<p>A new study by the National Foundation for Education Research (NFER) has shed some light on the strengths and weaknesses of video games in teaching and learning.</p>
<p>Researchers, teachers and the popular press have been engaged in a debate about the merits or otherwise of game-based learning in schools for some time. The stalemate between advocates and detractors prompted the NFER to research the subject more rigorously, as sound evidence and informed advice was clearly needed.</p>
<p>The study comprised a review of key works published from 2006 onwards, and included practice-based, empirical and more speculative literature. The aim was to bridge academic and non-academic domains in the search for verified, up-to-date insights into the impact, of game-based learning in teaching, and more precisely, to pinpoint the areas in which it appeared effective and those where it didn’t. The principle guiding the research was a consistent, best evidence approach to selecting the literature, so that practitioners, educational researchers and industry more generally would be equipped with clear empirical evidence.</p>
<p>The study found that the literature exploring the extent to which video games influence overall educational performance was divided. However, the studies consistently showed that video games can have a positive impact on three discreet areas: engagement, motivation and problem-solving skills. It was unclear whether these enhancements were long-lasting or merely short-term, however.</p>
<p>Although some of the results were promising, <a href="the">http://www.nfer.ac.uk/nfer/publications/GAME01/GAME01_home.cfm?publicat… NFER study</a> states, “the current literature does not evidence adequately the presumed link between motivation, attitude to learning and learning outcomes.”</p>
<p>Candidates looking for teaching jobs now have a little hard-boiled research to draw from if this subject were to arise at interview.</p>