At the turn of the 21st century, interest in using games as tools for learning grew rapidly. Advocates of digital game-based learning argue that the wider public and many teachers began to recognize what students and educational researchers already knew: digital games can make learning active, contextual, and engaging. As one elementary student said at the 2004 Serious Games Summit, “Why read about ancient Rome when I can build it?”
Research since the early days of digital gaming has continued to support the educational potential of games. Several factors have driven broader acceptance of digital game-based learning: today’s learners belong to a digital generation that often finds traditional instruction disengaging; digital games themselves have become more popular and commercially prominent; and educators have begun to experiment with integrating games into curricula. For example, worldwide revenues for digital gaming exceeded $70 billion in 2015, and surveys of K–8 teachers indicate that more than half—about 55 percent—report students play digital games in class at least weekly.
The Basics of Digital Game-Based Learning
Definitions
Digital game-based learning refers to the deliberate use of digital video games as instructional tools. Rather than relying solely on isolated tasks such as memorization, drills, or quizzes, digital games place learning in context within interactive systems. Players encounter problems, receive feedback, and apply skills in meaningful situations that mirror real-world scenarios or domain-specific challenges.
Game-based learning is distinct from gamification. Gamification borrows game elements—such as points, levels, or badges—and applies them to non-game learning activities. Digital game-based learning uses full games or simulations as the central medium for delivering instruction and practice.
Several types of games are commonly used in classrooms and educational programs:
- Educational games: Purpose-built video and computer games that offer immersive experiences designed to meet specific learning goals and outcomes.
- Online games: Ranging from simple text-based environments to complex virtual worlds that support many simultaneous players and collaborative experiences.
- Serious games: Titles created primarily for training or education, where entertainment is secondary to instructional objectives.
- Simulations: Game-like models of real-world situations that allow learners to explore systems, test hypotheses, and experiment safely.
Approaches and Examples
Educators tend to pursue one of three main approaches to bringing digital game-based learning into the classroom: have students build games, commission or develop bespoke educational games, or integrate commercial off-the-shelf games into instruction.
Student-built games are most often seen in computer science courses and coding clubs, where designing a game reinforces programming and design skills. However, many teachers lack the expertise required to implement a full game-design curriculum.
Developing custom educational games is often viewed as the ideal because tailored games can balance engagement and instructional design to meet specific learning objectives. Yet producing high-quality educational titles at scale remains challenging and resource-intensive. Widespread adoption of custom educational games will likely depend on the emergence of convincing examples that demonstrate consistent, measurable learning gains and on broader acceptance by educators and parents.
Integrating commercial games into lessons is a pragmatic alternative. Although commercial titles are not designed primarily for instruction, many have mechanics, narratives, and systems that map well to curricular goals. For instance, strategy games like Civilization can support lessons in history, geography, and diplomacy; SimCity can illustrate urban planning, public policy, and engineering trade-offs; and forensic-themed games can introduce crime-scene investigation principles.
The Civilization series is an often-cited example in research because it naturally embeds historical, geographic, and political concepts. Studies of classroom use—such as one with 11th grade U.S. history students playing Civilization III—have shown that gameplay, when paired with classroom discussion and reflection, can improve knowledge about topics like diplomacy, resource management, and the consequences of settlement decisions.
Effectiveness of Digital Game-Based Learning
Meta-analyses and research syntheses provide evidence that digital games and simulations can produce positive learning outcomes in STEM and other subjects. One prominent review examined dozens of peer-reviewed studies and found that, when compared to instruction without digital games, game-based approaches produced a moderate to strong effect on broad cognitive competencies.
Quantitatively, some research suggests that students using digital games can see improvements in learning achievement on the order of about 12 percent compared with peers who do not use games; simulations in particular have been associated with even larger gains, sometimes reported near 25 percent.
Why do digital games work? Games embody many well-established principles of learning. They situate knowledge within meaningful contexts, allowing learners to acquire and practice skills in settings directly tied to the tasks at hand—a principle known as situated cognition. Games also encourage active problem solving, iterative experimentation, and immediate feedback, so learners can adjust strategies based on success and failure.
Psychological and developmental theories further support the role of play in learning. Play serves as a universal mechanism for exploration, socialization, and skill development. Concepts from Piagetian theory—such as assimilation and accommodation—apply when learners confront cognitive disequilibrium during gameplay and reorganize understanding to restore balance. In addition to cognitive benefits, well-designed games can enhance motivation, emotional engagement, and collaborative skills.
Implementing Digital Game-Based Learning in the Classroom
Evaluate resources
Begin by assessing practical constraints and opportunities. Consider hardware availability: does the school provide devices, or will students use their own? Determine whether games will be played as a whole-class activity, in small groups, or at learning stations. Financial resources, device licensing, and technical support are important factors. Some schools can supplement classroom resources with grant funding or partnerships, while others may need to prioritize free or low-cost games compatible with existing devices.
Select and prepare the game
When choosing a game, keep your students’ needs and learning objectives front and center. Ask which grade levels and skills the game targets and whether its content aligns with your curriculum. Filter options based on available resources and platform compatibility. Look for versatile games that can be adapted to multiple lessons or subject areas.
Play any candidate game thoroughly before introducing it to students. Teachers who understand a game’s mechanics, pacing, and potential pitfalls can scaffold learning more effectively and anticipate student questions. Prepare a lesson plan that integrates gameplay with reflection, assessment, and broader learning activities. Many educators adapt existing lesson plans or create rubrics and discussion prompts that align game experiences with learning outcomes.
Enhancing Mathematics Education with Games
Digital games can support learning across subjects, including mathematics. In an interactive, engaging environment, students can explore mathematical concepts, test conjectures, and visualize relationships that are abstract in traditional formats. Games that encourage pattern recognition, problem solving, and spatial reasoning can help students build deeper conceptual understanding.
Graduate programs in mathematics education emphasize pedagogical strategies that leverage technology and game-based learning. By developing skills in instructional design and assessment, teachers can become advocates for innovative approaches that use games purposefully to enhance student learning.
This article has been shared with permission.