Games

Games can help us learn real-life skills.

A game is a structured type of play. It typically consists of reaching a goal with one or more unnecessary constraint(s). Games also include key elements such as challenge, interaction, stimulation, and skill. Thus, anything can be turned into a game! – a process known as gamification.

According to Jane McGonigal, a contemporary researcher in gaming, humanity has never large-scale gaming as today. Particularly with Massive Multiplayer Online Games (MMOGs) that bring together millions of players. A defining feature of a game, she points out, is that it can be played repeatedly to get better. Furthermore, gaming can help develop real-life skills by providing a safe space for experimentation. For example, autistic children have been found to improve their social interactions within the structured context of playing Pokémon Go.

What if education was more like this: not punishing mistakes, but rather encouraging trial and error?
What aspects of your life feel like a game, perhaps unintentionally?
How could you get closer to your goals by gamifying some parts of them?

Source: Levitt, Steven D. (Host). (2022-05-20). Is Gaming Good for You? (No. 76) [Audio podcast episode]. In People I (Mostly) Admire. URL: https://freakonomics.com/podcast/is-gaming-good-for-you/

References:

• McGonigal, Jane. (2015). SuperBetter: A Revolutionary Approach to Getting Stronger, Happier, Braver and More Resilient.
• Wikipedia. (2024). Game. URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game