There are many benefits to using online games as an educational tool to teach and practice academics. Video games have the capability of engaging children and teaching them important skills that can sometimes be disinteresting in other forms. They are engaging and can provide interactive learning that is at the pace of whoever is playing (levels in a game). Many online games can let the player use trial and error to figure out what to do while providing instructions and guidance. Online games can also link peers together and they are able to provide feedback and learn from each other which benefits both students learning (Konert, 2015, p.104). Hands-on learning is not always possible but teaching through educational games is a great alternative.
Scratch is a browser based educational programming environment. It lets anyone learn the basics of programming by snapping blocks together to create games. The software is designed to teach anyone the basics of programming in a simple and fun environment.
A common misconception is that video games are a distraction from learning, instead some games can be educational and something children are able to learn from. This is an easy assumption to make because video games are often associated with violence and aggression which is the furthest thing from education. This being said, specific games are designed to teach children using interactive and visual learning techniques. A great example is a website called Cool Math Games which is an entire website dedicated to fun games for children to play that all revolve around learning elementary math. Overall, there are many useful ways to use games in an educational way and a great place to make those games is on Scratch.
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