Learning should be about fun and games in the 21st century

In an article published in January, the American Psychological Association found that “contrary to the conventional beliefs that playing video games is intellectually lazy and sedating, it turns out that playing these games promotes a wide range of cognitive skills.” Now, GamesBeat readers are already the converted and know this, and we certainly don’t need to preach about the link between gaming and skills development — but what if we are talking about our children?

The next generation is made up of ready-made digital mavens who live and breathe technology. It has changed everything: the way they watch TV, listen to music, and communicate with friends. However, the area where technology is only tentatively having an impact is when it comes to learning — one of the fundamental building blocks of any child’s or adult’s future. In a time where gaming encompasses childhood and adulthood alike, a huge opportunity exists to enhance learning through the introduction of video games into the education environment — be that at school, university, or in the workplace.