Benefits and drawbacks of esports in an educational setting

In this literature review, I study the benefits and drawbacks of esports for educational institutions and students in an educational setting. First, I elaborate what esports is and introduce its condensed history. Research questions are then set. Literature for the research is obtained using various search engines and esports-related preset keywords. The searches are expanded when necessary. I display my findings in the results section, then answer the research questions and finally introduce my own insights. The first research question is: What benefits and drawbacks education related esports activities can have for students? The major benefit for students is the development of soft skills. Additionally, school related esports activities raise the grades and attendance of students. Other minor benefits are found, and some benefits require more research before conclusive deduction can be made. Drawbacks include possible effects on psychological wellbeing, delayed sleep patterns and exposure to toxicity and mature content. The second research question is: What are the benefits and drawbacks of esports as education related activity for educational institutes? Esports as an activity in educational settings is a flexible endeavor for institutes financially. Esports programs can be setup according to an institutions specific needs. The major benefit is that institutes can use esports to promote themselves as contemporary and forward-looking. Quality of graduates can be increased with a well-thought out esports program, thus growing the prestige of the institution. Drawbacks are that, as a new phenomenon, there are a lot of unknown factors in esports. Finding knowledgeable staff and directing resources in the right places can pose a challenge. I conclude that esports can serve as a beneficial program for any educational institute and its students. Most drawbacks can be avoided with proper management and awareness