Blog The Evolution of Video Games — Esports in Education

When most people think of video games, they typically don’t associate them with education; in fact, most prefer to separate the two.

The outdated, widespread belief of video games is that it’s a waste of valuable time and it creates behavioral issues.

However, the introduction of esports — a competitive form of video gaming that turns online gaming into a spectator sport — in schools and universities is helping to eliminate the stigma associated with video gaming by delivering educational and personal benefits to those who participate.

Interesting facts about esports and its role in education include:

• Industry valued at more than $1 billion earlier this year
• Kids of all ages can compete
• Has become a major field of academic study

In our recent webinar, education esports expert Joe McAllister discussed the benefits of establishing an esports program in K–12 and Higher Education settings.

Why esports in K–12?

An esports program offers new methods for educators to challenge their students, ultimately improving social interaction and community-building skills inside the traditional classroom.

When implementing an esports program in K–12 schools, there’s an emphasis on soft skill development. Teaching those who invest in the program new communication skills, teamwork abilities and perseverance.

Educators can also create an authentic assessment, evaluating students on how to correctly set up a live stream or administer a social media account for their Esports team.

To justify the benefits of an esports program in K–12 further, Joe discussed the multi-use of having a space for extracurricular activity. Having the necessary equipment to operate an esports program allows for the implementation of additional disciplines such as graphic design, computer science and CTE–STEM courses.

Why esports in higher education?

In the webinar, Joe said that having a dedicated esports program in a higher education institution comes with three advantages:

1. Recruitment: Having an esports team can help provide the same recruitment boost as other popular sports at the school, attracting students who are interested in the school's competitive ranking. Furthermore, having a specialized facility for the program that prospective students can visit, can be rather appealing to see.
2. Retention: For those students and athletes who are interested in the world of video games, designing and constructing a specific esports program helps to foster a sense of belonging and community, keeping students interested in returning.
3. Relevancy: The growing popularity of esports and its relevance to contemporary culture, creates opportunities for institutions to build esports–centered courses focusing on developing career options in the gaming industry.

What is it like to be a member of an esports team?

An efficient esports team is made up of several positions, with various personal interests that all work together to form a successful squad.

There are your social gamers, the competitive gamers, the coaches, and the media and marketing team. Each plays a role, whether it be creating content, gaining win recognition and making sure the team is in the public eye.

For those on the competitive side, just like any other sports team, there are practices, drills, scrimmages, and strategy meetings held by a coach, director or team lead. When a tournament or match is scheduled, the school's esports team will go out and compete against other schools or universities.

The future of Esports in education is now

Thanks to the webinar, it’s easy to see that esports is dispelling the notion that video games cause more problems than they solve. Students are now encouraged to pursue their dreams of working in the gaming industry, and esports in education is where it begins.

Looking to find out more about esports in education? We at Insight Public Sector are here to help educational institutions, whether K–12 or higher education, as well as those involved in extracurricular activities, evolve, and become better and more opportunistic individuals through the world of esports.