Myth #7: Games are always good for learning

Games have a distinct advantage in terms of motivation with reported effect sizes around 0.80. This high-level of motivation makes them a valuable modality within your instructional toolkit. (Evidence-Based Training Methods, Ruth C. Clark 2020)

However, a game with irrelevant narratives and unrelated actions can impede the effectiveness and efficiency of a learning experience. Behavioral activity during instruction does not necessarily lead to learning. It is psychological engagement that is most important.

Reality

Following are three common types of games (for both entertainment or learning).

Game types

  • Simple rules, short games such as puzzle, cards, or quiz shows.

  • Rapid accurate responses required to achieve game goals.

  • Players collaborate or compete to achieve game goals. Engagement with others is a major game feature.

The following guidelines reinforce the need to consider and manage mental load in game design.

Game design guidelines

  • Design a game so that game narrative, rules, moves, feedback, and progress align with the target audience's workplace environment, culture, and job tasks.

    • If designing a role-play game, create a narrative based on work scenarios.

    • In organizational settings where competition is already instituted among staff, a competitive element in games may serve as a motivator.

    • Integrate or supplement games as one element of a larger instructional solution. For example, a game can be offered before or immediately after a practice activity to introduce concepts or reinforce skill development.

    • If a goal is to reach automaticity—that is, fast and accurate inputs or responses—learners might enjoy multiple practice sessions in a game setting more than traditional drill and practice exercises. For example, second language learning such as Duolingo.

    • If the work environment has periods of down time, short games that are engaging and promote learning might offer a cost-effective instructional option.

  • Following are ways to minimize mental work not directly related to the learning objective:

    • Avoid overly complex interfaces

    • Games are more effective when words are presented with audio in a personalized or conversational tone (i.e., using first and second person).

    • When necessary, consider orienting learners to game content or mechanics before starting play

  • Encourage conscious awareness of lessons learned through:

    • Show the consequences of good and poor decisions (with explanatory feedback)

    • Add collaborative play

    • Compare responses or results with expert responses and results

    • Include takeaways of core concepts and principles

Source: Evidence-Based Training Methods (Ruth C. Clark, 2020)

Case study

Consider two methods for teaching basic electromechanical principles, like how a wet cell battery works.

  • The first method is a narrative game called Cache 17. In this game, you are an explorer in a World War II bunker searching for lost art. To progress, you must apply electromechanical concepts, such as building a wet cell battery.

  • The second method is a 20-minute PowerPoint presentation with definitions and illustrations of key concepts.

As you can see, a highly engaging lesson in the form of a thematic game not only took longer to complete but also led to slightly less learning than a slide show that presented the same content.

What are some possible reasons for this outcome?

  • Perhaps the theme of the game was irrelevant to the learning goal and therefore imposed extraneous cognitive load. The mechanics of trying to open doors and move equipment from one bunker area to another may have distracted players from learning. In contrast, learners viewing the slides could focus all of their mental resources on the content.

  • Another possibility is that the game was only played one time. In a meta-analysis of learning games, Wouters and others (2013) conclude that games are more effective when played multiple times.

In this experiment, a high engagement narrative game was both less efficient and less effective for learning than a “passive” slide presentation. Active engagement actually depressed learning. Note also that the game version consumed more than twice the time required to view the slides.

This experiment suggests that learner activity alone does not necessarily lead to learning. In fact, it may even become a barrier. Many games are high in behavioral engagement. However, it is important that the game design promote the psychological responses needed to achieve the target skills.

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