Years ago, people considered mobile games as nothing but time-killing machines. Kids and teenagers could spend hours with smartphones in their hands, and it was a huge problem. Individuals didn’t want to study, develop their knowledge in their favorite areas, and simply become better.
Today, students won’t complete papers themselves; they will use services like grademiners.com to get them done. Still, the tendency has changed, and now we are talking about the impact of mobile games on the education system. Since applications started affecting the whole concept of education, it forced dozens of researchers.
Since there are beneficial and disadvantageous moments, it’s hard to determine what global changes will cause. In our article, we will go through the main factors that cause such an impact of mobile games on the education system.
Addiction and Loss of Interest
The aspect a lot of parents are afraid of is addiction. Once children try playing games on mobile phones, they will return to them repeatedly. Sooner or later, gaming sessions will replace reading, TV series, and even time with friends. In some cases, individuals even gave up hitting the gym or attending courses instead of playing games (not only on smartphones but also on PC).
They start thinking that the best way to spend time is to play games so they won’t lose anything, and the time will fly faster. However, they mostly get the opposite effect by losing opportunities to grow and develop their knowledge.
Motivation to Learn and Develop Skills
The opposite side of the medal is that difficult games force students to think ahead, find alternative solutions, and plan their actions to achieve the final goal. Moreover, elements like the progress track, the achievement system, and other points that evaluate success force gamers to improve.
For example, when they see the global scoreboard, they understand where they are at the moment and what they can achieve shortly. For example, what could be the following actions if a gamer can’t go through a tough chapter?
- Look for guides and find out how to proceed
- Try yourself as many times as needed until finding the right way
- Give up playing the game
The third option looks the best if the game is not very interesting. Suppose the interest is below the average level. In that case, people look for the solution on forums and platforms just like searching for writing services at https://www.metrotimes.com/sponsored/want-to-buy-essay-online-top-10-trusted-writing-services-to-go-for-30728421.
However, if people are truly interested, develop their understanding of the game, and proceed to the next level, they will do everything themselves. Moreover, if the game has a well-crafted system of achievements, users get extra motivation to keep playing.
Loss of Concentration and Bad Academic Performance
Time wasting is not the biggest problem of mobile gaming. The bigger issue is that when students spend a lot of time playing games, it gets harder for them to focus on academic tasks. For example, when a teenager does a home assignment and wants to take a break, the best option is to grab a phone and play games.
However, what should have taken 20 minutes will take an hour or more. Moreover, when students work on projects, essays, or other assignments, they want to finish them ASAP. Not to read something or spend time outside but to play games.
This leads to reduced academic performance because individuals are not focusing on results; they want to finish the task quickly regardless of how many mistakes it has.
Encouraging Students to Participate in Challenges
Have you ever wondered what may happen if the games become part of the educational process? It opens so many options for teachers to test students’ capabilities and let them practically implement their knowledge.
For example, if individuals are studying physique, give them a game where they need to rely on the laws of physics. Games could easily become a practical part of almost any educational program, and there’s no need to do something extraordinary to make it happen.
- Find the game that reflects the sense of the subject.
- Explain why students should play this game (give them additional motivation).
- Reward winners with high grades.
Games for Small Children: Good or Bad?
When we talk about education, it’s not just about school or college. It’s also about the early stages when the person makes the first steps in this world and learns to perform simple actions. When this approach is realized using games, it’s much easier for kids to move from one point to another.
They understand why they do this (to achieve the final result and win the game), how it happens (they upgrade their skills and knowledge and move from one chapter to another), and what they get (status and rewards). Still, it’s essential to explain why their advantages are so important.
Nobody said that gaming immediately moves a person out of control. It usually happens when nobody watches how long a person played the game and under what circumstances it happens. You can share healthy gaming habits by explaining why the game time should be limited and forcing children to participate in various activities.
Whether it’s football, baseball, or some other activity, ensure a person does not sit in front of a screen. Encourage individuals to perform alternative activities and ensure they don’t want to return to gaming ASAP.
Monitoring and Analyzing
Changes won’t happen immediately; they grow slowly and then get implemented. If you want to achieve global changes, not local, don’t chase rapid success. If you are a school teacher who has recently implemented mobile gaming practices into the studying process, don’t count on fast success.
Analyze what’s happening and only then conclude. It depends on the type of game you select, the reaction of children from your class, and the subject you are responsible for. If students are not interested in playing for educational purposes, it makes sense to change the approach.
