What do teachers mean when they talk about online learning with educational games?

Educational games are a great way to keep teens motivated while helping them develop academic skills and knowledge they can use throughout their lives. They are computer or video games that teach a concept or skill, such as math. Educational games provide an interactive and fun way for teens to learn; they allow them to practice problem-solving skills and apply knowledge in a fun way. There is a wide variety of educational games available, ranging from language-learning games to math problem-solving activities. With these learning games, teens can explore new concepts and gain an understanding of core subjects without the pressure of tests or grades. 

Benefits of Online Games for Learning

Online games offer a unique way to engage and motivate young learners. They can be used to teach concepts across multiple subject areas, such as math while encouraging creativity. For example, math games can teach multiplication and help students solve mathematics problems in a fun and engaging way. Online games also allow preschoolers and kindergartners to practice grade-level skills without the need for worksheets. Educational games can help encourage engagement with the material by allowing students to guess answers and design solutions rather than simply memorizing them from a worksheet. Playing online games makes children more likely to stay engaged and motivated to learn new concepts, making it an effective tool for teaching mathematics.

What kid of impact can educational video games have for my child? Do these games help kids learn?

Educational games can definitely help students learn.  I have been teaching for over twenty years. I see the difference between students who have regularly engaged in online learning through frequent game plans and those who don’t.  The reality is “practice makes progress.”  Students who play online games are often practicing skills that will help them in school even when they don’t realize it.  In class, students often ask if they can play games on websites such as Prodigy Math or Arcademics.com.  I try to make time for kids to play online learning games like these because the kids enjoy them, the skill I am teaching are being reinforced, and there is an increased likelihood that students will look to play these games at home. 

Five years ago, I had a student struggling with basic math and reading concepts.  This student had scores in the 60% range on math and reading comprehension tests.  After winter break, I saw a huge turnaround in this student’s test scores.  Her grades shot up.  By the end of the year, she was an “A” student.  Her academic improvement also brought about a much-improved attitude toward school.  I would love to take credit for this student’s improvement, but the gains she made were beyond anything I had ever seen.  I contacted her parents a few weeks after the break to ask what caused this change.  They answered that they were able to get her hooked on several different educational games. They also got her started using IXL.com and instituted a reward system at home for skills passed on that platform.  

That was the first time I had heard of IXL.com, and I am now hooked.  I got my daughter started on it when she was in Kindergarten.  My daughter received a prize beachball from the company because she had answered the most questions for a kindergartener that summer.  IXL.com continues to be regularly used in my house, with my Preschool aged four-year-old son now completing skills on the platform.  We just received an email saying that my son is amongst the usage leaders for preschool students and that IXL may be interested in using his picture for social media promotion.  I think educational games are great for kids, and programs like IXL can significantly impact a child’s education.