I. Introduction
A. Nowadays, it is not uncommon to hear about news pertaining to children and teenagers emulating their video game personas and recreating the scenes in real life
B. Thesis Statement: Children can learn and hone their skills while playing video games and at the same time, learn skills that would be crucial for their development.
II. Children develop early skills through video games
A. Studies have shown that children show early signs of computer-related skills even if they are only a few months old.
B. Early childhood skills development through video gaming also improves performance and camaraderie with other children, especially when playing with them in various locations
III. Video games are great mediums to promote literacy
A. Some opponents to the capacity of video games to be educational notes those video games do not have the capacity to replace literacy activities such as sports, socialization, and analytical training. However, it can also be contested that this is not true as video games itself are literacy activities as well.
B. Some games such as those deemed violent like action games, and with gore themes also teaches “soft skills” like critical thinking, problem solving, deduction, prioritizing goals, and decision making in purchasing armour, weapons, and styles to save gold.
IV. Video games promote motor and spatial skills
A. Motor skills are also enhanced by video games, adding to the improvement of focus and concentration of players as they move throughout the game.
B. Spatial skills are also developed in video games as players develop in three factors – spatial relations, spatial visualization, and finally, perceptual speed.
V. Video games motivate gamers to learn and have fun at the same time.
A. The most important argument in terms of the capacity of video games to be educational is that it motivates gamers to feel and enjoy learning.
B. Video games also provide gamers a means to put their input to the game, influencing their storyline and conclusion
VI. There are now companies and universities utilizing video games for education
A. Several famous titles have created spin-offs to teach several skills such as Nintendo’s Mario Teaches Typing.
B. Several universities and companies have also utilized the benefits of video gaming in educating students and employees (MIT, University of Texas)
Video Games can be Educational
Nowadays, it is not uncommon to hear about news pertaining to children and teenagers emulating their video game personas and recreating the scenes in real life. Most of the news stated that these young suspects were hard core gamers, wanting to see if the same thrill and excitement would be the same in real life. Experts and parents have agreed that there are risks involving video games, however, they cannot stop their children from purchasing the games as they either get copies through the internet, through their friends, and through on-store purchases. Despite this, there have been studies that show the hidden benefits of gaming whether or not it is specifically designed to be educational or hard core. If parents watch their children carefully, children can learn and hone their skills while playing video games and at the same time, learn skills that would be crucial for their development.
Studies have shown that children show early signs of computer-related skills even if they are only a few months old. By the time they reach the age of three, children develop basic skills that enable them to show interest in things new to them, considering it an alternative. In some experiments done in 1993, children who have been exposed to traditional colouring and computer colouring had shown great interest in computer colouring as compared to the traditional colouring set. This experiment shows that children can easily transfer their knowledge to electronic means, showing that children are developing at an advance stage. In Japan, children ages six to 12 show expertise in playing the game Super Mario Brothers. The study shows that Japanese children become well-versed with ambidextrous gameplay, which they also apply outside gameplay by doing chores in either left or right hand. Early childhood skills development through video gaming also improves performance and camaraderie with other children, especially when playing with them in various locations. Several studies show that children show improvements when working on computer-based tasks that deal with problem-solving as compared to working on the problem traditionally. Performance improvement while playing with a partner is also strengthened with video games. If a child is with other young players, they also tend to improve development, and remove the barriers while playing with other children .
Some opponents to the capacity of video games to be educational notes those video games do not have the capacity to replace literacy activities such as sports, socialization, and analytical training. However, it can also be contested that this is not true as video games itself are literacy activities as well. Video gaming allows children to think of strategies, read dialogues and instructions, as well develop abilities that is needed in the current century such as using the internet, e-mailing, chatting, and online surfing. Nowadays, the internet serves as a second world where people could keep up with their unfinished activities and leisure through social networking sites, and game arcades. MMORPG games are now prominent online for friends to play with each other despite their distance. Some games designed for children also present real-life stories, enabling children to understand how the world works through their storylines.
Some games such as those deemed violent like action games, and with gore themes also teaches “soft skills” like critical thinking, problem solving, deduction, prioritizing goals, and decision making in purchasing armour, weapons, and styles to save gold. Instruction and guide is also a variation from both traditional games and video games. In traditional board and sports games, a player must first be familiar with the gameplay and rules of the game before he could join the match. However, instructions and rules are only discussed in rare instances such as in gym classes and since it is only discussed a few times, many players tend to forget these rules if they do not play the sport outside school premises. In video gaming, instructions and rules are discussed thoroughly before a player continues in the actual game. Video game formats also allow their players to figure out the rest of the gameplay to enhance their cognitive and analytical skills to manage each level. Each level and gameplay requires great focus on players as players have to make sure they do not miss each single detail to complete each task given.
Motor skills are also enhanced by video games, adding to the improvement of focus and concentration of players as they move throughout the game. Hand-eye coordination is also improved in video gaming due to the requirement of each game to time their actions to fulfil each challenge. Studies have shown that surgeons who have spent three hours a week playing any genre of video games make at least 32% less mistakes in laparoscopic surgery as compared to their colleagues who do not play video games . Spatial skills are also developed in video games as players develop in three factors – spatial relations to transform ideas in the mind to understand it entirely, spatial visualization which enables players to develop imagination to solve visual problems and identify patterns, and finally, perceptual speed that allows the player to encode the solution and compare various solution to a problem. Spatial skills developed through video games enables young players to understand computer applications needed for school, work and home such as word processing, spreadsheets, publishing pages, multimedia, and computerized simulations.
Experts have also noted that with spatial skills building up over time and through repeated activities and functions, video games is an excellent medium to train these skills. Video games are designed to provide continuous entertainment to the player, enabling the player to train his essential spatial capacities. Video games also provide a fast-pace gameplay that would keep players alert, and utilize their spatial talents. Some studies in the early 1980s notes that when spatial skills are given time to develop, humans tend to utilize their non-spatial, and analytical skills to resolve problems and settle tasks. The fast nature of video games also prevents players to utilize non-spatial skills to allow them to practice their active spatial skills. Spatial skills trained through video games do not only train one’s eye-hand coordination, but also mental processes.
The most important argument in terms of the capacity of video games to be educational is that it motivates gamers to feel and enjoy learning. The main goal of video games is to entertain and provide fun to its gamers. Traditional games may provide fun to its viewers and players, however not all enjoy seeing it live or enjoy its gameplay. In video games, players and viewers are given an open challenge that allows them to interact with the game. Video games are also designed to capture the eyes of the gamer, making it dazzling and interactive for them to get into the game itself. Players, no matter what age, do not just watch and listen to the game; they allow themselves to enter the shoes of their characters to experience the game itself. They become the character that experiences the adventure first hand. Video games also provide gamers a means to put their input to the game, influencing their storyline and conclusion. These possibilities make video games fun and fulfilling. Young players often point out that video games with goal challenges, simulation, and interaction provides them a means to learn. The game Health Hero, for example, provides players interaction and challenges that not only allows them to experience becoming a health professional, but also enables them to learn about health education. Health Hero, amongst many others, creates the opportunity for the health sector to educate them with the importance of health and other important subjects. Graphics, and locations often influenced by real landmarks and locations also teach children of the importance of art .
As of today, video games have already provided schools and various institutions a new medium to educate the public about their services, topics, and subjects. In the early years, educational software has already exploited the benefits of video games to teach students. Several famous titles have created spin-offs to teach several skills such as Nintendo’s Mario Teaches Typing. Arcade games have also applied education factors in their games through puzzle games, trivia games, and simulations such as driving, surfing, and sports simulations. Several universities and companies have also utilized the benefits of video gaming in educating students and employees. For the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, they have partnered with Microsoft in creating “Games-to-Teach Project” which explores the capacity of games to ensure they could teach math, science, and other specific courses to its players. The partnership has already developed several frameworks that would eventually become marketable games that utilize settings to enable learning. Some of the sample games already developed by the MIT and Microsoft are Supercharged, a game that teaches electromagnetism and particle physics; and Environmental Detectives, a game that teaches environmental engineering investigations. Other samples teach logic, optics, and engineering principles and theories. The I.C Squared Institute from the University of Texas has also developed on collaborations to make educational videogames. Two of the collaboration’s main projects are EnterTech and CareerConnect that provides players a simulation on how work environments interact .
The potential of video games is limitless as change has constantly influenced the technological capacities of humans, making it easier to apply new techniques to enhance development and learning. Technology now enables companies to open a new world for young gamers by providing specialized video gaming consoles and game titles to allow them to learn with their favourite series. Although there are game genres that are deemed violent, immoral or impossible; it still enhances players’ development by providing players challenges that would allow them to continue further in the game. The video game market does not monopolize violent game genres as there are now educational games suitable for any particular age. Video games are also not different from traditional gaming as it still harbours the essence of fun, experience, learning, and socialization. It is important for players and adults alike to understand that for education to flourish fully while playing video games to exercise good video gaming habits and supervision so players would not just concentrate on playing violent games. Like traditional gaming, video gaming also requires supervision and assistance from adults to ensure the full gaming experience. Parents are also expected to teach their children to only purchase games suitable for their age group, as the level of each game and their storylines would influence their learning capacity while playing.
Works Cited
Gunter, Barrie. The Effects of Video Games on Children: The Myth Unmasked. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1998. Print.
Guzzetti, Barbara, Kate Elliott and Diana Welsch. DIY Media in the Classroom: New Literacies Across Content Areas. New York: Teachers College Press, 2010. Print.
Messaries, Paul and Lee Humphreys. Digital Media: Transformations in Human Communication. New York: Peter Lang, 2006. Print.
Satava, Richard, Karen Morgan and Hans Sieburg. Interactive Technology and the New Paradigm for Healthcare. Amsterdam: IOS Press, 1995. Print.
