The presentations made by Tyler, Tiffany, and Kirsten in class about difficulties and ways of using technology in the classroom, made me think about what most modern children enjoy doing, video games. Throughout the discourse of my posts, one topic keeps coming to the surface, in relation to a potential negative aspect of information communication technologies and technology in general, that is video games. As with numerous aspects of life, video games should be enjoyed in moderation. My past argument was excess is dangerous and their advent pales in comparison to other technologies. Their is also a real danger of cyber-bullying, especially through trolling. Aside from entertainment aspect, gaming can also be educational through the use of serious games such as problem solving games. Their are numerous games that seriously engage students in positive critical thinking, even games with a less serious nature can led to inquiry about information or ideas presented within the game. Several occasion during student teaching placements I was asked intellectually well-thought-out questions about games students were playing. Also I was able to impart information more readily when I could relate that material to students. For example, the Assassin's Creed video game franchise utilizes a fictional protagonist in often historic settings, following historic events, using historic technologies and perspectives, with the assistance of historic characters, making this game perfect for History class. I found this excellent Ted Talk video which explores some of the benefits of gaming, especially in regards to mental health.
1. Video games are therapeutic for children with chronic illnessesThe University of Utah released a study last year that examined the effects of regular gaming on children diagnosed with illnesses like autism, depression, and Parkinson's disease. Kids who played certain games, including one designed just for the study, showed signs of improvement in "resilience, empowerment, and a 'fighting spirit.'" Researchers believe the games' ability to act on "neuronal mechanisms that activate positive emotions and the reward system" helped improve kids' demeanors as they faced the daily challenges of their illnesses.
2. Video games improve preschoolers' motor skillsLetting a 4-year-old sit in front of a TV with a game controller might not seem like the most productive use of her time. But researchers from Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia, would disagree. Their study examined the development of 53 preschool-aged children, and found that those who played "interactive games" had better "object control motor skills" than those who didn't. It's not clear, though, whether children with better-than-average motor skills tend to gravitate toward video games in the first place.
3. Video games reduce stress and depression2009's Annual Review of Cybertherapy and Telemedicine included a study that found that gamers who suffered from mental health issues such as stress and depression were able to vent their frustration and aggression by playing video games — and showed a noted improvement. The study hypothesized that games gave certain "Type A" personalities time to relax in "a state of relative mindlessness" that allowed them to avoid reaching "a certain level of stressful arousal" as they tried to relax.
4. Video games provide pain reliefVideo games don't just provide relief from emotional pain. They can also help those who are suffering from physical pain. Psychologists at the University of Washington developed a game that helps hospital patients suffering from immense physical pain by using an age-old mental trick: distraction. The virtual reality game "Snow World" put patients in an arctic wonderland in which they throw an endless arsenal of snowballs at a series of targets, such as penguins and snowmen. Military hospitals found the experience helped soldiers recovering from their battlefield wounds. The soldiers who played "Snow World" required less pain medicine during their recuperation.
5. Video games can improve your visionMom may have warned you that sitting in front of the TV wasn't good for your eyes. But one developmental psychologist found it could actually be beneficial to your vision. Dr. Daphen Maurer of the Visual Development Lab of Ontario's McMaster University made a surprising discovery: People suffering from cataracts can improve their vision by playing first-person shooter games like Medal of Honor and Call of Duty. She believes these games are so fast-paced that they require an extreme amount of attention, training the visually impaired to view things more sharply. They can also produce higher levels of dopamine and adrenaline that "potentially may make the brain more plastic," she said.
6. Video games improve your decision-making skillsMost video games require fast reactions and split-second decisions that can mean the difference between virtual life and virtual death. Cognitive neuroscientists at the University of Rochester in New York found these games give players' brains plenty of practice for making decisions in the real world. Researchers suggest that action-oriented games act as a simulator for the decision-making process by giving players several chances to infer information from their surroundings and forcing them to react accordingly.
7. Video games keep you happy in old age
Researchers from North Carolina State University looked closely at our aging population to see if there was a link between playing video games and mental well-being — i.e. "happiness." They found that senior citizens who said they played video games — even occasionally — reported "higher levels of happiness, or well-being," says Rick Nauert at PsychCentral. "Those who did not play video games reported more negative emotions" and were more likely to be depressed. It's unclear what exactly is behind this link — or if the relationship is even causal.
Researchers from North Carolina State University looked closely at our aging population to see if there was a link between playing video games and mental well-being — i.e. "happiness." They found that senior citizens who said they played video games — even occasionally — reported "higher levels of happiness, or well-being," says Rick Nauert at PsychCentral. "Those who did not play video games reported more negative emotions" and were more likely to be depressed. It's unclear what exactly is behind this link — or if the relationship is even causal.
Sources:
http://theweek.com/article/index/241121/7-health-benefits-of-playing-video-games
http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/amp-a0034857.pdf
For those gamers interested:
For those gamers interested:
Hey Jeremy!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed that TedTalk. I enjoy playing the odd game, as well, and it's nice to see that someone has taken the time to create a video, and someone has taken the time to create a blog post, that scientifically defends their virtue. Both you and Jane (the chick in the video) is right - gaming isn't necessarily a waste of time, as it engages your mind, connects you with others, and makes you feel happier. And, as you say, everything is fine in moderation.
Teachers who are willing to take the time to familiarize themselves with both the benefits of games, and the games themselves will also have something fantastic to bond with their students over!
Great post!
Far too often, I find that teachers and adults in general are happy to dismiss anything that kids (especially teenagers) are actually interested in as being pernicious by default. Video games, rap music, the list goes on and on.
ReplyDeleteI am all for the intelligent use of gaming in a classroom environment. Certainly a game like Portal has some interesting things to say about physics and it could be fun sorting out what is 'real' and what isn't 'real' in a game like Assassin's Creed (though only with mature, older students- not a game for the wee ones!). Video games are huge business, whether headline titles like Halo or more modest but still massively popular games like Candy Crush.
Refusing to engage with something that students spend so much time on strikes me as foolish and possibly even dangerous. Media discernment is something students need to learn in the real world, not in some ideal world. And like you say, games are fine in moderation and may have some significant benefits, at least for some people.
Hey Jeremy
ReplyDeleteI found this post very interesting. I am not one that is too big into video games and some of your facts surprised me, like video games improving motor coordination. I think we as teachers have to use whatever necessary to engage our students into our lessons as long as we keep the big picture in mind so we should not exclude video games from that list.
Thanks for this post, Jeremy. You obviously did lots of research on this & have provided some valuable info. Jane McGonigal has several interesting talks to read/watch - also can follow her on twitter. Some of teh ideas about games & education are about using the ideas behind games to enhance activities. There is lots of active discussions and debate about this area.
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