Did you know that video games can teach students skills that will help them study more constructively? Although video games get a bad reputation for being ‘mindless’ or ‘time-consuming,’ they actually foster several different skills that come in handy when you’re preparing for your next exam. When you think about cultivating good study habits, you probably think about a quiet, distraction-free environment where students can prep for an upcoming test – not video games. However, today, we’re going to dive into 7 ways playing video games can help you study more effectively so you can ace your upcoming exam.
1. Become Accustomed to Practice and Repetition
For starters, video games help students become accustomed to practice and repetition. If you’ve ever had to beat a challenging level in a video game, you know that one of the ways to do that is by grinding or, in other words, practicing and repeating the actions until you achieve success. Although this repetition can seem boring, you will retain more information in the long run, not only improving your gameplay but helping you recall important information in the classroom. In this case, practice makes perfect, and this applies to both gamers and students who are studying for their next test or assignment.
2. Improve Your Patience
Another thing that video games do is help improve your patience. When you first start a new game, it can take patience to learn the controls, get familiar with the world you’re in, and figure out how to advance in the game. Similarly, studying can require a lot of patience to learn, explore, and fully understand a new topic. As the age-old saying goes, patience is a virtue – and studies show that students who play video games often have much more patience when it comes to learning new information than students who do not.
3. Heighten Your Concentration Skills
Have you ever been playing a video game and then realized you’ve been immersed in the game for hours? This is because video games work to heighten your concentration skills, allowing you to completely zone into the task until it’s accomplished. Having well-trained concentration skills is also helpful for studying as you’re able to eliminate distractions and focus all your attention on the work – typically resulting in much better quality work. So, next time your child is completely enthralled with their video games, remember it helps them hone their concentration, which can be extremely beneficial in an academic environment.
4. Develop Faster Reaction Times
You know when you’re taking a test and look up at the clock only to see that you have barely any time left? If you’ve experienced this, you probably thought to yourself, “I need to be faster.” Well, video games can help. Video games help you develop faster reaction times, whether it’s dodging obstacles or making quick decisions, which can translate into faster problem-solving and decision-making skills. It also means you can think and make choices on your feet, which is a critical skill when trying to complete a test or assignment before a deadline.
5. Become Better at Group Work
When it comes to both studying and video games, it’s way more fun to do it in a group setting. And video games can help students become better at group work since you often have to work with other players from diverse backgrounds to help your team achieve victory. In addition, working in a team requires good communication, patience, and understanding – all of which are important skills to have if you’re working on a group project or studying together as a group.
6. Problem-Solving Under Pressure
Video games can be a lot of pressure – just think about the last time you played a high-stress game that forced you to make quick decisions that impacted the entire subsequent storyline. Being able to make the right decisions at the right time and not let the pressure get to you is an important skill that’s useful in all areas of your life, especially academically. For example, working tirelessly to advance to the next level in your game or trying to beat the clock at your next exam are both pressurized situations where you can either crumble or thrive. Ultimately, problem-solving under pressure is a skill that video games teach students that can significantly impact their success at school.
7. Develop Leadership Skills
Finally, video games help students learn leadership skills that are applicable beyond the controller and into everyday life. Typically, video games have you leading the charge or, at the very least, in a position of power where your decisions will affect the gameplay and the well-being of other players, meaning you’re able to develop leadership skills pretty quickly. This is helpful if you’re being pushed to lead a group project or study group or if you need to make an important decision that will impact others.
Final Thoughts
Although many parents don’t see video games as a way for their children to develop these integral soft skills, they are a powerful tool that is often overlooked. Of course, playing a video game like Zelda isn’t going to prepare you directly for your upcoming exam; however, it does enhance critical skills that can aid in your overall success as a student. From improving your patience to heightening your concentration skills, becoming better at group work, and learning how to problem solve under pressure, video games can be an integral part of a student’s academic success.
If you’d like to learn more about how to use video games to gamify your child’s learning or to inquire about working with us at Knowledge Bump, contact our team today at www.knowledgebump.ca.
References
“How Video Games Can Help You Study More Effectively.” INVENGlobal, November
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