Next-Gen Education is Bringing Gaming to the Classroom
The integration of esports into education could change teaching and learning methods and outcomes.
Long shunned by educators, gaming is increasingly being integrated into education, with games like League of Legends, Overwatch, Rocket League, and Fortnite being introduced to educational settings. In fact, establishing an esports-centered community in schools can help students align their passion with their academic and personal aspirations, fostering an environment where they can learn, grow, and embrace various facets of esports.
Esports, the realm of organized competitive video gaming where teams and individual players compete online has expanded over time. The esports market worldwide is projected to reach a revenue of $4.3 billion in 2024, according to Statista. A recent report by BCG on the gaming sector notes that over 60 percent of the Middle East's population are avid gamers, with the region being home to one of the highest rates of mobile gaming app downloads in the world.
“In the Middle East, particularly in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, the typical age bracket of gamers is between 14 and 34 years old. This demographic is highly engaged with gaming as a primary form of entertainment,” Matthew Pickering, CEO of Power League Gaming, a full-service gaming agency in the MENA region, tells Inc. Arabia.
A Paradigm Shift
Parents and educators often attribute the rise of violence and anti-social behavior to excessive gaming. In a 2020 Mott Poll Report in the US, it was reported that 86 percent of parents think their child wastes too much time playing video games. A recent study on the impact of gaming on children and adolescents in the Arab world found longer game time correlated with a higher risk of physical aggression and hostile behavior.
However, as video games have evolved from single-player experiences to multiplayer online competitive formats, advocates note that esports can offer the same benefits as traditional sports, helping students learn teamwork, leadership, communication, problem-solving, and strategic thinking. Today, educators are utilizing esports as an extracurricular activity to improve the learning experience for students.
If aligned with curriculum standards and educational goals, esports can turn learning into an active rather than a passive process. Educational games can improve learning outcomes, especially in STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), by allowing students to visualize and engage with complex concepts in a virtual setting.
Esports can help students develop strategic and analytical skills as they choose positions, analyze opponents' choices, and devise tactics to overcome them. This process fosters strategic understanding akin to game theory, where interactive decisions impact outcomes.
Esports also offers promising career paths in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Every successful esports team relies on a range of professionals such as game developers, data analysts, marketing experts, and event coordinators, all vital to the industry's ecosystem. By giving young gaming enthusiasts access to resources, mentorship, and competitive opportunities, they can improve their skills and pursue careers in this rapidly evolving field, Pickering tells Inc. Arabia.
The GCC is Getting Behind Esports for Education
GEMS FirstPoint School stands as the pioneer in the UAE and the Middle East, offering BTEC qualifications in esports and digital game design. In addition to offering esports as an extracurricular activity and featuring internal competitions and leagues, GEMS has introduced an Esports and Game Design Academy, scheduled to commence this month across all its schools, supported by a scholarship prize fund.
Pickering tells us that Power League Gaming sees huge potential in young gamers in schools and has launched initiatives to support them. “We’ve developed partnerships with education providers such as GEMS Education and the Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) to offer training and development programs that upskill young enthusiasts and provide pathways into the gaming and esports industries,” Pickering tells us. PLG offers internships and education content IP “Stream School,” which includes two seasons and has attracted more than 2.3 million views.
Earlier this year, Aldar Education and Lenovo partnered to launch the Lenovo esports hub at a K-12 school in Abu Dhabi. Located in Aldar Education’s West Yas Academy, the facility provides students with gaming equipment, software, and immersive gaming experiences.
Gamifying Learning
Beyond integrating competitive esports into education, educators are increasingly gamifying education. Gamification, which refers to the integration of game elements and mechanics into learning experiences to engage students, enhance motivation, and promote learning outcomes, involves applying principles typically found in games, such as points, badges, and leaderboards, into education to make it more engaging.
“The education and training sectors will increasingly leverage gaming technologies for immersive learning experiences,” Pickering tells us.
Game developers are increasingly integrating educational aspects into their games as well. The Minecraft Education Edition features a comprehensive library of lesson plans and tutorials to foster collaborative learning through its multiplayer capabilities. Others, like Roblox, are being used to teach game design and coding, allowing students to design games and projects.
The integration of esports and gamified learning into education not only engages students but also fosters diverse skill sets, encourages digital literacy, boosts social-emotional growth, and unlocks pathways to future career prospects. Harnessing the potential of esports allows educators to craft meaningful and impactful learning experiences that resonate with today's digital-native students.
This article appeared in the July/August issue of Inc. Arabia's digital magazine. To read the full magazine, click here.