Revisiting the Historical Roots of Game-Based Learning

Revisiting the Historical Roots of Game-Based Learning

Revisiting the Historical Roots of Game-Based Learning

Aparajita Jaiswal

Abstract

“Game-based learning is a learner-centered instructional design approach used to improve student motivation, engagement,and learning (von Gillern and Alaswad 2016). Research has reported that even in history, games were an effective instructional method to improve learner engagement (Annetta et al. 2009; Fowler and Cusack 2011; Marklund 2015). The history of analogous games for teaching and learning are dated back to the seventh century, chess is one of the well-known board games that was used to teach strategic decision making and logical thinking to military forces (Kende and Seres 2006; Marklund 2015; Shenk 2007). This paper revisits the historical roots of Game-Based Learning (GBL) and its implications for the future. famous game called the Oregon Trail and implemented it in a small school district (Kickmeier-Rust et al. 2011; Marklund 2015). Heins (2017) in his writing, mentions his perspective on the influence of the Oregon trail in his life:I loved making the virtual trek from Independence Missouri, to Oregon’s Willamette Valley on the Oregon Trail. I learned to trade for wagon parts, oxen, clothing, food and ammunition. I hunted rabbits or deer for food to survive, while attempting to avoid the dreaded diphtheria, or the attacking grizzly bear (p. 5)”.

Reference

Jaiswal, A. (2021). Revisiting the Historical Roots of Game-Based Learning. TechTrends, 65(3), 243-245. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11528-021-00603-x

Keywords 

Game-based learning, motivation, engagement