April 18, 2023
Learn how video games can help students improve their math skills in a fun and engaging way:
Video games have become a radically popular form of entertainment worldwide, with 96% of Gen Z and Millennials reporting that they play video games. While they are often criticized for their potential negative effects on cognitive abilities and social skills, video games can actually be used to improve certain areas of cognitive development, namely, mathematical reasoning!
Mathematics can be a daunting subject for many students, as it demands analytical and logical thinking skills that not everyone possesses. But what if we told you that video games can help students develop these skills in a fun and engaging way? Yes, that's right! Video games have the power to turn math into an exciting adventure, where students can hone their problem-solving, spatial reasoning, perseverance, collaboration, and leadership skills. Let's dive into how video games can revolutionize the way students approach math!
Improving problem-solving skills
Most video games require players to solve problems and overcome obstacles to progress through the game. This involves analyzing situations, identifying patterns, and making decisions based on limited information. These problem-solving skills are essential in mathematics, as students need to apply logical reasoning to solve complex problems.
In video games, players are presented with different challenges that require different solutions. This means that players need to think critically and come up with creative solutions to overcome the challenges they face. This type of problem-solving can be applied to math, where students need to identify patterns, formulate hypotheses, and develop strategies to solve problems.
Enhancing spatial reasoning
Spatial reasoning is the ability to visualize objects in three-dimensional space and mentally manipulate them. This skill is important in math, as it helps students understand concepts such as geometry, trigonometry, and even calculus. Video games can help enhance spatial reasoning by requiring players to navigate through complex environments, solve puzzles, and visualize objects in different perspectives.
Games such as Minecraft and Rocket League require players to build structures, solve puzzles, and precisely navigate through three-dimensional environments. These games help students develop their spatial reasoning skills by requiring them to visualize objects and navigate through complex environments. Other games, such as Overwatch and Fortnite, help students develop their spatial reasoning skills by requiring them to identify patterns and make quick decisions based on visual cues.
Fostering perseverance
Video games often require players to repeat tasks multiple times before they can progress to the next level. This requires perseverance and determination, as players need to keep trying until they succeed. This type of perseverance can be applied to math, where students need to keep trying to solve complex problems until they find the right solution.
By playing video games, students can develop their perseverance skills by learning to keep trying until they succeed. This can help them develop a growth mindset, where they believe that their abilities can be improved through hard work and perseverance.
Encouraging collaboration
Video games can also encourage collaboration and teamwork, which are essential skills in mathematics. Games such as Fortnite and Overwatch require players to work together to achieve a common goal, such as capturing an objective or defeating opposing players. This requires communication, collaboration, and strategic thinking, which are all important math skills!
Making learning fun
Finally, video games can make learning math fun and engaging. Students are already excited about a wide variety of video games. Incorporating those titles into their curriculum makes for a math education that they can enjoy!
By making learning math fun, video games can help students develop a love for the subject and even encourage them to pursue it further. Students that want to get better at a video game, once they see how math can help them improve, will be more inspired to keep learning and improving at mathematics.
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Olivia has background in behavioral ecology and data analysis. She develops and implements SEO, CRO, social media strategy, and authors multi-disciplinary content for our blog, & our social media sites. She's contributed to many of the STEM tie-ins within our curriculum, authored our SEL course, and is a specialist in neurodiverse learning strategies.
