Dive Brief:

• The use of digital learning games in schools grew rapidly from 2010 to 2015, especially in elementary schools, showing that teachers are coming around to the learning benefits.
• Education Week reports nearly half of all K-12 teachers and almost two-thirds of K-5 teachers reported using digital learning games in their classrooms, up from 23% of K-12 teachers in 2010, according to the latest Project Tomorrow Speak Up survey of national ed tech use.
• Half of teachers wanted more game-based professional development, up from 27% in 2012, and experts say the key to choosing the best games is finding those that teach students in innovative ways, rather than replicating traditional exercises in a digital environment.

Dive Insight:

While the Project Tomorrow survey indicates teachers are coming around to the idea of game-based learning, more than half of principals said motivating teachers to change their practices was a top challenge. Still, 38% of school administrators and 47% of district administrators reported having no plans to implement a gaming approach to improve student achievement.

Games have been celebrated for their ability to offer students freedom of choice and multiple ways to approach decision-making. They capture typical performance and normal learning behaviors, giving teachers additional information about their students’ learning. They also reach students where their interests are. But some opponents of the gamification of education argue students shouldn’t be taught to only do things they find fun.