Games as Learning Tools: A Literature Review

Student engagement has been referenced as one of the most important factors associated with improved learning. However, as students enter the middle grades, their engagement and motivation declines. This obstacle of disengagement has been shown to have negative impacts on learning. Numbers of studies suggest that games in the classroom have the potential to improve student motivation and engagement. Here, the author looks to the literature to, (a) examine what current literature tells us about the effectiveness of using games in the classroom as a learning tool, and (b) identify specific attributes that make games great for learning.