Social Emotional Learning Through Multi-Player Gaming

During the beginning stages of the COVID lockdown, I noticed that my partner and I kept in touch with our friends in very different ways. While I was using social media, group chats and FaceTime, my partner was staying in touch with all his friends via Call of Duty: Warzone. I hadn’t thought too much into it, until I watched a bit of this season of the NBA, where players are finally able to join their teams face-to-face. I heard one of the newer guys’ interviews, where he was asked a question about how he was able to bond with his teammates without ever meeting in-person. He said he became very good friends with some of them while playing COD. I was intrigued by this, because I noticed the social connection between various friend groups who have many other communication methods, however they all chose to bond with video gaming. I then heard a comment during one of our discussions about gaming where a professor stated that we learn something through all games- even the violent ones. Some questions immediately popped in my mind. How can anyone learn from seemingly mindless, shooting games? If we play games for pure enjoyment and fun, where does the learning occur?

Well, one way the learning occurs is through Social Emotional Learning- which is defined as “the process of developing the self-awareness, self-control, and interpersonal skills that are vital for school, work, and life success” (cfchildren.org).

Throughout the process of multi-player video games, some valuable SEL skills are to be practiced and learned. Self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making.

“We know that human connection can be powerful in many settings and environments. Gaming is no exception…Games that allow a collaborative or cooperative mode provide the opportunity for an increased sense of belonging through relatedness inside of a game environment.” -Rody Boonchouy, Buck Institute for Education.

Collaborative, team-centered games such as Call of Duty emphasize these skills in many different ways. Although each player has their individual game and character from whatever part of the country or world they may be in, players are tasked with challenges and the use of a mic to guide each other along the journey. Players from all over are bonded together in this community with lingo, skills, and common objectives they share.