There’s no doubt gaming plays a huge role in the lives of children today. Many teachers have been wondering if gaming can be used for educational purposes. Is there a way to harness the popularity of online and video games to teach students real-world skills?

In a word: yes. Research shows that gaming in the classroom increases both student motivation and achievement — sometimes significantly.

But before we delve into the brave new world of educational gaming, a note of caution. Not all games are worthy of classroom time. Mindless practice is still mindless, whether on paper or via video game. Beware of formats where students dispassionately click on skill-and-drill questions. The most effective games provide choice, autonomy and complex problems to solve.

Minecraft is riding a wave of popularity with students of all ages, including the very young. Start by exploring Minecraft’s education edition, which offers secure, collaborative environments at a nominal cost (based on the size of your school). Tutorials and teaching ideas are included to help you learn the basics.

Minecraft is a 3D world built literally block by block (not unlike LEGOs). Studies show that simulation games with immersive environments yield the highest achievement results with students. Educators are excited that it can teach skills like problem-solving, spatial understanding and storytelling all at the same time. Students enjoy the fun, engaging environment that gives them choice and freedom. Users can build whatever they envision, and embark upon any challenge they can imagine.

Second Life, best used with grades 6–12, is a simulated world that looks like a video game interface. Like online games, users can collaborate from any location. With Second Life, students can work on tasks for the classroom, like taking virtual field trips, collaborating to solve problems, learning about other cultures and even practicing social skills.

Educators have added rich content for students to use, such as Genome Island, where they can conduct virtual experiments and genetic simulations. “Private islands” allow for secure group collaboration. Teachers can deliver content via Second Life that is more engaging than chalk-and-talk or PowerPoint. To learn more, visit the Second Life in Education Wiki page.

Game design is a form of critical thinking in its own right. Planning and constructing a game for an audience forces students to apply content they have learned, develop new ideas and devise something original — skills all high on Bloom’s Taxonomy.

Scratch, a program created by MIT’s Media Lab, enables students to create their own games. Scratch is a very basic coding environment and the learning curve is not steep. Students as young as 6 years old can easily use Scratch.

Instead of lines of code, users choose scripts that set rules for the games they create. Elements like sounds, figures and actions combine to create the final product. Scratch not only helps students learn the basics of coding, but it also teaches strategy and logic through designing a game. Student-designed games can help fellow classmates understand concepts, review for tests, or learn a new language, for example.

Templates on the Scratch website help students format and develop their own game. Scratch also has an educators’ site that includes resources and a discussion area for help or advice.