Games are significant in education for several reasons: they motivate students to learn, help students work as part of a team and take responsibility for their learning, and can be used as a classroom management tool. Specifically, games engage students in learning, reinforce lessons, and increase positivity in the classroom. They also increase motivation, control competitiveness, help problem solving and mental cognition, create peer positivity, provide a less stressful way for students to demonstrate knowledge, and increase memory, class cooperation, attention, and create a fun learning environment.

1. Why are games
significant in education?

2. Why are games
significant in
education?
• By playing games, students become
more motivated to learn, pay attention
and participate in the tasks.
• Games help students to become a
part of a team as well as take
responsibility for their own learning.
They can also be a great classroom
management tool, helping to motivate
a class.

3. Why are games
significant in
education?
Benefits to Playing Games in the
Classroom
There are many benefits to playing games
in the classroom. When planning lessons,
teachers should try to incorporate at least
one game a day into one of the key
learning areas as either a teaching and
learning tool, assessment strategy or
classroom motivator.
When playing games, students become
more engaged in their learning, taught
content is reinforced, and class positivity is
increased.

4. Why are games
significant in
education?
Benefits to Playing Games
in the Classroom
More Motivation
Playing games in the classroom increases motivation. By
playing games, students become more motivated to learn,
pay attention and participate in the tasks. Games help
students to become a part of a team and take responsibility
for their own learning. Games can also be a great classroom
management tool, helping to motivate a class.
Controlled Competitiveness
Students can become very competitive in the classroom,
especially boys. Games are a great way to control the
competitiveness between peers.
By using games in the classroom, students can compete
against each other whilst playing a game, then support each
other during other learning activities.

5. Why are games
significant in education?
Strategy Simulator
Some games require problem-solving strategies and planning. By applying
strategies in a game, students can use their working memory to solve
problems, increasing their mental cognition. Stimulating the brain with
strategies in a game can be a great brain workout!
Peer Positivity
Using games in a lesson as part of teaching and learning helps to create
positivity, motivating students with their participation and creating a positive
attitude towards learning.
They can also create in the classroom a more positive memory and experience
of learning.
Smaller Stress
Having to answer questions on a worksheet or produce a page of text can be
quite intimidating and stressful for some students. It can also create a negative
perception of a students’ learning environment.
As an alternative to worksheets, games can be used as a less stressful way for
students to demonstrate their knowledge, skills and understanding of a
subject. Being less stressed will help students to have a more positive
perception of their learning environment and give a true indication of their
own learning.

6. Why are games significant
in education?
Memory
Games can increase memory! As they play a game, students need to
remember important details about a topic but also use their working
memory to think and act quickly.
Games that were made by the students can be some of the most
effective. As students construct a game, they are required to use their
memory of specific content to create questions and answers suitable for
the game, then use their memory of the topic to play the game.
Class Cooperation
Playing games in the classroom increases class cooperation. Classroom
games can also be used as a team-building exercise!
Students need to work together as a team when playing as a whole class
against the teacher, or in small team groups when playing games with
each other.
In this way, students learn how to take turns, build respect, listen to
others and play fairly.

7. Why are
games
significant
in
education?
Attention
They also require students to pay great attention
to detail. As games can move quickly, when
playing a game, a student needs to be alert and
attentive.
This attentiveness when playing a game can help
students to stay focused on other tasks in the
classroom.
Fun
Playing games in the classroom is always great
fun!
When playing a game, endorphins are produced
that stimulate the brain and gives students a
feeling of euphoria. This feeling of euphoria
creates a great sense of happiness and
excitement for students in the classroom,
developing a positive learning environment.

8. Why are
games
significant
in
education?
New Knowledge
Games are also a great tool to consolidate
new knowledge.
After teaching new content to the class,
provide students with a game that will
consolidate their understanding and make
connections with what they already know.
Asking students to create their own
content-specific games can also be a great
way to assess students at the end of a unit
of work.
Take it Outside
Games aren’t just for inside the classroom.
Going outside and enjoying the outdoors can
also provide a bit of brain break for your
students, all while consolidating a topic they
are learning about!