Fortnite: the video game craze lasting much longer than two weeks

July 22, 2018

• Topical

Over the past few months, young people across the UK have flocked to the video game Fortnite. Many children have spent hours playing the game every night and the end of this video game trend does not seem to be in sight. As with a raft of other trends which have captured school children over recent years, the question arises, how should educators view and respond to Fortnite?

There are a number of problems associated with the video game craze. Students seem to spending far too many hours playing the game and too few hours completing school work and revising for their exams. From a slightly less worrying perspective, any mention of the word fortnight now seems to send classes of students into euphoria. There are also the moral and psychological concerns linked to Fortnite which arise in the context of any violent video game.

How can teachers respond to these problems? It could be difficult to directly discourage pupils from playing the game (it is a global phenomenon and teachers are not necessarily the vanguards of the most up to date activities and trends which young people engage with). However, there are other solutions. For students who are revising, it could be a good idea to set them a list of revision for each week. This way, it will be easier teachers and parents to monitor students’ revision patterns. Harsher repercussions for a lack of homework or revision are always obvious and effective options too.

Another approach could be to embrace the trend and to work it into schoolwork and assemblies. This approach would have two effects. First, it could enthuse children about their work. Second, it could have the effect of reducing the excitement associated with the game itself. For students, Fortnite may seem a lot less cool if their teachers are enthusiastic about it.

The Fortnite craze will eventually come to an end. However, it will inevitably be replaced with another trend. Therefore, it could be said that a wider re-think is needed about how schools engage with popular culture and trends in way which is constructive for children’s education.

This blog was based on ideas discussed by Stephen Petty (https://www.tes.com/news/has-fortnite-fever-gripped-your-home-heres-what-do) and Zoe Enser (https://www.tes.com/news/why-fortnite-bane-my-life)