eSports in Education
by Carla Charlton, AVIXA
We know that there are huge benefits of providing eSports in education. For example, increasing interests in STEM subjects, expanding opportunities, learning valuable skills, and inclusivity. So, on the 19 July AVIXA hosted a webinar in the Learning Tech Manager’s Power Hour series entitled “eSports in Education: Lessons Learned”. During this session we heard from those who have successfully set up their own eSports programs, and what they learned from the process.
The first question posed by Ben Barnard, UK & Ireland Regional Manager at AVIXA to the panel was, “How can eSports transform education?”
Prof Andy Miah, Salford University: Students are leading the way. The investment in eSport have sent tidal waves across the university
Kathy Chiang, University of California, Irvine: eSports in education is a way to engage students across all disciplines, creating open opportunities and bringing together people from all different backgrounds and across boundaries.
Kylie Kendrick, Durham University: eSports develops teambuilding, communication, and soft skills for use in the real world
Joshua Kell, Horizon AVL: eSports is a vessel to close the gap where there are shortages in the industry in areas like content creation, broadcasting, and coding.
Following on from this Ben then asked if the panel could provide concrete examples of what students have learned from eSports.
Prof Andy Miah, Salford University: By setting up the International Journal of esports because the scientists and researchers, that are out there are discovering new forms of knowledge, new forms of innovation through experimenting with esports which trickles down into the curriculum across lots of different levels, but even more specifically with the students that already are involved with these sports at the at the stage where they’re trying to compete or get involved with it we see so many skills developing like digital marketing and event management skills. Also, within health and biology I work within a science school, we see many scientists wanting to get involved with esports understanding, some of the new ways in which performance takes place within those contexts, so I think, from the very high end of innovation, the researchers level.
Kathy Chiang, University of California, Irvine: From the perspective of coming up from the student grassroots organizations, there are a lot of things I learned as a student. Organizational skills as well as communication, learning how to budget and negotiate. What we really notice is the leadership skills. eSports also allows you tackle “the dark side of esports” that a lot of us need to address. eSports can be used as a tool to bring those conversations, to the forefront.
Kylie Kendrick, Durham University: Although we don’t have any courses devoted to esports, it’s all about encouraging them to do their own thing. To better themselves going forward.
Joshua Kell, Horizon AVL: There’s a whole section on digital citizenship of what that looks like and really addressing those issues very early on.
For watch this recording and for more information on this and the other sessions in the Learning Tech Manager’s Power Hour series, please visit: https://www.avixa.org/events/learning-tech-managers-power-hour-series