Today most companies use video games to train their employees. Study show that employees trained on video games do their jobs better, have higher skills and retain information longer than workers learning through traditional methods.
In contrast, to the beliefs that video games do not add value to the players, they are important. According to researchers video game in fact enhances learning abilities. Video games enhance learning as it improves ability to understand. The person playing the game tends to adopt the character in the video game.
The role can be different depending on the game. The role played by the person enables him to think, talk, and act like the real situation. It enables the person playing the game to understand the situation and act accordingly. The experience acquired from the video game makes powerful context for learning.
The persons playing the video games develop ability to understand, perform and think as per the situation and greatly enhance the learning process. For instance in this case study employees learn the act of customer service in a cartoon-like simulation of a Cold stone store. This enables them to have great understanding on the real situation of customer service.
Secondly video game allows the person playing the game to learn by doing or acting rather than just learning. Activities, tasks or actions that one performs in games force the person playing the games to think and develop his own knowledge. For instance in the military games the player is expected to understand the military doctrines and has to develop knowledge on weapons and equipments of the game to succeed in the game.
He has to execute his learning in the game for him to win the game. In this case video games enable persons playing games to learn by doing and this helps them to learn new things which enhance learning.
According to research, video games increases children’s engagement with written and visual texts, images and sounds. It also enhances learning of other technological domains and learning of higher-order cognitive skills which improves literacy.
Video games also make learning more interactive, relevant and meaningful to those who uphold the value of technology. It enables young generation to improve on technological skills developed through leisure activities. This has enabled the corporate trainers to focus highly on youth. Learning through video games may bridge the gap between technology savvy young people and their trainers.
It also bridges the gap on those who can afford technology at home and those who cannot. Video games enhance learning as it helps young people to develop interpersonal skills and this serve as a platform for knowledge exchange.
Learning through video games enables one to maintain the flow and it involves active engagement. The interactive nature of video games make learning more interesting hence enhancing the learning process. It also improves attitude, creativity and strengthen problem solving skills of the person playing the game.
Learning through video games enables a person to view the world in new ways. It also helps in acquisition of knowledge that prepares future learning in other domains. Playing video games make people to learn a variety of skills such as decision making skills, life skill, collaborative skills, socializing skills, problem-solving skills and others.
Features of an effective video game
Video games must have some features for them to be more effective than other training methods. The most important feature is that they must be interactive. Video games work best when they engage the person playing the game instead of instructing the player passively.
Video games that are too passive are not more effective than other method of training. Accessibility of the video game is another feature to be considered. Employees or people to be trained should have the games whenever they like.
Video games are interesting and this makes employees to repeatedly engage in game play. It is important for the game to be available all the time. Video games are supposed to be part of instruction but not the only instruction.
Because, video game is a tool not a replacement for training, trainees should be taught before and after the games to ensure they learn the entire scope. When employees are engaged in video game they are likely to become well trained workers.
Video games that can be easily customized to meet the educational strengths and weakness of an individual person are found to be effective. They are also supposed to be cost effective. Video games should also be challenging, students engage more when they face a challenge.
But the level of challenge should meet individual skills level. They should also be easy to control and should have a sense of curiosity. Finally an effective video game should be fantastic as this will make it enjoyable and interesting.
Conclusion
Video games are used today as they enhance learning process. Scientist have discovered that video game training makes one faster at processing and responding to perceptual information. Video game makes learning more enjoyable and interesting as compared to other methods of training. There are several features that make video game more effective than other traditional training method.
References
Alice, M., & Smith, C., 2004. A review of literature:learning skills development. The use of computers and video games for learning , 73-87.
Noe, R., 2009. Employee training & development. Chicago: McGraw Hill.
Paul, J., 2003. What video games have to teach us about learning and literacy. Chicago: Macmilliam.
Paul, J., & Elisabeth, H., 2011. Language and learning in the digital age. New York: Routledge.
Squire, K., 2011. Video games and learning. New York: Teachers College Press.
Thomas, D., & Brown, J. 2011. Culture of learning. Chicago: CreateSpace.
Van, R., 2007. Digital game based learning. Generation G and the 21st century , 38-42.