of this learning model, and the games used in the classroom will continue to evolve and grow in complexity.
Ethical Implications
There are many ethical implications that need to be considered when incorporating game-based learning into the classroom. For example, as the curator or creator of the game content, the teacher needs to ensure that the elements of the game are understood by all students, because in order to learn through the game, students first need to know how to play the game. If students do not understand the game, it will not be an effective learning model, and will need modifying. More ethical implications to consider surround the impacts gaming has on the brain, such as the condition called "video game brain," as explained by the infographic titled, "The Neurology of Gaming" (2012). Another ethical implication of game-based learning is the potential influence it has on females and their involvement in STEM subjects, or further, their involvement in game design, in which there is a shortage of female involvement, according to Lee Sheldon's "The Multiplayer Classroom: Designing Coursework as a game.