Implement gaming in the classroom to transform teaching and inspire students

Gaming in the classroom has always existed, but the digital age has elevated its impact. In this interview, the teacher duo Maestre a Cubetti shares inspiration, practical insights, and a look at the future of education – one block at a time.

Why bring gaming into the classroom

Using play as a learning tool isn’t new. Teachers have long used games to make lessons more engaging and assess understanding. 

What’s changed is the playground: today’s students are immersed in digital and virtual games, making these spaces natural learning environments. That’s where game-based learning comes in as a purposeful method that wraps educational goals in the structure of a game, with teachers guiding the experience. The key challenge is aligning gameplay with curriculum goals, designing tasks and levels that build meaningful skills. 

And since many games are team-based, students also develop collaboration, empathy, and respect: learning to listen, lead, and sometimes follow for the good of the group.

How to integrate gaming into the curriculum

Bringing gaming into the classroom starts with aligning game mechanics to learning goals. Teachers should first define the skills or knowledge they want to target, then select or design games that naturally support those outcomes. 

Whether it’s solving math problems, crafting stories, or working in teams, games should be treated as structured learning tools, not extras, with a clear place in the lesson plan. Reflection is also essential, helping students connect gameplay to academic content. When thoughtfully integrated, games bridge curriculum and engagement, making learning more dynamic and student-centered.

Q&A with Maestre a Cubetti: Practical insights on integration

In a rapidly evolving school landscape, the two teachers known as Maestre a Cubetti stand out as pioneers of innovation. Blending creativity, digital tools, and a deep commitment to meaningful learning, they have reimagined the role of play in education. 

Let’s hear from them and go through the challenges they’ve faced, as well as the surprising transformations they’ve witnessed in both students and teachers. 

How did you start integrating video games into your teaching practice?

When we first introduced Minecraft into the classroom, one thing became immediately clear: our students were already incredibly comfortable with it. Many of them had spent hours navigating its virtual worlds, building complex structures, and experimenting with its open-ended possibilities. In short, they were fluent in its language.

That familiarity was a huge advantage, but it also presented a challenge. Since they already knew how to play Minecraft, our task as educators was to shift their perspective: to guide them toward a new way of playing, one that could serve academic purposes without taking away the fun. We had to redesign their interaction with the game so that it aligned with our learning goals, turning a sandbox of creativity into a space for structured and meaningful exploration.

This meant reimagining the gameplay experience: transforming quests into lessons, builds into projects, and collaboration into an opportunity to apply classroom knowledge in a hands-on, student-centered environment.

What challenges did you face when first aligning games with your curriculum?

Our first real challenge was finding a video game that could support our interdisciplinary approach. Because our learning path is holistic, we needed a flexible, wide-ranging tool that could connect different subjects and allow us to design experiences where multiple areas of knowledge could naturally come together.

Equally important is the teacher’s ability to navigate and understand the game itself. Without a solid grasp of the tool, using it in creative and effective ways becomes nearly impossible. This is no small task; it takes time and commitment, but the payoff is worth it. The learning outcomes we’ve seen are often nothing short of remarkable.

Moreover, one of the underlying issues in modern education is its persistent disconnect from the digital world students inhabit daily. While young learners navigate technology with ease, the classroom often lags, stuck in traditional methods that feel increasingly out of sync. Despite the growing availability of powerful educational tools, many schools and educators hesitate to embrace them, but without the courage to explore new teaching perspectives, we risk losing the attention and engagement of a generation that learns and communicates differently.

Which tools or resources have been most helpful for seamless integration?

Beyond Minecraft, we often enrich our game-based learning approach with a variety of other digital tools. We frequently turn to tinkering, an approach that offers original game-based ideas that are directly aligned with specific learning outcomes. In addition, we also use platforms like CoSpaces Edu, which allows students to build interactive 3D environments, and SAM Lab, along with other emerging tools that support creative and immersive learning experiences.

That said, the spotlight is never on the tool itself. What truly matters is how technology is used: not as a gimmick, but as a means to spark curiosity and ignite the desire to learn. When used creatively and intentionally, these platforms become powerful allies in building meaningful, student-centered learning journeys.

Can you share a specific example of a lesson where gaming was central to the curriculum?

Minecraft allows for a wide range of projects, from small-scale builds to ambitious creations. For example, we particularly remember one project developed with an older class that was beginning to study the human body, specifically the cardiovascular system.

We kicked things off with a simple but intriguing question: How do heart cells move? After some initial research, students discovered that these cells are activated by electrical impulses. This insight sparked the idea to recreate the heart muscle in Minecraft.

The class was immediately engaged. They began investigating how to model the heart and simulate its electrical activity. The challenge was significant: they needed to design a system where energy could flow from the outer parts of the heart structure to its core. The project became a rich opportunity to develop problem-solving skills, creative thinking, and teamwork. More importantly, it helped students internalize a key scientific concept – how the human heart works – not through memorization, but through hands-on exploration and meaningful application.

How do you ensure that gaming sessions meet your learning objectives?

Gaming should always serve as a strategic extension of the academic curriculum, not a replacement for it. Students need to first engage with and understand the core concepts through traditional learning paths. Only then can they effectively transfer that knowledge into the gaming environment, where they’re challenged to apply it in new and dynamic ways.

What’s more, game-based projects often culminate in a presentation or showcase, where students must explain their work to an external audience – whether peers, teachers, or even parents. This step adds a powerful layer of accountability: their understanding is not only assessed by educators but also self-evaluated, as they shift into the role of teacher or presenter. Standing “on the other side of the desk” encourages deeper reflection and solidifies learning through communication.

How does gaming allow you to address different learning styles and abilities in your classroom?

Game-based learning is a powerful tool for promoting accessibility in education, as it encourages students to pursue learning outcomes through their own paths and at their own pace. The playful, open-ended nature of games naturally supports different learning styles and fosters a sense of agency in each learner.

Moreover, because collaboration is often at the heart of these experiences, students with learning difficulties frequently discover hidden strengths and find meaningful roles within the group. At the same time, students who typically progress faster sometimes choose to step back, allowing their peers to take the lead when it seems most beneficial for their growth. This mutual awareness and adaptability create a classroom culture where everyone has something valuable to contribute and gain.

Impact on students and teachers

What students learn through play tends to stick because knowledge gained through discovery leaves a deeper impression. 

In game-based learning, students don’t just absorb information; they actively uncover it,  which deepens engagement and retention. This approach also fosters a sense of responsibility where they quickly understand that in order to keep engaging with platforms like Minecraft, they need to study and meet their learning goals. 

And it’s not just students who benefit: teachers benefit too, taking on a more collaborative role – observing, adapting, and learning alongside their students. This shift brings renewed creativity and purpose to the classroom, making teaching more dynamic and connected.

Conclusion and future perspectives

Teachers new to game-based learning should start small: pick one tool, one goal, and one class, and be open to experimenting with playful, unconventional methods. 

Looking ahead, gaming is part of a shift toward student-centered, experiential learning. With technologies like VR and AR becoming more accessible, game-based learning will grow into more personalized, interdisciplinary, and inclusive experiences. For those ready to embrace this change, the future of education is full of exciting possibilities where curiosity leads and learning follows.