What is Esports?

Esports is massive. And it’s getting more popular in educational settings, with more and more schools and colleges setting up esports clubs and the emergence of a whole range of courses, from Level 2 college BTECs to four-year higher education degrees.

But is this trend beneficial or detrimental to students and is it something that your institution should invest in? Let’s take a deeper look at the pros and cons of esports in education. Then, we’ll explore whether esports might be right for your institution, and how to get started.

Before we dive in, let’s explain exactly what we mean by esports. There’s a common misconception that esports is a solo pursuit, with images of teenagers sitting in darkened bedrooms with the curtains drawn, machine-gunning strangers on a first-person shooter (FPS) game while shouting at the screen and swigging cans of energy drinks.  

Modern, organised esports are a long way from this. They’re predominantly team-based, and bringing them into designated spaces in educational settings introduces an important social element.  

And it’s not all about violent, fast-paced shooting games. Many popular esports titles are in-depth, tactical games that require strategic thinking and planning. Even squad-based shooter games demand highly developed teamwork and leadership skills, alongside fast reaction times.

And the great thing is that esports appeals to a wide demographic of students. It can create a safe community for the kids who don’t want to play football or join the chess club.  

So, let’s have a look at some of the pros and cons of esports in schools, colleges and other educational institutions.

What Are The Benefits of Esports in Education?

Esports is a growing sector. A huge number of children under the age of 18 play video games, and a significant portion of them play online competitively. If educational institutions can tap into that enthusiasm and integrate esports positively, there’s huge potential there.

So what benefits are students likely to see if you bring esports into your institution? 

Skill Development

As mentioned above, esports covers a wide range of games and genres, which can help students develop an equally wide range of skills. Skills like teamwork, communication, problem-solving and strategic thinking. Or in other words, the kind of highly-transferrable skills that will be beneficial in both academic and professional settings.

Engagement and Motivation

Esports can be a powerful motivator for disengaged students. Creating an esports community has been shown to increase engagement in students who play, and its competitive nature can help drive students to set and achieve goals, practice diligently and constantly work towards improvement.

Career Opportunities

The esports industry is big, and it’s only getting bigger. That means there are lots of career opportunities available, way beyond being a professional player. The industry built around esports and events means that areas like event management, marketing, game development and broadcasting are just a few of the pathways available. And there are plenty of educational opportunities - esports degrees, BTECs and other courses are available.

Inclusivity

One of the great things about esports is that it appeals to a wide range of students from diverse backgrounds. It can be especially beneficial for students who have no interest in more traditional sports or clubs, but already have an interest in video games. If your institution builds an inclusive esports environment that’s welcoming to all, it can foster a sense of community and belonging that some students struggle to find.

Technological Proficiency

Esports isn’t just about gaming. There’s a whole range of tech roles that students can get involved with if they want to, from speccing gaming rigs to setting up streaming software. There are plenty of opportunities for students who don’t want to get involved with the gaming itself, too. Students involved in esports tend to develop great technical skills, which is increasingly vital for employment.  

Drawbacks of Esports in Education 

There are significant benefits to an esports programme in your institution. But it’s not all positive, and there are definite drawbacks to esports too. These shouldn’t put you off integrating esports - but you must bear them in mind, and make sure you have a plan to stop them from becoming major issues.

Let’s look at some of the most common drawbacks to esports.

Screen Time and Physical Health

Screen time for young people is a major issue. It can lead to physical health issues like eye strain, poor posture, and a sedentary lifestyle. So it’s important to make sure that any esports programme you start in your institution is balanced with physical activity and education so students have an overall healthy lifestyle.
 
There are lots of ways to achieve this balance, from enforcing mandatory screen breaks to engaging students in community-based physical activities to help improve their gaming performance.

Academic Performance

There’s a commonly held belief that video gaming - and by association esports - can harm academic performance. While there may be some truth in this if left unchecked, research shows that students on esports programmes actually engage better with education.

With the correct policies and support in place, an esports programme can boost the performance of otherwise hard-to-reach students. And working towards studying an esports-related course at university or college can give students the impetus that they may otherwise lack.

Mental Health

The competitive nature of esports can be both a benefit and a drawback. While it can motivate students, it can also lead to stress and anxiety. Your institution must provide support systems to help students manage the pressures of competition and maintain their mental well-being.

Resource Allocation

There’s no two ways about it; setting up esports provision will be expensive. You’ll need to invest in high-end gaming PCs with screens and controls to match, not to mention the space and furniture to make it attractive to students.

But there’s nothing to prevent you from using those resources for other things, too. The PCs will be great for running video or photo editing software for example.

Deciding Whether Esports is Right For Your Institution

We’ve looked at the pros and cons of esports education. But how do you decide whether it’s a good idea for your specific institution? There are a few things you should consider before making a decision.

Think About Your Aims

Before you integrate an esports programme into your institution, consider your overarching goals and values. Ask whether an esports programme will support your school or college’s educational mission and whether it can be justified in terms of enhancing student engagement, creating a sense of community and providing new learning opportunities.

Assess Student Interest and Demand

Is there any interest in your student populace? Esports is a big buzz-word at the moment, but that doesn’t mean that every cohort will be interested. So, conduct surveys, hold focus groups and talk to student groups to see what appetite - if any - there is. You can then use those interest levels to gauge how you should pitch your esports programme for maximum engagement.

Do You Have The Resources? 

Esports requires significant investment in technology and infrastructure beyond just buying a roomful of high-spec gaming PCs or laptops. You’ll also need internal and external network speeds to support competitive gaming, dedicated spaces for tournaments and practice and staff members to oversee the programme.

Can You Integrate t With Existing Learning?

Esports should not be seen as a standalone thing; but rather as complementary to your other learning processes. And that means you need to think carefully about how it integrates with your curriculum. It can provide practical applications for subjects like maths, computer science and media studies. But there are also specific courses that it can feed into, like game design, digital marketing or event management, that can help students develop their career paths.

What Are The Benefits To Your Institution?

We discussed the potential benefits of esports above - but how do they apply to your institution and your students? If there’s an appetite from your student body then you need to research what they’re hoping to gain from the programme, and how you can design it for maximum benefit.

And What Are The Drawbacks?

You need to carefully consider the drawbacks too, and how they’re likely to affect your cohort. Take some time to weigh the pros and cons of esports in your institution before making a decision.

Do Your Research

Research is essential, so make sure you don’t skimp on yours. Search out case studies and best practices from institutions that have successfully implemented esports programmes - and also those that have had less positive experiences, to get a balanced view. You’ll pick up on potential challenges and effective integration strategies this way.

Organisations like the British Esports Association and educational forums can offer guidance and point you to examples of successful esports programmes in education.

Talk To Your Stakeholders 

Engage with key stakeholders, including teachers, parents, and community members, to gather their perspectives and address any concerns. Building a consensus and ensuring broad support can facilitate a smoother implementation process.

Setting Up An Esports Club at a School or College

If you’ve weighed up the pros and cons and decided that esports is a good addition to your institution, the next thing to do is set it up and make it work. Of course, how you do this will depend on the needs of your students and school or college, but there are a few things you’ll probably want to consider.

Step 1: Get The Students On Board

If you’ve done your research, you’ll know there’s interest from your students. Getting them - and institution staff - on board and fully invested in the project is your next step. You could set up taster events and trials for students, and appoint student esports champions to promote the programme amongst their peers. For staff, focus on the educational and institutional benefits and try to recruit key people who will help to promote the benefits of the programme.

Step 2: Form a Leadership Team

Building a leadership team that includes students, staff and possibly even parents or governors will help to give the programme legitimacy and create a sense of ownership in the student community. This team will be responsible for the management and organisation of the club and will create opportunities for students to develop their leadership and organisational skills.

Staff members on the leadership team must be equally invested, as they’ll be needed to provide guidance, make sure school policies are adhered to, and secure the necessary resources.

Step 3: Decide How The Club Will Work

Once your leadership team is in place, you’ll need to decide on a structure for the club, including roles and responsibilities for the members. You’ll need to choose what kind of games will be played, how often the club will meet and what rules and guidelines will be in place for students who want to participate. It’s also worth drafting a code of conduct at this point, preferably with student involvement, so they know what’s expected of them.

Step 4: Securing Equipment and Space

You’re going to need a dedicated space and to fill it with the right equipment. Using the computers in an existing ICT lab just won’t cut it. So, work with your institution to find a space that will work. You’ll need to make sure your budget covers enough gaming computers, consoles and peripherals like mice, keyboards, headsets and specific controllers to get things started. You could consider trying to find sponsorship from local businesses or esports organisations to help with funding and equipment.

Step 5: Planning Events and Competitions

To keep your members engaged and excited, you’ll need to organise regular events and competitions. These could be matches between teams in your institution, tournaments or friendly matches with other schools or colleges, or participation in regional and national esports leagues. You could also stage events for non-members to have a go at esports.

Step 6: Promoting Esports

If you want to get the most out of your esports programme, you’re going to need to promote it. You can use your institution's usual communication channels to do this, but it’s worth appointing a student marketing team to promote esports in the school. It's a great experience for them, and they’ll have some good ideas about how to reach their peers.

However you do it, promotion should highlight the benefits of the club, like developing important skills, competing in tournaments and the potential for future career opportunities. You should also make sure to mention that it’s brilliant fun and a great way to socialise with like-minded students.

Conclusion

There are a lot of potential benefits to introducing esports to your institution. But, there are drawbacks too and it’s important to have a good grasp of both before committing to starting an esports programme. You’ll need to demonstrate how the benefits outweigh the drawbacks for your institution, and how you’re going to provide a well-rounded educational experience for your students.

If you want a chat about how esports could integrate into your institution, and what kind of hardware you’re going to need, get in touch. We’re experts in esports and we’ve been supplying ICT hardware and software to the education sector for decades.