Even though this article is on Cracked.com (please ignore some of the language used), the studies in it are real. I hope the language does not offend anyone, but I found the article interesting enough to risk it and forward to those who are interested: Six Ways Video Games Are Saving Mankind
I think number six is important: when I was younger, I was told constantly that I would ruin my eyesight from playing games on the computer all the time. We are now finding out that we can give students assignments involving technology without completely destroying their retinas.
While number five is relating using video games to relieving stress, video games can also be exploited to help students remember facts. While this is usually used at younger ages, why can't we use it for older students?
Number one is surprising to me, although it is not completely shocking. Playing video games refines motor skills, sure, but actually allowing one to train to become a doctor, surgeon, etc.? This is just amazing to me, that blowing things up in Halo or learning to pick a lock in Skyrim can actually help in a career-setting.
If teachers can find ways to integrate things students are interested in, video games for example, into our lesson plans, we can engage the students and encourage them to actually participate more.
Thanks for sharing. Megan. I'm really surprised that gaming could actually improve your eye sight. But I guess it makes sense considering playing and listening to music will actually improve your ability to distinguish voices and different sounds from each other in noisy environments.
ReplyDeleteI find this information applicable to advocating for my music technology class -- they are doing lots of hands on work, even if they aren't learning the violin. I hope there were more benefits than I think, like gaming.
Can't wait to play some Call of Duty later...
I saw this article a while back and was really excited that my childhood wasn't wasted. I follow a lot of blogs authored by history students and curators of war museums, and their followers ask them all the time how they feel about war video games. They're pretty split, since for the most part they're historically inaccurate, but still, it gets people who play them interested in history, and it can inspire them to actually look up history or get into wanting to become historians.
ReplyDeleteAs a retired video game addict, I definitely agree with Cracked's statements, but I think it's not so black and white. I'm someone who constantly can't decide whether or not games like Grand Theft Auto are messing up kids. I grew up playing video games, and I've seen a lot of blood and a lot of carnage, but I still pass out and get sick when I see blood in real life. At the same time, I've read that violent video games are given to soldiers to desensitize them. You're trained to shoot the enemy, and in games like Call of Duty, you do just that, without even thinking. Grand Theft Auto tells you to shoot, and you immediately ask, "WHO?!" It's practically reflex. But at the same time, I think a part of people's brain's knows its just a video game. Is that true for everyone? I don't think it's black and white, and I definitely wouldn't give a student Call of Duty for homework.
This is all totally not to mention, World at War took place in Japan, and a lot of racial words for Japanese people were said. Before looking up these words when I first played it, I'm pretty sure I called my (non-Japanese) friends "tojos". It's like kids when they learn curse words, but don't realize what they mean, or kids repeating the n-word after listening to hip hop. If unsupervised, video games have the ability to teach kids A LOT of things that they shouldn't internalize.
Cracked is right on a lot of their points, but don't forget, they can EASILY make a "Six Ways Video Games are Killing Mankind". It's a double edged sword.
Thanks for posting, Megan. I really do not know about it improving eyesight--every time I play, my eyes get tired from all the flashing lights and bright colors. But I do agree that they are very beneficial to mankind as videogames help relieve stress, improve one's creativity by allowing them to explore (especially in RPG's), and of course the educational games like "My Japanese Coach" are a plus as it is fun to learn a new language when it is made easier to remember. We can also bring up puzzle games like Zelda and Endochrome that help us manipulate objects so we can accomplish a goal. And the list can go on for the benefits of videogames that can also be reflected in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteMegan, thanks for the summary of the article. What are some ways that you plan to use video games in your classroom?
ReplyDeleteGreg: I agree that students should not be given Call of Duty for homework, and am also not sure how much video games should be blamed for today's violence. Sure, games are becoming more and more explicit and graphic, but there are many things I would rate above them as far as what is to blame.
ReplyDeleteAriel: While mindless games are fun, you are absolutely right: the types of video games that would belong in the classroom are the puzzle games that engage the mind.
Kevin: It is hard to find a way to briefly answer your question, especially since I am a music education major and the majority of my classroom settings will be ensemble rehearsals. However,for general music ed classes, there is a lot of technology being developed on gaming systems such as the Wii and Xbox Connect that will allow students to interact with the things they are learning. I realize this statement is vague, but one of my next blogs is going to be about a specific software being developed by one of the teachers at my old school (I am a transfer student) allowing students to interactively conduct a prerecorded ensemble.
I know that I have learned many different, random facts by playing video games. Survival skills are big things especially that they teach, and some video games even have historical aspects to them. I know personally, I've even played a Great Gatsby game online that follows the events of the story. How would you differentiate between helpful games and not helpful games for your classroom? Or Can you think of some games off the top of you head that you would like to use??
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