What is Scholastic Esports?
What is Scholastic Esports?
Nov 9, 2023
Updated Dec 5, 2024
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Summary
Scholastic esports combines gaming with education, offering students new ways to engage, collaborate, and prepare for future careers. From boosting attendance to fostering teamwork and digital literacy, scholastic esports is reshaping classrooms. Schools can integrate esports through curriculums, clubs, and extracurricular programs to build inclusive, skill-building environments.
What is Scholastic Esports?
Scholastic esports leverages video games as an engaging instructional method to enhance learning and student participation. By connecting with students' passions, it fosters skills like problem-solving, teamwork, and digital literacy while addressing challenges such as chronic absenteeism. This approach transforms classrooms into dynamic spaces that prepare students for future-ready careers in an ever-evolving digital world.
What are the Benefits of Scholastic Esports?
Scholastic esports offers a myriad of benefits that extend beyond gaming itself. One of the most notable advantages is improved student engagement and motivation. By integrating esports into the curriculum, educators tap into students' passion for gaming, making learning more enjoyable and interactive. Additionally, scholastic esports fosters teamwork and communication skills as students collaborate with their peers to achieve common goals.
Another significant benefit of Scholastic esports is the opportunities it creates for scholarships and career paths. Talented students who excel in esports can leverage their skills and passion to secure scholarships for higher education. Moreover, the rapidly growing esports industry offers various career options, including game development, event management, and content creation.
Examining the facts also reveals a compelling narrative: 73% of children over the age of two engage in video games, a number that surges to 97% during their teenage years. Furthermore, young girls who play video games are 3.3 times more likely to explore STEM subjects, while teenagers who embrace gaming are 70% more likely to pursue STEM majors in college. Leveraging the educational power of gaming opens doors to a brighter future for all students. Through the adoption of scholastic esports, schools can actively contribute to their students' path to success. Another study found that in just one month of implementing games into the classroom just for 20 minutes, the attendance of the participating students increased by 21% and their suspensions decreased by 27%.
Scholastic Esports vs. Competitive Esports
At first glance, scholastic and competitive esports may seem and sound similar when, in reality, they are quite different.
Competitive esports is similar to traditional sports in the sense that it involves teams competing against each other to be the best, to win tournaments, and to win prizes and awards. On the other hand, scholastic esports open a new future for young adolescents by equipping them with 21st-century skills, STEM skills, communication skills, and technology skills, which later translate into life career development, technical development, digital citizenship, and opening up career opportunities. If you are curious about the difference between esports and gaming, make sure to check out our blog on the subject.
How to Start an Esports Program in School
Creating a safe and inclusive environment is important in any scholastic esports program. Establish clear guidelines and rules to promote fair play, sportsmanship, and respect among participants. It is essential to address concerns related to excessive screen time and ensure a balance between academics and gaming. For a more detailed breakdown of the steps, check out our 6 steps to start an esports club at school.
For school administrators and teachers who are considering implementing an esports program, it is crucial to follow certain steps to ensure a successful launch. Firstly, identify the resources and support needed to establish the program. This includes securing funding, acquiring gaming equipment, and engaging with the school community to gain buy-in.
You might be curious about the game titles that are utilized in scholastic esports. It's worth noting that educators have a wide array of video games at their disposal for classroom use, such as Minecraft's Educators Edition, which can teach subjects like math, chemistry, coding, and leadership from within the game itself. Additionally, games like Rocket League, Overwatch, Fortnite, and many others can be integrated into the classroom. When incorporated into an esports curriculum, students not only gain valuable skills for the future but also benefit from esports as a tool for student engagement in your school. Don't be intimidated by the game titles; you can take the lead in coaching these games for your students.
The Educational Power of Esports Curriculums
Scholastic esports intersects with many CTE pathways, including the Arts, Entertainment, & Design Career Cluster and Digital Technology Cluster. Esports curriculums go beyond gameplay, introducing students to high-need, high-wage, and high-skill careers.
Key clusters include:
Design and Digital Arts: Teaching graphic design, animation, and user experience.
Media Production and Broadcasting: Skills in video production, filmmaking, and journalism.
IT and Cybersecurity: Covering essential digital skills like ethical hacking and network administration.
By integrating these topics, esports curriculums prepare students for real-world careers while keeping them engaged in school.
Conclusion: Enhancing Education with Esports
Scholastic esports is not just about gaming—it’s about reimagining education. By integrating esports into curriculums, schools can engage students like never before, fostering skills that extend far beyond the classroom.
Whether you’re an educator looking to inspire students or an administrator exploring ways to boost engagement, scholastic esports offers a dynamic and inclusive solution. Take the first step toward transforming education today.
Interested in starting a scholastic esports program? Let us guide you! Schedule a demo to learn how to integrate esports into your school.
Sources
What is Scholastic Esports?
Scholastic esports leverages video games as an engaging instructional method to enhance learning and student participation. By connecting with students' passions, it fosters skills like problem-solving, teamwork, and digital literacy while addressing challenges such as chronic absenteeism. This approach transforms classrooms into dynamic spaces that prepare students for future-ready careers in an ever-evolving digital world.
What are the Benefits of Scholastic Esports?
Scholastic esports offers a myriad of benefits that extend beyond gaming itself. One of the most notable advantages is improved student engagement and motivation. By integrating esports into the curriculum, educators tap into students' passion for gaming, making learning more enjoyable and interactive. Additionally, scholastic esports fosters teamwork and communication skills as students collaborate with their peers to achieve common goals.
Another significant benefit of Scholastic esports is the opportunities it creates for scholarships and career paths. Talented students who excel in esports can leverage their skills and passion to secure scholarships for higher education. Moreover, the rapidly growing esports industry offers various career options, including game development, event management, and content creation.
Examining the facts also reveals a compelling narrative: 73% of children over the age of two engage in video games, a number that surges to 97% during their teenage years. Furthermore, young girls who play video games are 3.3 times more likely to explore STEM subjects, while teenagers who embrace gaming are 70% more likely to pursue STEM majors in college. Leveraging the educational power of gaming opens doors to a brighter future for all students. Through the adoption of scholastic esports, schools can actively contribute to their students' path to success. Another study found that in just one month of implementing games into the classroom just for 20 minutes, the attendance of the participating students increased by 21% and their suspensions decreased by 27%.
Scholastic Esports vs. Competitive Esports
At first glance, scholastic and competitive esports may seem and sound similar when, in reality, they are quite different.
Competitive esports is similar to traditional sports in the sense that it involves teams competing against each other to be the best, to win tournaments, and to win prizes and awards. On the other hand, scholastic esports open a new future for young adolescents by equipping them with 21st-century skills, STEM skills, communication skills, and technology skills, which later translate into life career development, technical development, digital citizenship, and opening up career opportunities. If you are curious about the difference between esports and gaming, make sure to check out our blog on the subject.
How to Start an Esports Program in School
Creating a safe and inclusive environment is important in any scholastic esports program. Establish clear guidelines and rules to promote fair play, sportsmanship, and respect among participants. It is essential to address concerns related to excessive screen time and ensure a balance between academics and gaming. For a more detailed breakdown of the steps, check out our 6 steps to start an esports club at school.
For school administrators and teachers who are considering implementing an esports program, it is crucial to follow certain steps to ensure a successful launch. Firstly, identify the resources and support needed to establish the program. This includes securing funding, acquiring gaming equipment, and engaging with the school community to gain buy-in.
You might be curious about the game titles that are utilized in scholastic esports. It's worth noting that educators have a wide array of video games at their disposal for classroom use, such as Minecraft's Educators Edition, which can teach subjects like math, chemistry, coding, and leadership from within the game itself. Additionally, games like Rocket League, Overwatch, Fortnite, and many others can be integrated into the classroom. When incorporated into an esports curriculum, students not only gain valuable skills for the future but also benefit from esports as a tool for student engagement in your school. Don't be intimidated by the game titles; you can take the lead in coaching these games for your students.
The Educational Power of Esports Curriculums
Scholastic esports intersects with many CTE pathways, including the Arts, Entertainment, & Design Career Cluster and Digital Technology Cluster. Esports curriculums go beyond gameplay, introducing students to high-need, high-wage, and high-skill careers.
Key clusters include:
Design and Digital Arts: Teaching graphic design, animation, and user experience.
Media Production and Broadcasting: Skills in video production, filmmaking, and journalism.
IT and Cybersecurity: Covering essential digital skills like ethical hacking and network administration.
By integrating these topics, esports curriculums prepare students for real-world careers while keeping them engaged in school.
Conclusion: Enhancing Education with Esports
Scholastic esports is not just about gaming—it’s about reimagining education. By integrating esports into curriculums, schools can engage students like never before, fostering skills that extend far beyond the classroom.
Whether you’re an educator looking to inspire students or an administrator exploring ways to boost engagement, scholastic esports offers a dynamic and inclusive solution. Take the first step toward transforming education today.
Interested in starting a scholastic esports program? Let us guide you! Schedule a demo to learn how to integrate esports into your school.
Sources
Written by
Chris Aviles
Chris Aviles is the Product Evangelist at Gameplan and the founder of Garden State Esports. A passionate educator and pioneer in scholastic esports, Chris has revolutionized the educational landscape by integrating esports into schools. His book, The Esports Education Playbook: Empowering Every Learner Through Inclusive Gaming, reflects his commitment to using gaming to enhance student engagement and learning. Under his leadership, GSE has become the largest scholastic esports league in the U.S., fostering teamwork, leadership, and inclusivity among students. At Gameplan, Chris continues to advance his mission of expanding esports opportunities in education.
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