Mobile Games and Learning

Abstract

Experts have long endeavored to understand the draw of video games on youth and how this entertainment medium might be used for education. The “anytime, anywhere, and on any device” nature of mobile technology may offer new opportunities for researchers and educators interested in leveraging the potential benefits of game-based learning. In this article, we offer a review of existing literature on the benefits of video games, specifically focusing on mobile games and their educational contribution. The authors of this article summarize what is currently known about the use of mobile games in learning, providing examples of mobile games explicitly called out in the literature that have been experimented with and/or used to explore game-based learning. The purpose behind this article is not to debate the practice of introducing video games into the classroom, but instead to spark interest in future research, and to advance the study of mobile games as a learning medium.