Game-based learning and playing

In Monday's ICT class we talked about game-based learning activities and playing. I have to admit that there were some things that surprised me as playing is considered to be voluntary while game-based learning is more likely to be in a way led to by the teacher and, thus not as voluntary as playing with your friends during recess might be. Another important fact that left me surprised was to hear that playing involves this idea of winning and losing as part of the experience whilst in game-based activities learning is the most important thing. I won't be disagreeing with this statement but I think that some students are competitive in everything and would take these kind of activities as challenges.

Game-based learning methodology offers a ludic alternative for students' learning as through games, children tend to learn how to develop in their daily lives. Games allow students to easily integrate these knowledge into children's minds. This also enables the development of social attitudes as well as colaborative learning as the students need to cooperate sometimes in order to clear the game. An example of game-based learning would be the use of Kahoot in a lesson to make sure that the students have understood it.

However, there are games like Guess Who which can be difficult to place into either playing or game based learning as they can fit in both categories. This game can be useful for students to practice describing people by saying the clothes the characters are wearing but at the same time it would fit into the idea of playing in order to win or at least trying to.

To sum up, even though we learnt about the differences between game-based learning and playing I consider that in some occasions they are both intertwined. Even though game-based learning is using a game without voluntarily playing it seems to me that there is a fine thread dividing both of these activities. When it comes to playing or just learning I believe that the voluntary issue really lies within whether the students enjoy the activity or not.