Is esports a valid addition to the FE curriculum?

Offering esports as an extracurricular activity – or even building it into the school or college curriculum – could be a great way of encouraging more young people to pursue learning in STEM-related fields.

When pupils take part in esports in school, teachers can capitalise on their enthusiasm to nurture a passion for STEM and guide them to explore STEM careers. 

Increasing accessibility 

It’s well understood that traditional sports teach and nurture skills such as teamwork, leadership, problem-solving and communications. Yet not all students enjoy – or are able to participate in – physical activity. 

Esports is part of a lucrative global industry that presents educators with a valuable opportunity to teach these important lessons to students who would not otherwise benefit from the experience. In an educational setting, esports teaches the same core principles as physical sports. The key difference is that esports is accessible to students who are less traditionally ‘sporty’ because the physical aspect of playing is removed.    

Esports can make learning this set of skills more enjoyable and interactive for everyone, even encouraging students to attend courses who might otherwise lack the motivation to do so.  

Boosting inclusivity 

Gaming can be an isolating pastime, and gamers can feel left out of mainstream student life. When students are given the opportunity to join a college or university esports team, however, it becomes a more social experience. 

Organised esports can bring disengaged students into the fold, helping them become accepted and respected members of their learning community.   

Autistic learners, for example, can find esports beneficial when it comes to developing communications skills.  Delivered in the right environment, esports can improve teamwork and build a sense of a community where interests are shared. The ability to learn through play can be of huge benefit in the development of disadvantaged students, emotionally and socially as well as educationally. 

Improving employability 

For those who don’t necessarily want to play the games, new career paths are being established that require a range of different skills that can be taught within an esports education framework.  Esports teams need people to develop and manage websites, run social media accounts, manage team logistics, handle videography, and provide play-by-play reporting and commentary.  

As well as preparing learners for careers within esports, the discipline also improves cognitive skills and attention to detail, which can increase success in roles outside esports.  These transferable skills can aid progression to employment, either directly or via further study, and are highly valued in an increasingly digital workplace.   

The challenge for colleges 

More than 70 colleges across the UK now offer esports BTEC courses covering everything from esports business and marketing to coaching and video production, while also focusing on more transferable skills such as entrepreneurship, events management, and health and wellbeing. 

However, colleges wanting to incorporate esports into their curricula can often be hampered by the costs involved in setting up the requisite studio facilities with state-of-the-art kit.