Educational games and soft skills: What's in it for the students?

Contemporary education embraces the idea that learning can go far beyond the mere accumulation of theoretical knowledge and develop crucial competencies for students' future lives - the soft skills. These skills are essential for thriving in an ever-evolving world and become determining factors not only for academic success, but also in the personal and professional spheres.

In this context, Game-Based Learning emerges as a tool for cultivating soft skills in a school context, providing an immersive environment for students that encourages the development of cognitive, emotional and social skills.

What skills do students develop?

1. Critical thinking and problem solving

Educational games are designed to challenge the user with puzzles, riddles and situations that require critical thinking. By facing progressively more complex challenges, students develop the ability to analyze information, identify patterns, formulate strategies and make informed decisions.

2. Collaboration and teamwork

Educational games designed to be played in pairs or groups encourage effective communication, strategic planning and joint problem-solving. Working as a team in a game requires sharing ideas, distributing tasks and making collective decisions - a dynamic that simulates collaborative working environments, which require leadership, communication and conflict management skills.

3. Adaptability and flexibility

Varied scenarios and unforeseen challenges require players to be able to adapt quickly to new situations. The ability to adjust required by educational games promotes mental flexibility and resilience. For example, a strategy game may require quick changes of tactics, giving players the opportunity to experiment with various approaches to achieving a goal.

4. Creativity and innovation

By encouraging students to create personalized content or explore different solutions to a challenge, educational games can promote creativity. Games that allow problems to be solved in an unconventional way or that involve design, construction or the creation of narratives offer a space where imagination is encouraged.

In addition, Game-Based Learning can be used to combine creativity and science, providing a platform for children to explore and experiment with scientific concepts in a playful and engaging way.

In the free game "Music Room", you can let your imagination run wild by creating your own melodies.

5. Decision-making and strategic thinking

Video games often present situations in which players need to make quick, strategic decisions. By facing immediate choices and consequences, students hone their ability to evaluate options, anticipate outcomes and select the best approach to achieve goals. While doing so, students are developing their strategic thinking skills.

Game-Based Learning offers a unique learning experience, stimulating students' interest in a way that traditional teaching often cannot and creating an environment conducive to the development of skills that go far beyond what is written in textbooks. In this way, the gamification of education can be a valuable resource in training students for the challenges of the modern world, empowering students with the soft skills they need to thrive in the future.