Unlocking Potential: The Educational Power of Esports

February 27, 2024

IDEA Space serves several students to provide them with hands-on experiences in the STEAM field.

Esports, short for electronic sports, is a competitive world where gamers compete either alone or in teams to win. It started with players gaming from home but has grown into big events in large arenas, attracting huge crowds either in person or online. The culture surrounding esports boasts sponsorships, competitions and a dedicated fanbase. It was only natural for schools to pick up on the trend and include it in their own learning spaces.

What started as just a club in 2021 transformed to an entire dedicated esports space at Emporia State University.

The incorporation of esports into school environments goes beyond merely catering to students’ gaming interests. It provides a structured, supervised platform that allows students to channel their enthusiasm and competitive spirit constructively, fostering connections with school and facilitating learning how to be a part of a team, how to be a leader, how to handle victories and defeats.

Esports attracts students who may not typically participate in extracurricular activities, fostering inclusivity and enhancing overall student engagement within the school community. Similar to traditional team sports and extracurricular clubs, esports promotes collaboration, participation, and communication skills. Students learn the value of recruitment, supporting teammates, and navigating both victory and defeat. Emporia State University recently designed esports area allows for their club to have a space to host tournaments. Their design allows for easy communication amongst their peers as well as individual and group work.

Participation in esports equips students with practical experience, enhancing their qualifications for internships, college scholarships, and a diverse array of careers—ranging from gaming referees or events management to computer programming and game design. It serves as a catalyst for honing critical thinking, problem-solving, STEM proficiency, and digital citizenship—skills transferrable to various career paths. It also proves beneficial for English language learners seeking to enhance their language skills. Students at IDEA Space utilize their lab that allows for the different advantages of esports.