games

Gaming and education have always been considered as separate entities by traditional systems of teaching and learning. Despite this fact, a large number of students and even adults spend millions of hours completely immersed in the games sitting in front of TVs, computers, mobile phones, iPads or other PDAs.

explores the possibilities of integrating games in traditional instructional methodologies, both online and face to face, so that teachers can help students learn the ability to perform problem solving, engage in high-level thinking skills, promote collaboration, foster engagement with the subject matter and retention.

If teachers pretermit the gamification of education, they would not be able to connect with the learners who are practically born in this digital world. The advancement in the digital world calls for changes in the way education is imparted to students.

The demands and needs of the modern world have changed a lot, and teachers can not continue teaching the same way as they used to teach in 20th century, moreover, this may not bring the best results for today’s technologically advanced students

support the fact that computer games can motivate students to learn and better transform the way students acquire knowledge. Kirriemuir (2008) further claims that, “Games are associated with fun, play, challenge, imagination, enjoyment, lateral thinking and experimentation – concepts that, for many, sit uneasily with study, concentration, silence, obedience and checklist (or curriculum) teaching

believes that digital game environments can enhance human cognition and always involve purposeful human action within a specific context. Gee (2003) sees games as a medium of mastering new literacy practices. Gee(2003) considers ‘literacy’ practices as reading, writing, sounds, interpretation and manipulation of images. Digital games have been used in formal settings for the last decade, but still there is a lot of scope

it has been demonstrated that games can supplement formal education and may not necessarily interfere with existing instructional strategies

Many interactive games, known as ‘Serious games’, usually combine educational content with game and its elements

Games, by design, rely on intrinsic, not extrinsic motivation and ‘intrinsic motivation can be undermined by external rewards linked to tasks’ (Lepper & Green 1976).  Wlodkowski (1999), defines motivation as the driving force behind someone’s actions. Intrinsic motivation  are the internal desires to perform a particular task whereas extrinsic motivation is doing something because of external rewards (Deci & Ryan, 1985). The classroom environment and the teacher interaction are also very important in motivating students (Grolnick and Ryan, 1990). Further, Waraich states that “For any learning task to be meaningful to the learner, they must have both a sufficient context for the learning and motivation to perform the tasks that will help them to learn.”(2004, p.98). Malone and Lepper (1987) observed that games intrinsically motivate players to engage in problem solving and critical thinking, because challenge, curiosity and fantasy act as the motivating factors.