Social gaming and mobile learning go hand-in-hand for numerous reasons, but it can largely be chalked up to accessibility and a societal attachment to handheld devices. Whether used for corporate training purposes or to teach knowledge to college and high school students, games have proven to increase and maintain engagement. It should come as no surprise that social gaming has infiltrated the world of education and business, as people have been using mobile devices for social purposes for years.
Why It Works
Mobile learning by way of social games is effective because it is right there at the user’s fingertips, and when this learning is facilitated by a fun, engaging game, all the better. Social games provide an incredible opportunity for educators and business owners to create effective and engaging learning environments wherever, whenever. Using social gaming for mobile learning works because it is a non-obligatory activity that is performed for fun. Whether simple, complex, or challenging, social games are activities that people enjoy doing. Furthermore, social games that are available on handheld devices and have an educational purpose are appealing because of their accessibility.
Society as a whole is hungry for "snacks" of knowledge, which we can now turn to handheld devices for. The mobility of a smartphone or tablet allows learners to start a game at home and finish on a lunch break or while waiting in line at the grocery store. This makes learning fun, entertaining, and easier than ever, as it is available on the user’s schedule.
The Perks
Successful social games used for learning purposes are engaging and interactive while providing users with new experiences. Mobile learning games range in what type of knowledge they equip users with, from math and English to random trivia. The upside of this is that, once again, the appeal and accessibility of games on mobile devices leads to more interest in gaining knowledge, as it can be obtained on those phones and tablets we all love so much. What this means for social games is that people are far more likely to be interested and captivated by a game that is easy to access. Additionally, the simplicity of mobile learning games makes it so they are both enjoyable and relevant to all age groups. Games can be incredibly social experiences, allowing users to compete and interact with others while obtaining knowledge at the same time. The clever design of social games also makes for an effective experience that keeps users coming back time and time again.
The Bottom Line
Engaging educational games that are fun for the user, accessible, and have a purpose are bound to be successful in today's mobile society. Social games have great potential to positively impact how people receive knowledge, and this is largely due to the rapid development of mobile technologies and platforms. As long as developers have an end goal in mind, a good design, and an understanding of their audience, the implementation of mobile game-based learning can be highly effective.