Every game has learning potential, from small games made for international journal classrooms to big blockbusters made to be enjoyed at home. Sure, the games made for in-school learning are the easiest to implement (and to convince administrators to buy!); however, they’re not always the games that students find the most fun, rewarding, or even educational. Take Minecraft, for instance. It’s an absorbing game that’s tough for some to put down. It was never designed for classrooms, and yet it just so happens to be, in my opinion, the greatest educational game ever made.
There are tons of games your students already play at home that are packed full of learning potential.
Minecraft isn’t alone, either. There are tons of games your students already play at home that are packed full of learning potential. Using these games for learning just requires a slight rethinking of what an “educational game” looks like. This means games that feature less gamification and content drills, and instead have absorbing stories and settings, or compelling simulations and systems. Of course, not all games are school-appropriate, and some are better suited to classroom adaptation than others. That’s why we’ve also hand-picked some games below that lend themselves well to learning. Pair these with our Game Journal worksheet to help connect students’ at-home play back to your curriculum.