As someone who has spent countless hours exploring different gaming worlds, I can’t help but marvel at the incredible impact that games can have on our lives. From the adrenaline rush of battling Darth Vader in Star Wars: Fallen Jedi, to the laughter-filled family nights playing Mario Kart 8, or the relaxing moments spent playing Spider Solitaire while waiting for videos to render – gaming has always been a big part of my life.

But recently, I’ve been introduced to a new aspect of gaming that has taken my love for it to a whole new level – eSports. As someone always fascinated by the competitive side, the idea of watching skilled gamers compete in a professional setting was an absolute game-changer. And as I delved deeper into the world of eSports, I couldn’t help but wonder – how could this incredible phenomenon be used to revolutionize education?

In this blog post, I’ll be sharing my personal journey through the world of gaming and eSports, as well as exploring how this exciting new development is shaping the future of education. Join me as we dive into the thrilling world of eSports and discover the exciting possibilities it holds!

In recent years, electronic sports, also known as eSports, have been gaining popularity worldwide. These competitive video games are played by professional players who compete for large cash prizes and have gained a significant following among younger generations, just check out the popularity of Discord, a streaming site for video gamers. However, eSports are not just for entertainment purposes; they are also becoming an increasingly popular tool for K-12 education. Let’s start at the beginning

What is eSports?

When it comes to defining eSports, we look at its purpose; competitive video gaming events where professional players compete against each other in various games. eSports events have gained in popularity that you can find the events broadcast worldwide, with millions of viewers tuning in to watch the action. These events are typically organized by game developers or independent tournament organizers and feature popular video games like Fortnite, Dota 2, and League of Legends. eSports tournaments often take place in large stadiums, and players can win millions of dollars in prize money.

eSports are played on a variety of platforms, including PC, gaming consoles, and mobile devices. When it comes to PC’s players typically use high-performance gaming keyboards and mice, which have better reaction time, to enhance their gameplay. If you sign up for Discord, you will find many professional eSports players streaming their gameplay, allowing fans to watch their favorite players in action.

Now that we have the basic understanding of eSports, how did it make its way into the K-12 Atmosphere?

eSports and K-12 Education

There is so much information out there about eSports and K-12 Education, I’ll do my best to summarize the history. If you want to see the resources that I used to learn all about eSports, check out the Wakelet at the end of this post.

The history of esports in education can be traced back to the early 2000s when gaming began to gain widespread popularity around the world. Schools & Colleges first noticed the potential of eSports to engage students, promote teamwork and critical thinking skills. The first recorded official event was held in South Korea where they used the games StarCraft and Warcraft III. (Why do many of the games have craft in them from this time period?) This event kicked off the global movement of professional gamers and enthusiasts alike.

As gaming continues to grow in popularity, educators saw the potential to use it as a tool for learning. The first inkling of this was in 2008 by the University of California, Irvine. They became the first university in the United States to establish a dedicated esports program, offering scholarships to top gamers and creating a competitive team to represent the university in national tournaments. Since then, many other colleges and universities around the world have followed suit. To go along with providing opportunities for students to compete in esports, many of these programs offer courses, workshops and even degrees in gaming-related topics like game design, streaming, and esports management.

As with all things in education, once the University starts adopting something, K-12 isn’t far behind.  From what I can find, districts began adopting eSports between 2008 – 2018. I am not able to find out who was first, but enough districts were adopting it that there was a need for support and resources. The North America Scholastic eSports Federation was established in 2018.

Benefits

When it comes to what kind of benefits eSports there are many, but I am going to focus on a few of them.

Building Teamwork and Collaboration Skills

Many eSports games are team-based, requiring players to work together to achieve a common goal. This can help students develop teamwork and collaboration skills, which are essential in both academic and professional settings. By playing in a team, students learn how to communicate effectively, delegate tasks, and support each other.

Enhancing Problem-Solving Skills

eSports games often require players to think strategically and make quick decisions. This can help students develop problem-solving skills and improve their ability to think critically. By analyzing game situations and coming up with creative solutions, students can learn how to apply these skills to real-life situations.

Teaching Digital Citizenship

As more and more young people spend time online, it is becoming increasingly important to teach them about digital citizenship. eSports can be a useful tool for teaching students about online etiquette, responsible internet use, and cyberbullying prevention. By playing games in a safe and supportive environment, students can learn how to be responsible digital citizens.

Providing Career Pathways

For students who are passionate about gaming, eSports can provide a pathway to a career in the gaming industry. By developing their gaming skills, students can pursue careers as professional eSports players, game developers, or streamers. eSports can also teach valuable skills like video editing, graphic design, and marketing, which are in high demand in the gaming industry.

Epilogue

While epilogues are not exclusive to video games, the term is particularly fitting in this context. With the expanding reach of eSports worldwide we are starting to see a revolution in education.  By incorporating eSports into your schools and curriculum you can teach valuable skills like teamwork, problem-solving, and digital citizenship through a very popular medium. eSports are an exciting and innovative tool for K-12 education. Students develop valuable skills and provide career pathways for those passionate about gaming. However, it is important to approach their incorporation into education carefully and thoughtfully to ensure that students are engaging in healthy gameplay and that their academic performance is not negatively impacted. With proper guidance and support, eSports can be a valuable addition to the K-12 education system. What are your thoughts? Have you seen eSports in action? Do you game? Let us know in the comments below.