What computer games can teach us about classroom teaching?

This was a phenomenology study that explored the potential use of gaming principles in classroom teaching. Eight secondary school students were interviewed. The aim of the interviews was to investigate the students' experience and perceptions about gaming. The motivations (i.e. gaming principles) behind gameplay were identified and these motivations were pushed into the classroom teaching. Data collected has revealed that students like to play computer games mainly due to the role-playing task and the virtual social interaction. Learning from the gaming context, role-playing and collaborative activities should be adopted in the classroom teaching to motivate students to learn and develop various cognitive skills.