Why Esports?

There are many benefits to structured esports programs, including the following:

• Improved self-esteem.

• Better hand-eye coordination.

• Improved visual-spatial reasoning.

• Improved eyesight (with protective lenses).

• Meaningful social interaction for students who would otherwise be playing at home.

• Improved graduation rates and learning outcomes through participation in extracurricular activities.

• Scholarship and travel opportunities.

Fortunately, there's new evidence that shows a well-planned esports program can indeed support STEM learning in a variety of ways. In particular, it encourages:

• Teamwork for problem-solving: Teammates quickly learn to treat losses as opportunities to solve problems and improve performance, turning to a growth mindset rather than embracing the idea that success is about innate talent.

• Scientific methodology: As players work to figure out a game, their thinking becomes more systematic as they develop and test hypotheses to improve play.

• Using data and evidence: Esports players gather data on timing and probability to plan faster speed runs, maximize the odds of finding in-game bonuses, and generally fine-tune performance based on hard evidence.

• Technological proficiency: Students use more than just game controllers and consoles. They also film players, edit sound and video, publish tutorials, connect online, and develop programs to manage their meetings, data, and more.

• Educational equity: For students who lack the resources to play video games at home, school-sponsored esports programs can level the playing field and help provide access to technology in meaningful ways.

• Educational inclusion: Likewise, the fun of gaming encourages more students to join in STEM-based activities — outreach that is especially important for groups that are typically underrepresented in STEM, such as female students, students with disabilities, and students of color.