Imagine a classroom with students deeply engaged in their lessons, eagerly solving math problems and exploring English skills through fun digital games. Their excitement is evident as they face challenges and earn rewards, turning traditional learning into an adventure. Game-based learning not only motivates students through elements like challenges, rewards and narratives but also fosters critical skills such as problem-solving, strategic thinking and collaboration.
Recently, EdSurge spoke to Dr. Josh Prieur about how to maximize the impact of game-based learning in classrooms. Prieur began his career as a high school English teacher in Palm Beach County, Florida, before transitioning to a school-level administrator role for six and a half years, during which he earned his doctorate in educational leadership. He later moved into digital game-based learning and currently serves as the director of educator enablement at Prodigy Education, partnering with schools and districts to enhance the use of game-based learning tools.
EdSurge: How do you define game-based learning?
Prieur: Game-based learning encompasses any game used for an educational purpose, from traditional physical games to those on computers. Not only are games a great way to embed practice into the classroom, but they can also help students find a state of flow where they are fully immersed in something they enjoy. Psychologists have posited that you enter a state of flow when you’re deeply engaged. Game-based learning is a phenomenal way to get students into a state of flow because they then become deeply engaged, not only in the game but also in the learning.
I often hear from teachers who use Prodigy about how impactful games can be in their classrooms. Students using Prodigy Math or Prodigy English enjoy the storyline and get excited about the learning content. We want them to have fun while they’re learning, and that’s what makes effective game-based learning truly special.
How can game-based learning be integrated into classrooms and beyond?
The key is intentionality. At its core, Prodigy offers adaptive, standards-aligned content, which is fantastic. If students pick it up and use it for fun and learning, that’s great. Many parents discover Prodigy and share it with their kids, and the kids enjoy playing it. Teachers can align the in-game educational content with classroom lessons in under 30 seconds, making the practice more impactful. This can seamlessly blend into activities like station rotation, math workshops, exit tickets, technology time or even whole-group instruction. There are many natural ways to incorporate games into the classroom.
What are the key benefits of integrating game-based learning?
As a former educator and administrator, I think about impact in two ways. The first is the impact that games can have on academic performance. Multiple meta-analyses confirm that games can have a positive impact on academic performance. Prodigy conducted two studies that are relevant here. The first looked at publicly available test score data from California, and we saw that students who used Prodigy outperformed students who didn’t. The second was a correlational study with Council Bluffs Community School District in Iowa that met ESSA Tier III criteria. There was a significant positive relationship between Prodigy use and improved academic outcomes among fifth and sixth grade students.
The other impact is attitudinal. Neurological research shows that how children feel about their learning matters. We also hear anecdotally from parents and teachers all the time that Prodigy can help students feel better about their learning. When we did a correlational study on math enjoyment and math confidence, we saw that students’ math enjoyment and math confidence significantly improved after just a few months of using Prodigy. That is a really exciting finding!
What is a common challenge teachers face when incorporating game-based learning?
The first one that comes to mind is the cost of game-based learning tools. School budgets are incredibly stretched due to ESSER funds drying up, and classroom budgets have always been tight. What makes Prodigy special is that there isn’t a cost for teachers or schools. With Prodigy Math and Prodigy English, all of the in-game educational content is accessible to everyone everywhere if they have a device and internet connection. That’s part of what drew me to game-based learning and Prodigy, in particular — I really believe in what we do and how we do it.
Prodigy is powered by a small percentage of parents who purchase completely optional memberships that give their children access to extra game features, as well as additional features for parents to stay more closely involved in their child’s learning journey. Because of that unique business model, any student anywhere can access Prodigy Math, Prodigy English and their in-game educational content. Last year, over 3.6 billion math questions were answered by students who played the game for free, and more than 950,000 teachers use Prodigy in their classrooms at no cost. Around 95 percent of student users only ever use the free version. That unrivaled access is something we’re really proud of.
What data privacy considerations should be addressed when adopting new edtech?
Privacy and security have been at the top of educators’ minds, and rightfully so. I look for tools that integrate with popular cloud-based productivity suites, education-focused single sign-on platforms and digital learning ecosystems. On the cybersecurity front, I encourage educators to look for products aligned with the NIST Cybersecurity Framework. Additionally, look for products from companies that are part of the Student Data Privacy Consortium; they’ve standardized the data privacy agreement process, which is fantastic. I also recommend looking for tools certified by 1EdTech and that have signed the TrustEd Apps Pledge. Additionally, Prodigy has achieved a 93 percent pass rating by Common Sense Privacy thanks to our stringent approach to student data privacy.
How can game-based learning tools be customized to meet the diverse needs of different classrooms and individual students?
Games should have multiple supports built right into them to assist students with varying needs. For example, having a read-out-loud functionality is something that I see as critical. We know it’s helpful for emerging readers and English language learners to have that auditory element to go along with the reading. Having hints is also really important because it provides students with that extra scaffolding when they need it. Hints allow us to give content to students that is appropriately leveled for them — it’s just hard enough. It keeps them in their Zone of Proximal Development. I also consider readability in games. For example, look for tools that use Lexend fonts, which may help improve readability for those with dyslexia.
Digital Promise offers a certification called Learner Variability, which Prodigy has earned. We keep learner support top-of-mind, and we’re really proud of the fact that we take the time to make sure that Prodigy is accessible. It’s something that teachers should look for as they evaluate tools for their classrooms.
To learn more about Prodigy, please visit www.prodigygame.com.
