This article examines the growing risks associated with modern video games for children. With over 80% of kids ages 5–12 playing games, concerns extend beyond entertainment. The piece highlights hidden financial costs such as microtransactions and loot boxes, which may contribute to gambling behaviors.
Read More
Gamified classrooms can deliver significant learning gains, but results depend heavily on implementation. Research shows student age, subject area, program duration, game design, and learning environment influence effectiveness. Successful gamification goes beyond points and leaderboards, combining meaningful game mechanics with educational goals to improve student engagement and academic performance.
Read More
Loot boxes continue to draw gambling comparisons due to randomized rewards, casino-style psychology, and links to problem gambling. Research highlights increased risks for young players, while regulators scrutinize gaming monetization practices. Understanding loot box mechanics, spending habits, gambling risks, and responsible gaming can help players and parents reduce potential harm.
Read More
Saskatchewan Polytechnic instructors are integrating video games into classrooms to enhance learning across diverse programs, from commercial pilot training to healthcare. Learning Technology trainer Justin Matheson collaborates with faculty to select games that align with course outcomes and craft tailored lesson plans using game-based learning. For example, Portal 2 helps pilot students practice communication and procedural skills through problem-solving challenges. In the Medical Laboratory Technology program, instructors streamed Detroit: Become Human into classes to explore ethical decision-making. Interest in this approach is growing, and Matheson is expanding game-based learning into additional programs, including Geographic Information Science and Early Childhood Education.
Read More
Gamified wellness apps reward users with streaks, badges and goals to encourage healthy habits, but their long-term impact is unclear. A 2024 review found only trivial increases in steps and small weight reductions, with limited long-term evidence. Experts say gamification relies on extrinsic motivation, which may help people start habits but rarely sustains them. Missing a streak can discourage users, and constant tracking may foster obsession or unhealthy behaviours, especially for vulnerable individuals.
Read More
British EdTech startup Brainspark Games has secured a rare triple investment on Dragons’ Den, winning £10,000 each from Sara Davies, Deborah Meaden and Touker Suleyman. Founded by Reedah El Saie, the company develops AI-driven educational games and is creating the UK’s first climate-focused GCSE game, aligned with the Department for Education’s Natural Sciences curriculum.
Read More
Serious games use complete game experiences to address real-world problems, unlike gamification, which adds game elements to existing activities. A famous example is FoldIt, where players solved a key AIDS-related protein structure. Serious games can help tackle climate change, wealth inequality, and political polarization.
Read More
A meta-analysis by the HEDCO Institute at the University of Oregon found that playing linear number board games significantly improves young children’s early math skills, including counting, number recognition, and understanding quantity. Just a few 10-minute sessions can have lasting effects. The review of 18 studies showed a 76% likelihood that such games enhance numeracy in preschool to second-grade children. The report highlights research-backed games like The Great Race and offers adaptable activities for diverse learners, including children with disabilities. Findings are relevant for educators, parents, and mentors seeking effective, fun ways to support foundational math development.
Read More
New research using the free-to-play simulation game Race Against Rot, developed by University of Vermont researchers, suggests most people are willing to sacrifice personal profit to support their communities. In the game, players managed a small apple orchard and made policy and distribution decisions affecting profits and local food access.
Read More
Tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs), especially Dungeons & Dragons, are transforming classroom learning through immersive, collaborative storytelling. At Western High School in Kentucky, teacher Sterling Harris integrates D&D into creative writing, blending gameplay with rigorous academic standards.
Read More
Two University of Kansas educators, Glennda McKeithan and Ann Marshall, evolved from novice users of gamification to co-authoring Gamification Made Simple: A Guide for Higher Education Professionals. Initially seeking better ways to engage future teachers of students with autism, they introduced role-playing games into their courses and saw dramatic increases in student engagement...
Read More
Powwow Bound: A Menominee Homecoming is a Menominee-created 3D interactive educational game that recreates the Woodland Bowl powwow in Keshena, centering Menominee language, culture, and family connections. Developed with community advisers and the College of Menominee Nation, it promotes cultural authenticity, language revitalization, and local media training.
Read More
Twice a month, students from St. Joseph Catholic School in Big Bend visit Regency Senior Community in Muskego to play board games with residents, building meaningful intergenerational relationships. What began as a simple activity has grown into lasting connections that benefit both students and seniors.
Read More
Ahmedabad’s board gaming scene has evolved from casual café entertainment to a multifaceted cultural and educational movement. Originally gaining traction around 2016 in local cafés, board games are now embraced in schools, universities, and corporate settings for teaching subjects like algebra, history, management, and decision-making.
Read More
Horse racing illustrates leadership under pressure: preparation builds readiness but cannot eliminate uncertainty; success depends on timing, calculated risk, and team trust. Like trainers and jockeys, effective leaders analyze conditions, adapt quickly, delegate confidently, and learn from losses, using each decision as feedback to refine strategy and improve future performance.
Read More
The National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC) has launched a gamification handbook to support pre-primary and lower primary teachers in implementing Uganda’s Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
Read More