5 Ways Video Games Promote Problem-Solving Skills in Students

According to official numbers, globally, there are over 3 billion active video game players, and the global gaming industry is worth over $300 billion in 2023. Due to such all-encompassing popularity of this industry, video games have long found applications in other spheres of our lives rather than just entertainment. Namely, game-based learning is still gaining momentum.

While games are being actively leveraged in undergraduate, graduate, and even professional education, scholars keep studying and exploring the possible positive effects of game-based learning. Studies provide enough evidence to state that well-designed video games lead to certain changes in behavior and cognition. And they are definitely improving students’ engagement.

According to specialists, when facing traditional classroom activities, a large share of students finds it hard to stay focused and engaged. The same happens with standard homework assignments. For example, when asked to write another tedious essay, students will rather write my essay for me no plagiarism and delegate challenging tasks to professionals to save time and devote it to something more engaging. However, game-based learning is known to boost engagement and, thus, give students more motivation to study. And even that’s not all.

Apart from making students more engaged in the learning process, video games also teach them a number of vital life skills. Namely, they are proven to help students solve real-life problems faster. Read on to learn how!

1. Exposing Players to a Large Number of Problems 

First of all, every video game is based on facing a problem and solving it. Whether it’s a strategy, shooter, arcade, or any other game, it will give you certain tasks that you have to complete and challenge you to overcome the hurdles that will come along the way.

Exposing you to such a large number of problems, video games actually let you exercise your problem-solving skills. After all, just like any other skill, this one can only be improved through regular practice.

1. Giving You a Number of Solutions to Try 

Another shared characteristic all video games have is the so-called trial-and-error approach that lies at their heart. When you face a problem while playing a video game, you will typically have a number of things that you can try to solve. This approach teaches players how to experiment and find solutions to problems faster.

At the same time, this trial-and-error approach also teaches us that the first (or the most obvious) solution isn’t always the right one. Moreover, games let you experiment with solutions without any risks. That is, they also teach players that trying different things is good and typically harmless.

1. Letting Players Learn From Their Mistakes

Different surveys reveal that the fear of making a mistake is one of the most powerful ones among people of all ages and all across the globe. We all learn it from early childhood—you make a mistake and get punished. Then in school—you make a mistake and get a low grade. Thus, by the time you get into college or start a career, you already know that making mistakes is bad, and you are afraid of making them. 

But the truth is that it’s not bad. The fear of making a mistake often holds people back from achieving more, for example, showing more initiative at work to demonstrate their skills or start a business based on their idea. And this is one of the most crucial lessons that video games can teach us—they show that making mistakes is okay and teach us to learn from them.

Most often, when you play a video game and make a mistake, you know immediately you made one, and you also get immediately a chance to fix it or try something different. This experience significantly contributes to the improvement of one’s problem-solving skills. After all, solving a problem without being able to learn from your mistakes is nearly impossible.

1. Teaching You Consistency 

Unfortunately, not all real-life problems can be solved quickly and easily. Some require a lot of effort and time to get things right. And this is one more lesson that students can learn from video games, and that can help them hone their problem-solving skills.

When you play a video game and have a mission to complete, you will keep trying until you attain the goal. You can make mistakes dozens of times in a row but still keep trying. This can feel somewhat frustrating. Nevertheless, it teaches you the consistency you need to be good at problem-solving.

1. Helping You Understand When to Give Up 

When you try the same solution several times in a game and keep losing, you will likely give up on it and try a different approach. This is the last lesson you can learn from video games, and that will improve your problem-solving skills. 

In life, you also can keep hitting a brick wall trying to solve a problem that you don’t know how to solve. For example, you can keep rewriting your essay to make it look good but keep getting a poor grade. Experts believe that if you play video games regularly, you will know when to give up after several failed attempts and delegate your essay to the best assignment writing services. Believe it or not, this understanding of when to give up on a specific approach is a crucial part of problem-solving.

The Bottom Line 

Video games are fun and engaging. Not without reason, so many people enjoy playing them. However, not everyone realizes that if used right, games can provide a solid framework for learning and help players improve a wide range of skills, including problem-solving.

Now you know how video games can help you solve real-life problems easier. So don’t deprive yourself of the delight of playing them regularly!