What do we know from research on:

Key points Students’ academic achievement may be improved directly or indirectly by using educational, commercial or bespoke games (see slides 4 & 5). Studies considering the links between educational video games & achievement often associate academic achievement with an increase in students’ intrinsic motivation (see slide 6) Digital games can improve cognitive & practical skills not always assessed in traditional school settings, which can be useful to prepare students for their future careers (see slide 7) Games-based learning (GBL) can improve students’ academic grades (see slide 8) Factors contributing directly to increasing achievement include teachers’ role in GBL, students’ individual differences, game design and the educational environment. Teachers’ role (e.g. in choosing the correct game, setting up the classroom to suit collaborative & user-centred activities, & guiding students) is likely to have the greatest influence on GBL’s success & ability to increase achievement (see slide 9).

Achievement understood broadly Achievement Academic activities Extra- curricular activities BehaviourConfidence Communi- cation skills Punctuality Assertive- ness  Academic achievement cannot be analyzed in isolation.  A broader understanding of what it means to be a successful student & which skills may prepare students for their future career is needed.

Student achievement can be improved as a result of using digital games Students’ academic achievement in a wide range of topics may be improved directly or indirectly by using educational, commercial or bespoke digital games, in terms of: Cognitive skills Subject- related knowledge Motivation & behaviour

How different types of games can increase achievement can directly increase students’ achievement significantly (demonstrated by short-term & long-term studies evaluating the difference between pre- & post-tests, changes in behaviour, confidence or self-efficacy). Games designed specifically for learning Can indirectly increase students’ achievement through supporting the development of important skills & attitudes (e.g.meta-cognitive skills, 21 st century literacy skills & self-efficacy). Games not designed specifically for learning (e.g. some commercial games)

Link between academic achievement & students’ intrinsic motivation when using games Students do not focus on obtaining good marks/fear of failure Rather, they are motivated to compete, explore, collaborate & progress in the game So that they consequently learn from it. May also prevent some students from dropping out of school & increase their chances to achieve academically

Games can improve cognitive & practical skills not always assessed in academic settings, yet important to prepare students for their future careers Cognitive & practical skills Inter-personal skills memory Problem-solving Organizational skills Time management skills Research skills Spatial abilities

GBL can improve students’ academic grades Factual knowledge Procedural knowledge Strategic knowledge Research shows that GBL can increase students’ grades in relation to their knowledge of a topic, in terms of: However, grades do not always reflect deeper, more abstract thinking skills such as critical thinking, creativity or expertise. To evaluate these types of skills methods such as interviews, focus groups and conceptual maps are used.

Factors contributing directly to achievement e.g. gender & age prior exposure to video games Teachers e.g. based on the curriculum includes a tutoring system/other tracking mechanisms Students’ individual differences Game design e.g. resources available time spent playing the game Educational environment e.g. level of intervention knowledge of the game

Further information For a reference list and full discussion of all academic articles and policy papers used as a basis for this visual presentation, please consult the ‘in depth’ answer associated to this question. For a summarized text version of the above mentioned ‘in depth’ answer, please consult the ‘in short’ answer associated to this question.