We have all heard of video games, but have you heard of video games used for education? From retro classics like The Oregon Trail to modern phenomena like Minecraft, video games have started to make their way into the education system.

Video games have an infamous reputation for being bad for students because they have negative effects when it comes to education, however, some schools in Florida seem to disagree. They have started to use video games such as Minecraft in class to build students’ teamwork skills, foster their creativity, and also make students’ engagement levels higher. With a special version of the game titled “Minecraft Education Edition”, teachers have a higher level of control over their students so they can use the game for educational purposes. Whether it’s recreating national monuments, or using the game to create geographical concepts, Minecraft has started to form a new age of digital learning.

In December of 1971, a game was released called, The Oregon Trail. It was a game based on the historical Oregon Trail, and the game’s purpose was to simulate the harsh conditions of travelers who decided to take the trail through the mountains. People have used this game to learn about the events and difficulties of the Oregon trail since its release, and it was the first of its kind to foster an educational outlook on gaming. Before long it was widespread across classrooms all over the world, because it taught students history and computing skills, as well as challenging them with tough decisions that the Pioneers had to take back in the 1840s.

Another very common reason that people say video games should stay out of the classroom is because they are used for entertainment purposes, and they will distract students from learning. However, teachers say that because of the nature of video games, it can help students to be more engaged in class, and it can help students to enjoy school more while also helping them with stress because some students associate video games with comfort.

Although video games have been used in education for many years, Chatfield has not. Do you think video games are helpful for students’ education, do they hurt students’ education, do you think you would have benefited from video games being in our education system? Let us know your opinion on this matter in the comments!