Educational video game

An educational video game is software designed to provide learning or training value to its players. Some experts use the term "edutainment" to describe the intentional merger of video games and educational software. In a narrow sense, edutainment refers to software that is primarily about entertainment but includes educational elements. These games are often sold under an educational umbrella. They do not always follow specific school curricula or use educational advisors. However, they play a significant role in modern classrooms. Teachers use them to deliver core lessons in reading and new skills.

There are two distinct ways these games are categorized. Edutainment games often use a linear approach. They focus on drilling subject matter to the user through repetitive tasks wrapped in entertainment. In contrast, true educational video games encourage creative thinking and problem solving. These experiences are often non-linear, meaning players can interact with the world in many different ways. While most are built specifically for home or classroom use, some core games were not built for education but still have learning potential. These include strategy war games that feature historical references or in-game encyclopedias. Such games allow players to simulate human activities, including social, historical, and economic processes.

Many different genres of games can be used for specific subjects. City-building games, such as the SimCity series or Caesar, allow players to explore city management. Empire-building games like the Civilization series or Europa Universalis help players learn about politics and military history. Railroad management games, such as Railroad Tycoon, illuminate the engineering and economics of transport. Geography games like GeoGuessr help players locate places on Earth using hints. Even complex science can be taught through play. Physics games like Quantum Moves impart intuition for quantum mechanics. Geometry games like HyperRogue teach players about non-Euclidean spaces, such as hyperbolic or spherical geometry.

The history of these games stretches back several decades. One of the earliest examples was a mainframe game called The Sumerian Game in 1964. This was the first resource management game designed for elementary school students. In 1970, Abt published a book titled "Serious games: The art and science of games that simulate life." Educational games grew in popularity during the early 1980s. This growth followed the video game crash of 1983 in the United States. During this time, the console market collapsed, and the home computer market grew. Developers began creating games that satisfied children's entertainment needs while pleasing parents and educators. The term "edutainment" was used in the UK in 1983 by Chris Harvey at ITEC.

Designing a successful learning game requires balancing several opposing factors. Developers must focus on integration, motivation, and focus. Integration means the game's goals must match the learning objectives. A player should only progress by mastering the information being taught. Motivation is achieved by making the primary activity interesting and challenging. Games are built around decision-making and seeing the consequences of those choices. Finally, focus is best achieved when students learn through exploring or interacting. Good design avoids simple "drill-and-practice" principles. Instead, it uses novelty and unexpected occurrences to keep the player engaged through a narrative or story.

Learning through gaming changes how students view mistakes. Games provide a structure for problem-solving that allows a student to "fail up." This means that through a combination of challenge and identity-building, a student will persist until a problem is solved. This is known as productive failure. Each attempt provides progress and knowledge on how to solve the problem next time. This process makes iteration and discovery central to the learning experience. Many students find a "sweet spot" for gaming. This allows them to grasp difficult concepts more easily than they might through a traditional book.

Today, digital games are a standard part of the academic landscape. A nationwide study of 488 K–12 teachers in the United States found that over half used digital games in the classroom weekly as of 2013. Teachers can also use online games to generate learning data. This data gives teachers insight into what students have mastered and what needs improvement. This information helps them refine their curriculum. By using these tools, educators can support the development of intellectual and emotional skills. These skills are essential for academic achievement and future professional careers.