The Gamification of Education and Cognitive, Social, and Emotional Learning Benefits | Emerging Education Technology | Eclectic Technology | Scoop.it
A recent research paper sheds light on several ways in which educational games can facilitate the learning experience and benefit the student.

The article states "if gamification is to be of use to schools, we must better understand what gamification is, how it functions, and why it might be useful. This article addresses all three questions – what,how, and why bother? – while exploring both the potential benefits and pitfalls of gamification."

To go directly to the article: 

http://www.gamifyingeducation.org/files/Lee-Hammer-AEQ-2011.pdf.