TULSA, OKLA (KTUL) — Oklahoma’s latest public school report card reveals a decline in overall academic grades, with fewer schools earning A’s, B’s, and C’s, and more falling into the D range.
Amid calls for improvement, two Tulsa-area teachers have turned to an unexpected tool to boost student engagement and skills: the classic video game “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.”
At Oklahoma Virtual Charter Academy, middle school principal Erin Goodridge and electives teacher Natasha Odom have launched the school’s first gaming livestream for students in grades six through twelve.
“We have more students that are attending than we ever thought we did,” said Goodridge. “We had 70 the first time. Now we’re averaging about anywhere between 30 and 50, depending on the week.”
The teachers say the game’s story-driven format helps boost literacy as students read and process the narrative in real time.
Its puzzles encourage problem-solving, spatial awareness, and critical thinking. “Many of our students are already watching live streaming gamers online, on Twitch and YouTube, and so this is one way to connect with something that they are already familiar with,” Goodridge said.
The educators hope that this innovative engagement will support long-term academic growth and offer a new way to help Oklahoma students succeed.
