Lessons better understood with fun activities

Dubai students are welcoming game-based learning in classrooms and have insisted that it helps them learn more effectively. A student in Dubai, Dhanvi Sayani, said that gaming could make learning “more fun” and will also make memorising and understanding concepts much easier.

“Game-based learning can be very effective in classrooms, because in a world where children are engrossed more into their screens, if they are given games that help them learn, they will concentrate more on studies,” she said.

“If games are used by teachers to conduct plenaries, teach a new topic, and revise, it will make the class more fun and will make our studies easier. This will also make understanding things taught in school easier. We will be able to recall everything we learned in school easily as it was taught in a simple manner through games.”

One Dubai-based student, Zainab Zujar Lokhandwala, believes game-based learning has become essential in the 21st century.

“Today we are growing up using devices like computers, mobile phones, and video consoles for almost any activity—from studies and work to entertainment or communication,” she said.

“Game-based learning creates an interesting play-and-learn method that is very effective. It creates a lively and pro-active environment in the class rather than the same monotonous lecture given by the teacher every day. Therefore, we prefer the playand-learn method over the oldschool lecture method.”

Hurairah Faatimah Muzammil, another Dubai-based student, said that more schools need to implement game-based learning as it can “benefit students and teachers”.

“Schools must be a place where fun and learning go hand in hand. Students understand the subject more when they are involved in it mentally. I strongly believe that game-based learning must be promoted in schools because they improve the quality of interaction.”

“Students will learn to use every aspect and skill to improve learning methods. While many might see it as a distraction, the students will start prioritising and viewing it as a step towards education. When classrooms are made fun, enthusiasm will prevail and learning will prosper,” Muzammil said.

Schools must be a place where fun and learning go hand in hand. Students understand the subject more when they are involved in it mentally.”

Hurairah Faatimah Muzammil,

student

Game-based learning creates a lively and pro-active environment in the class rather than the same monotonous lecture given by the teacher every day.”

Zainab Zujar Lokhandwala,

student