Free Essay Sample with a Literature Review on Educational Games

Bensinger, H. (2015). Critical-Thinking Challenge Games and Teaching Outside of the Box. Nurse Educator, 40(2), 57-58. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/nne.0000000000000099

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Summary of the article: The author of this article argues that appropriate games can be utilized in the teaching of critical thinking skills to students in institutions of higher education. A research conducted by the author found out that some games require the players to solve a range of multifaceted problems that involve problem solving and critical thinking skills. The researcher concluded that games were particularly helpful to nursing students as they helped them develop invaluable skills in critical thinking and problem solving which are very useful during emergencies.

Assessment of the article: The author of this article is currently an assistant professor for the University of Tennessee Health Science Centre. Bensinger has vast experience in applying games that aid the teaching of critical thinking and problem solving skills to nurses. The scholarly source is valid and credible since the author is an expert in matters related to higher education and the journal in which it is published is a professional one.

Reflection on the article: This article will be extremely useful in analyzing the value of educational games to the 21st century learner in an institution of higher learning. It will support my argument that educational games aid in the improvement of critical thinking and problem solving skills among students irrespective of their level.

Gaydos, M. (2015). Seriously Considering Design in Educational Games. Educational Researcher, 44(9), 478-483. http://dx.doi.org/10.3102/0013189x15621307

Summary of the article: According to this article, educational games are inevitable in the 21st century classroom. This is mainly because, in the 21st century, access to technology is easy. A survey conducted by the author determined that 80% of students in grades K-12 have always lived with technology since they have always been able to access video games and digital music via cell phones, video players and computers. The author therefore, argues that since these students are already used to such access to technology, the teacher has no choice but to adapt in an effort to impact the necessary knowledge and skills. The author adds that if games are well designed to suit the prevailing conditions, they are likely to make learning practical since the 21st century learner is able to identify with technology and think technologically.

Assessment of the article: The author, Gaydos is an educational research scientist from the Learning Scientists Lab (LSL) in Singapore and is affiliated to the National Institute of Education. The peer-reviewed article is credible and valid because it is extracted from a reliable scholarly journal which researches on matters education.

Reflection on the article: This article will be very important in the final argument since it will provide information on the value of well designed games in learning. It will help me support the fact that appropriately designed games are key to educational improvement in the 21st century.

Westera, W. (2015). Games are Motivating, arent they? Disputing the Arguments for Digital Game-Based Learning. International Journal of Serious Games, 2(2). http://dx.doi.org/10.17083/ijsg.v2i2.58

Summary of the article: Communication is imperative in the learning process. According to this article, the 21st century learner only gets attracted to the learning process if there is some authenticity in the communication. A survey conducted by the author revealed that the modern learner appears indifferent about communicating in class since the classroom situation does not seem authentic. However, games created a genuineness that encouraged the same learners to generate effective communication and direction as they competed against each other. The article concludes that games help students, at whatever level, develop skills in effective communication.

Assessment of the article: The author, professor Westera, is an expert in game-based learning and computational modeling for learning purposes. The fact that this peer reviewed scholarly article is published in an internationally recognized journal that evaluates different kinds of games makes it valid and credible for reference in writing an academic paper.

Reflection on the article: This article will be very crucial in examining the role of educational games in enhancing communication skills among students. It will support the assertion that educational games add a lot of value to the 21st century education as it helps the learner to develop and enhance their communication skills and teamwork.

Merino-Campos, C. & Del Castillo Fernandez, H. (2016). The Benefits of Active Video Games for Educational and Physical Activity Approaches: A Systematic Review. Journal of New Approaches in Educational Research, 5(2), 115-122. http://dx.doi.org/10.7821/naer.2016.7.164

Summary of the article: The authors of this article claim that video games are very important in an educational setting. They conducted a systematic review on the importance of video games in learning and concluded that active video games have the capacity to increase intellectual, physical and motor capabilities of students in the context of education and physical activity. They suggest that video games lead to the enhancement of vocabulary and mental swiftness among students. They also help in the development of skills in setting and working towards specific goals.

Assessment of the article: The authors of this article, both of whom work in the University of Alcala, Spain, have published other articles in internationally recognized educational journals. The journal from which this scholarly article is extracted specializes in educational research and since the article is peer-reviewed and provides reliable information, it is suitable for an academic paper.

Reflection on the article: This article will be invaluable in providing information on the value of video games in learning. It will particularly support my claim that video games help a learner in the 21st century to become both physically and mentally capable since the learner attains various skills that are important for their survival in the contemporary world.

Romero, M., Usart, M., & Ott, M. (2014). Can Serious Games Contribute to Developing and Sustaining 21st Century Skills?. Games and Culture, 10(2), 148-177. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1555412014548919

Summary of the article: In this article, the authors set out to find out if serious games that are used to teach content can be utilized to develop and sustain skills which are required in the 21st century. They conducted a survey and found out that games such as World of Warcraft require collaboration since the teams have to plan and work together so as to defeat a common enemy. The authors argue that teamwork is an invaluable attribute in the 21st century. A student must therefore be well equipped to fit in this society.

Assessment of the article: This article is authored by experts in educational technology. The article is peer reviewed and contains the relevant information for the intended topic. This means that it is reliable, scholastic and suitable for a research paper.

Reflection on the article: I will use the article to sustain my claim that relevant games in education are important in the 21st century education since they help the learner develop various skills that are very useful in the said century. The article will provide evidence that will help me identify the specific games that help in the development of particular skills.