The U.S. Department of Education recently announced the winners of this year’s
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract awards. The awards provide research and development funding for small businesses that develop technology to improve student learning. More than half of the 2013 winning proposals are for games and game-related products, more than in any previous year. This outcome is consistent with the growing body of evidence showing that games can effectively supplement or replace some standard teaching practices.
Generally, the games are designed for students learning science, math, reading, social skills, and common core standards. Most:
- adjust the level of difficulty to match the player’s competency level,
- include rewards and competition, and
- have a teaching component that allows teachers to use them to supplement or replace standard instructional practices.
Several of the games use story-based narratives to engage students or provide teachers real-time assessments identifying players in need of further instruction and remediation.
