Strengths+and+Weaknesses

To evaluate the use and/or integration of digital games into the learning process, consideration must be given to the strengths and weakness of use as well as the opportunities and threats that exist surrounding their use. The following **SWOT** analysis is not comprehensive -- it is meant as a starting point for further discussion and development.

**Strengths**
 * Games can support collaboration, problem-solving and communication in learning communities.
 * Students are often engaged when learning through games. Games are designed to have the appropriate balance between success and frustration in order to keep players motivated to persevere (flow).
 * Digital games meet the needs of "digital natives", learners who have grown up with technology (Prensky, 2001).
 * Games often provide instant feedback and reward as students master activities or levels, and give students ownership and control of their own progress.
 * Develops a highly engaged environment where students can redefine, evaluate and enhance their skills by playing games that challenge them.
 * Integrating game-based learning into the the curriculum allows for increasing computer literacy skills, problem solving skills and real world applications.
 * Games can inspire an alternative approach to learning and promote an increase in learning.
 * Tangential learning is possible through well-designed games (Daniel Floyd, 2008)
 * Some games require systems thinking whereby students no longer look at things in terms of discrete items.
 * "Griffiths refers to the merits associated with using digital games with special-needs children. For example, he cites a case where video or digital games had a calming effect on a seven-year-old child with autism. Griffiths also provides research data that suggests that adolescents with attention deficit disorder may experience improvements in “grades, sociability, and organizational skills” when using educational video games" (Griffiths, 2003).
 * Today's generation of learners “think and process information fundamentally differently than their predecessors.” (Prensky, 2001). Game based learning gives teacher the opportunity to speak their language.

Weaknesses

 * If instructors use game-based learning as a default activity they may overlook opportunities to apply learning in real life. For example, why have students participate in Wii bowling when you could book at class trip to the bowling ally and do the actual activity.
 * Most current games involve sitting at a computer or console rather than being active. A study by He, Piche, Beynon and Harris (2010) reported that Canadian children spend an average of 3.3 hours per day in screen-related activities, which may contribute to the growing problem of childhood obesity.
 * There may be a significant front-end time commitment involved in familiarizing students with programs and technology involved with a particular game.
 * How are learning outcomes of game play assessed and measured for effectiveness? O’Neil et al. (2005)

Opportunities

 * The use of digital-based games as a tool to harness student engagement.
 * Many commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) games exist that are effective in teaching the content, skills, and problem-solving needed to win the game (Van Eck, 2006). These can be readily accessed by educators and evaluated for their appropriateness in the classroom.
 * Serious games have instructional potential as they currently exist. This could improve if developed or modified specifically for an educational context and for a variety of audiences.
 * Personalization of learning is possible through the use of games.
 * Instructors have the opportunity to develop more flexible assessment tools to reflect the learning that takes place through game-based learning.
 * Game based learning can be customized to account for individuals with disabilities.
 * Provide opportunities in educational research.

Threats

 * A fundamental shift in the way education systems are designed may have to occur if digital game-based learning is fully embraced.
 * The costs of developing serious games for the educational world can be prohibitive to game-developers. The market for serious games that are designed to be educational within a curricular construct does not yet exist to make development financially appealing (Van Eck, 2006).
 * Schools and parent groups may have ethical issues regarding potential partnerships between educational groups, commercial game companies and corporate sponsors that may exist to develop serious games.
 * Social and ethical issues surrounding the content of some games that may be deemed objectionable.
 * Parental concerns over school time being filled with game play.
 * Negative preconceptions and lack of understanding by "digital immigrants" (Prensky, 2001) about the use game-based learning.
 * Lack of sufficient technology infrastructure.
 * Games may become too competitive, thereby undermining the educational benefits of the experience.
 * Many games are frequently upgraded, making it difficult for educational researchers to evaluate the impact of such games.
 * As technology advances, it is difficult and costly for schools, students and teachers to keep up with new information and games.