We're in the middle of a technological revolution which is reshaping society in the same way the industrial revolution reshaped 19th Century society.
So why are most 21st Century classrooms still using 19th Century teaching methods?
Along with all the obvious technological advancements, our current revolution is producing new insights into matters like teaching, learning, and the psychology of information retention. Increasingly, the "sit in a class for eight hours being lectured at" model is being questioned because it seems like gamification is a much better way of teaching.
Gamification: The Meeting Point of Education, Motivation, And Gaming
What is gamification? Simply put, it's the introduction of game-style elements into other areas of society, such as education or business. There are many ways this can be accomplished, including:
In some cases, this gamification can even become quite literal, such as courses promoting video game programming for kids.
Why gamify? It's mostly psychological. Gamified systems are better at engaging the brain's feedback and reward systems. Seeing education as a game helps children retain interest in their learning, and the positive reward system enabled by concepts such as high score tables and achievements make learning more intrinsically rewarding.
Video games can even be directly integrated into teaching!
The ultra-popular game Minecraft, for example, can also be a fantastic tool for teaching a variety of higher-level concepts. A truly advanced Minecraft player is actually a mechanical engineer, having learned how to work with a variety of materials. The most complicated Minecraft structures can resemble machinery, or even computers. People have actually created working processors out of Minecraft blocks!
A child encouraged to play Minecraft will naturally learn a lot of logical thought and engineering skills, without realizing it.
Real Programming 4 Kids (RP4K)
The potential in gamifying education is really only starting to be explored. Here at RP4K, we're part of that - teaching children to code with modern techniques, to help them learn real job skills.
To learn more about video game coding for kids, just contact us!
