Childhood has changed drastically in the last two decades. Classic games like cops and robbers and hide and seek have been replaced by the inventions of Nintendo, Xbox, and Sony. Videogames have been the burden of many accusations by angry parents or distressed authorities when violent events take place. Many people believe that videogames are simply tools to teach children how to be violent citizens and give them the idea to exert that violence in real life. However, many of these people belong to an older generation, and did not grow up playing videogames. It is hard to understand technology for those who were not born into an era in which they were implemented and therefore many people simply misunderstand the concept and are very out of touch with the reality of videogames and all of the potential positive uses that can come from them. When one bypasses their misunderstanding of these tools, they can see the many benefits that this type of technology offers in regards to education, training, and mental or physical health.
Videogames are an excellent tool for educational purposes, especially for children, because they can make learning more fun and appealing. Children enjoy videogames but they do not always enjoy learning, and therefore educational videogames are a tool that will allow children to be excited about education. Additionally, videogames offer an interactive and multi-sensory approach to education (Parks 2008, p. 235). This allows for more engaged learning and more appeal to educators as well as students. There are many videogames in existence that are used for educational purposes and created for the sole reason of education. In Canada, the Electronic Games for Education in Math and Science project (E-GEMS) is a collaborative effort between researchers, game developers, teachers, and children to produce educational computer games that can be implemented in schools (Jayakanthan 2002, p. 99). Videogames are often used as a tool for assistance with special education. Some of the main components of videogames are utilized in the education of children with special needs, such as immediate feedback, repetitive actions, visual and sound cues, and analysis of a task (Kwon 2012, p. 88). These games are implemented within schools and education programs to help special needs students learn to cope with their disability and become more social with their peers. Some games have been designed specifically for people with certain disabilities that are tailored toward that specific type of learning. For example, games with social skills training and face recognition for children with autism help to integrate autistic students into the rest of their classroom (Kwon 2012, p. 88). Videogames have also been implemented into other school curriculums, including art education. Since art is a visual medium, and often reflective of technology, media, and society, it is important to use videogames when teaching art (Parks 2008, p. 236). In addition, many art teachers who use videogames in their curriculum have found that this is a useful way for students to connect to art and relate it to their own lives (Parks 2008, p. 239). Since they are so familiar with videogames, this is an easier way for them to see the message and significance within a piece of art. These games can also teach children as well as adults practical skills, such as solving problems, testing hypotheses, literacy skills, and building thinking skills (Parks 2008, p. 238). Games also “encourage trial and error” in many situations, which can be applied to scientific education (Beck and Powell 2005, p. 321). This is useful for education because the game allows students to complete problems using the trial and error method without taking risks in real life settings. Teamwork skills are also increasingly important in many videogames, and these tools are highly effective in teaching users of all age how to effectively communicate and work together as part of one unit (Beck and Powell 2005, p. 322). In this regard, videogame use also leads to the development of leadership roles within a team setting (Beck and Powell 2005, p. 322). Working as part of a team as well as developing leadership through that team is commonly used for solving in-game puzzles, problems, and escaping out of various situations. These types of skills developed through video games can be applied outside of education and in professional and workplace environments as well.
Training for many types of jobs now includes the use of videogames because of its appeal and ability to resonate with today’s society. Many of the people who are training in various industries in today’s labor force can learn through videogames because they already know how to use them and can adapt to this type of technology. In addition, it is much easier for people to pay attention and retain knowledge when it is interactive and they must actively take part in it. Many types of industries use videogames for job training. Adventure games are used in corporate and business settings to train employees how to use problem-solving skills in high-pressure situations (Jayakanthan 2002, p. 101). Virtual reality games such as “SimCity” allow some business employees to practice strategy skills and planning (Jayakanthan 2002, p. 101). In the United States Marine Corps, trainees use a videogame called “Darkest Hour” to simulate the events of a world war (Lawson 2015, p. 42). The game simulates military operations over time, from World War I to the Cold War, and the Marines use it to train troops interactively for various military operations and situations (Lawson 2015, p. 42). “Doom,” one of the most popular computer games, has also been used in the Marines for combat simulation (Jayakanthan 2002, p. 100). It has become so useful to the Marines that a version of the game was produced specifically for the Marines called “Marine Doom” (Jayakanthan 2002, p 100). While these games do not replace realistic training, they are useful for simulating situations that are hard to recreate for training purposes, such as battles or remote locations that require a lot of space (Jayakanthan 2002, p. 100). Using videogames for the army is also a cost-effective solution. In the Marine Corps, some custom built military simulators can cost up to $100,000 to produce, but 30 copies of “Darkest Hour” is roughly $300 (Lawson 2015, p. 42). The United States Army has also used videogames for recruitment. In 2002 the army released a videogame called “America’s Army” that was aimed at recruiting young people to join the forces (Derby 2014, p. 21). This game has proven to be more effective than any other recruitment tool for the army, with 3.6 billion downloads completed within 5 years (Derby 2014, p. 22). This game is also used for military training as a combat simulator and for practice using tactical skills (Derby 2014, p. 22). Through simulation, videogames can also help people to develop skills in dealing with crisis situations and enhance knowledge of the real world. In the game “Darfur is Dying,” a narrative game for college students, the user plays as a 10 year old boy who lives in a Sudanese refugee camp during war-torn times (Parks 2008, p. 245). This game allows people to navigate through a hostage situation, forage and use survival skills, and negotiate with captors (Parks 2008, p. 245). These practical skills teach users about real-world situations that are outside of the life they live, and how to deal with specific instances.
Health is arguably the most important area where videogames can be beneficial, as there are many ways that people have figured out how to increase mental and physical health from playing videogames. There are many video games that feature an active, physical component that works through a virtual exercise platform. Physical health can be improved through the use of some of the active and exercise-based videogames, such as the Wii Fit. The Wii Fit uses various fitness equipment that connects wirelessly to the console, and instructs the user through a series of exercises using this equipment. The wireless Wii controller tracks the user’s movements, alerting them when they have done something correctly or if they need to fix their positioning. A popular dance game, “Dance Dance Revolution” (DDR), requires the user to follow dance movements that appear on the screen using a padded mat. “DDR” has become so popular that tournaments are held all over the world, encouraging more people to get in shape to play the game and succeed in these tournaments or competitions (Trout and Christie 2007, p. 30). DDR has become so successful in encouraging people to dance that it has been implemented in some physical education programs in schools (Trout and Christie 2007, p. 30). Some people have claimed that playing DDR helped them to lose weight and combat diabetes (Trout and Christie 2007, p. 31). Videogames have also been useful in rehabilitation for those who have suffered ailments such as stroke or brain injury. They are significantly more affordable treatments, and can be used both at home and in the clinic (Lange et al. 2009, p. 355). Videogames have shown to help these patients improve motor skills by allowing them to complete interactive activities that require focus, attention, and minor movement (Lange et al. 2009, p. 356). Many also allow the user difficulty level to be changed, and therefore as the patient improves the game can become more challenging, allowing for consistent improvement (Lange et al. 2009, p. 358). In addition to this physical exercise and health aspect, mental health has also been improved by the use of video games. In the United States Army, while video games are used primarily for training and recruitment, they are also used to help treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that is very common among soldiers who return from war. Video games like “Full Spectrum Warrior” have been used on soldiers who have returned from the Iraq war with PTSD; they are placed in virtual environments that represent the conditions they lived through in Iraq, and this allows them to remain in these environments until their anxiety subsides (Derby 2014, p. 23). After doing this repeatedly over a specific course of time, the soldiers show less visible symptoms of PTSD and are able to function in society (Derby 2014, p. 23). Video games have been shown to have a beneficial impact on the mental well-being of children. A study from Brigham Young University in Utah found that when girls ages 11 to 16 played video games such as Wii Sports, Mario Kart, and Guitar Hero with a parent, their mental well-being was significantly increased (Thilmany 2011, p. 16). This also helps to strengthen family structure and improve relationships within the family (Thilmany 2011, p. 16).
There are undoubtedly many counter arguments to this notion and many people still have various opinions on why videogames are a negative thing for children in particular. Critics point out the violent content that is present within many games, including shooting sprees, raping women, torture, ethnic cleansing, theft, and gambling (Derby 2014, p. 19). In some games, such as the notorious “Grand Theft Auto” series, these actions are an integral part of the plot. However, the issue lies within the generalization of video games as a category. There are many types of video games that contain violence, and many types that do not. It is ineffective to categorize all video games as violent and a negative influence because many are not, such as the sport games or Nintendo’s “Super Mario” series. In addition, this argument is inconclusive: some studies have found that there is a link between videogames and violent youth, but other studies have found that this link is nonexistent (Derby 2014, p. 20). In addition, many have argued that videogames are highly addictive, especially those classified as massive multiplayer online games (MMOGs) (Seok and DaCosta 2014, p. 290). This is because of their ability to transport users to fictional worlds and the continuation factor, as there are no endings in these games. MMOGs have been linked to some “negative life outcomes,” including loss of sleep due to extensive time playing the game (Seok and DaCosta 2014, p. 290). However, there is not enough evidence in the health industry at the present time to consider video game addiction as an actual disorder (Seok and DaCosta 2014, p. 290). Therefore, it cannot be considered a legitimate concern until there is enough proof to classify the concept properly. The only current determination factor that exists for diagnosing video game addiction is the hours spent per week on game time (Seok and DaCosta 2014, p. 291). This is not sufficient enough to determine an addiction, as the amount of time a child plays videogames during a week can easily be monitored and controlled by his or her parents or guardians.
Videogames are an effective and highly beneficial tool for improving education, job training, and mental or physical health, but they are often targeted as perpetrators of violence in youth. However, as this evidence clearly shows, the people blaming videogames for violence and lack of real social skills are part of an older generation that did not grow up with videogames and do not have any real understanding of videogames as an entertainment form. This generation divide has encouraged many people to blame something they do not understand instead of analysing each case on an individual basis and determining external factors that are likely the real motivation for violence. Over 83 percent of young people ages 8 to 18 own a video game console and at least half of that percentage own more than one (Parks 2008, p. 236). Additionally, half of this percentage also owns a handheld video game player, such as a Gameboy (Parks 2008, p. 236). Since videogames are so popular, it is important to view them as a learning tool instead of a danger to society because of the high amount of use they receive. Videogames need to be seen as beneficial, positive learning tools instead of a violent and non-social waste of time, because they are the future and will continue to exist within the virtual world for generations to come.
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