The Application of Video Games in Education

A Solution for the Lack of Motivation?

DOI: https://doi.org/10.35765/mjse.2021.1019.08
Keywords: video games, Europa Universalis IV, Early Modern period, history, education, audio-visual language, narrative, ludic language, ludology

Abstract

There is a lack of motivation in high schools that is difficult to ignore. This is even worse in the case of history courses, which are perceived by students as “useless.” Many would cite video games and mobile phones as some of the technological changes that explain how teenagers are less interested in such subjects. However, there is an enormous educational potential in video games that should not be ignored. This work is an explanation of how history can be translated not only through audio-visual language, but also in the form of a new type of word: ludic language. Moreover, an educational activity is proposed in order to find a solution to this lack of motivation. For this activity, the Early Modern period simulator Europa Universalis IV has been chosen as the video game to be implemented in a history class for 14-year-olds.

References

Bernat Cuello, A. (2008). La construcción de conocimientos y la adquisición de competencias mediante el uso de los videojuegos. In B. Gros (Ed.), Videojuegos y aprendizaje (pp. 93–113). Barcelona: Editorial Graó.

"Europa Universalis IV". (n.d.). In Instant Gaming. Retrieved August 22, 2020, from https://www.instant-gaming.com/es/227-comprar-key-steam-europa-universalis-iv

Feixa, C. (2008). La generación digital. In B. Gros (Ed.), Videojuegos y aprendizaje (pp. 31–51). Barcelona: Editorial Graó.

Huizinga, J. (2012). Homo ludens. Madrid: Alianza Editorial.

Maquiavelo, N. (2016). El Príncipe (anotado por Napoleón Bonaparte). Barcelona: Biblok Book Export.

"Monarchy". (n.d.). In Paradox Wikis: EU4 Wiki. Retrieved August 20, 2020, from https://eu4.paradoxwikis.com/Monarchy#Legitimacy

Mora, F. (2017). Neuroeducación: Solo se puede aprender aquello que se ama. Madrid: Alianza Editorial.

Moreno, I. (2008). Videojuegos constructivos y aprendizaje participativo. In B. Gros (Ed.), Videojuegos y aprendizaje (pp. 73–93). Barcelona: Editorial Graó.

NASA. (2016, June 13). Gamers tackle virtual asteroid sampling mission. Nasa.gov. Retrieved August 23, 2020, from https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2016/gamers-tackle-virtual-asteroid-sampling-mission

"Polish missions". (n.d.). In Paradox Wikis: EU4 Wiki. Retrieved August 19, 2020, from https://eu4.paradoxwikis.com/Polish_missions

"Prestige". (n.d.). In Paradox Wikis: EU4 Wiki. Retrieved August 20, 2020, from https://eu4.paradoxwikis.com/prestige

Schultz, D. (2005, August 24). John III Sobieski [Painting]. Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved October 18, 2020, from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Schultz_John_III_Sobieski.jpg

"Stability". (n.d.). In Paradox Wikis: EU4 Wiki. Retrieved August 19, 2020, from https://eu4.paradoxwikis.com/stability

"videojuego". (n.d.). In Real Academia Española. Retrieved August 19, 2020, from https://dle.rae.es/videojuego?m=form

Zuckerman, M. (2010, January 21). The Great Recession Continues. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved October 28, 2020, from https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703837004575013592466508822

Published
2021-06-08
How to Cite
Rodríguez-Ponga Albalá, D. (2021). The Application of Video Games in Education: A Solution for the Lack of Motivation?. Multidisciplinary Journal of School Education, 10(1(19), 139-157. https://doi.org/10.35765/mjse.2021.1019.08
Issue
Vol. 10 No. 1(19) (2021): Word in Education: Theory and Practice
Section
Reflections on Teaching

Copyright (c) 2021 Diego Rodríguez-Ponga Albalá

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

  1. The Author/Authors agree(s) to publish the article free of charge in Multidisciplinary Journal of School Education in English or Spanish. The Editorial Board reserves the right to shorten the texts and change the titles.
  2. As part of free publication mentioned in § 1, the Author/Authors agrees to make the full electronic version of their article available in the Internet.
  3. The Author/Authors agrees to index their article in databases at home and abroad, including abstracts and keywords as well as Author's/Authors’ affiliation in English and in other languages. The Author/Authors agrees to pass on the information mentioned above to the owners of these databases.
  4. The Author/Authors declares that their publication is original and does not include borrowings from other works which might cause Publisher's responsibility, does not infringe the rights of the third party and that their copyright on this publication is not limited. The Author/Authors will incur all the costs and will pay compensations which might result from the mendacity of the following statement.
  5. The Author/Authors declares to bear complete responsibility for the scientific reliability of the article submitted. The detailed contribution of all co-authors is defined.
  6. The Author/Authors declares to publish the text in the Multidisciplinary Journal of School Education under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-ND 4.0).
  7. For more than one author, please complete the Authorship Contributions and send it to the editorial office. Please indicate the specific contributions made by each author (list the authors’ initials, e.g., JKH).  Please download, complete, scan and attach the file in the system during the submission process.
    Authors Statement - Authorship Contributions