Why Games?

As the Federation of American Scientists concluded from its 2006 Summit on Educational Games:

“The success of complex video games demonstrates that games can teach higher-order thinking skills such as strategic thinking, interpretative analysis, problem solving, plan formulation and execution, and adaptation to rapid change. These are the skills U.S. employers increasingly seek in workers and new workforce entrants. These are the skills more Americans must have to compete with lower cost knowledge workers in other nations.”

Game-based learning has emerged as one of the most promising areas of innovation in making STEM topics more engaging for America’s youth. The seminal report Game Changer: Investing in Digital Play to Advance Children’s Learning and Health (Joan Ganz Cooney Center, 2009), demonstrates that video games can be used to learn not only content, but also STEM skills and systems thinking, which are essential for preparing youth for STEM careers. There is also a growing body of research that highlights how making games fosters the development of critical STEM skills including systems thinking, problem solving, iterative design and digital media literacies. A well-designed game is a well-designed digital system with a delicate balance of goals, constraints, challenges and rewards.