A new study, led by professors of education at Brunel University of London, explored how gaming culture can be leveraged in the classroom to improve pupil engagement and learning outcomes.
Teachers in four London primary schools introduced a gaming resource within their Key Stage 2 (KS2) science lessons with positive results from teachers and pupils.
Gaming has become an integral part of many children’s lives, with 8–12 year-olds typically spending around 5.5 hours a day on gaming activities. The rise of online gaming has significantly enhanced the gaming culture, and it’s now an important form of cultural wealth in children — the knowledge, skills and experiences that children learn from their family, community networks and interests outside the classroom.
The increase in gaming among children has led teachers and researchers to explore the potential educational benefits of video games, and how they can be used to support teaching and learning.
For this study, Prof Kate Hoskins and Prof Mike Watts, from Brunel’s education department, conducted their research in five KS2 science lessons in four West London schools — in the boroughs of Hillingdon and Hammersmith and Fulham.
Research has shown that video games can improve cognitive skills such as problem-solving and critical thinking, and the Brunel professors explored how integrating elements of gaming culture into science lessons can potentially enhance students' learning experience by addressing their interests, motivations and diverse learning needs.
The five primary school teachers were given a gaming resource to use in their lessons, which was designed specifically for KS2 science by an interactive digital magazine called Checkpoint. Checkpoint aims to create educational learning material that is interactive, engaging and enjoyable for students.
“Recognising and integrating elements of game culture into the Key Stage 2 science curriculum presents an opportunity to connect more deeply with students and their learning environment,” said Prof Kate Hoskins, who led the research. “By using the cultural wealth that students bring from their gaming experiences, lessons can be more engaging and inclusive.”
Following the lesson, feedback was gathered from the teachers, and pupils completed a questionnaire based on their interactive learning.
“Pupil engagement is a crucial determinant of good learning outcomes, and 89% of pupils agreed that they were engaged in the lesson,” explained Prof Watts. “A total of 93% agreed that the lesson improved their learning experience, and 82% of pupils indicated a rise in confidence after the lesson,” he added.
“The positive engagement and increased sense of confidence reported by the pupils suggests that their motivation was stimulated through participating in a lesson that recognised and incorporated their cultural wealth.”
Pupils were asked about the skills they gained from the lesson, and creativity, listening and problem-solving scored highest.
All five teachers cited the positive aspects of the learning material and highlighted the improved engagement and focus of their pupils throughout the lesson.
“The feedback from our teacher interviews shows that incorporating a gaming resource into educational settings can foster cooperation, communication and teamwork among students, ultimately enhancing their social skills and collaborative problem-solving abilities,” explained Prof Watts.
“The success observed in all four schools demonstrates the effectiveness of game culture as an educational strategy, able to improve both subject knowledge and fundamental skills that support scientific literacy and inquiry.”
Prof Hoskins believes that the positive findings from the study provides evidence to support the incorporation of gaming as an educational resource in schools. “By tapping into the interests and passions of students, teachers can create more captivating and meaningful learning experiences that resonate with their students' lived experiences,” she said. “Our results show that when students encounter familiar elements from their gaming experiences within the classroom, their enthusiasm for learning visibly increases.”
Prof Hoskins emphasised the potential of innovative techniques to make a substantial contribution to educational practices — and the need for additional investigation and incorporation into broader curricular designs to meet the changing requirements and interests of students.
“The ultimate goal remains clear: to leverage the universal appeal of gaming, which has become an integral part of students’ cultural wealth, to unlock new dimensions of learning and discovery for all students everywhere,” she said.
‘Leveraging students’ game culture in education: Validating the benefits of utilising videogames to inform pedagogy’, by Kate Hoskins, Asma Lebbakhar and Mike Watts, is published in Education 3-13.
Reported by:
Nadine Palmer,
Media Relations
+44 (0)1895 267090
nadine.palmer@brunel.ac.uk