Video #1: Are Video Games Making your Kids Smarter?
In the first video, Gabe Zichermann argues that video games can help the intelligence of today's youth and that as parents, you should play video games with your kids to understand why they enjoy the games. Zichermann argues that video games help young children as it requires an extraordinary amount of multitasking. These multitasking skills actually make children smarter due to the depth of skill required. Another claim of Zicherman is that video games increase fluid intelligence levels in children. Finally, Zichermann sums up his argument with a class study of a third grade class room where video games were implemented as a primary source of learning. Within 18 weeks, the students improved from a below average 3rd grade reading level to a mid 4th grade reading level.
Video #2: Your Brain on Video Games
In the second clip, Daphne Bavelier argues that video games have many benefits when played in moderation. Bavelier points out that action games actually have better eyesight due to the improved ability to read fine print and perceive differences in levels of gray. In addition, Bavelier demonstrates a few sample tests to show how video games establish benefits. The first is a color/word recognition test in which statistics show that video game players score better than non players. The second test is an object tracking test which shows that gamers can track between 3-4 more objects that than those who do not play video games.
Video #3: The Gaming School
The final video features Katie Salen who argues that play (including video game play) is an important part of development. Salen says that collaboration, team building, problem solving and taking own identities all help children develop properly, and all three are skills that are fine tuned when playing video games. Salen also points out that good game design is similar to good teaching through the scaffolding concept in which instruction is differentiated with the easier material coming first and then building up to the more difficult concepts. The video also mentions that kids helping to design the game is a vital part to development as it allows the students to focus on their audience and take on the experience from another's vantage point.
Watching these videos improves my belief that video games can be effectively used in schools. I played my fair share of video games while in grade school and I believe that they have attributed to some of the cognitive skills that I have today. While I'm not saying that playing Call of Duty for 9 hours a day results in a 4.0 GPA, I do believe that video games can sharpen some brain functions. For example, Gabe Zichermann showed a concrete example of not just how video games improve cognitive skills, but how video games can directly improve reading level through classroom use. Also, Daphne Bavelier showed how video games assist in terms of object recognition and other visual aspects. These are huge parts of effective reading, which could in turn help students understand abstract ideas sooner as they can already understand the concrete ideas. Finally, Katie Salen's discussion of scaffolding really drives home how video games can help. Scaffolding is the process of implementing a learning foundation and then building more complex concepts on top of that. Sounds just like moving from level to level in video games doesn't it? Such as moving from the easy pink stage in Pac-Man to the larger blue stage where the game speed is increase.
In conclusion, video games are a technology that should be considered for classroom use as they can provide unique cognitive improvements when used in the correct capacity.
Support for Games in the Classroom:
The above link is an article by the Entertainment Software Association that discusses the use of video games in the classroom. The article touches on scientific research from prestigious universities such as Duke, and also shows real life examples of how video games benefit in a classroom environment. The article even directly states, "serious games and virtual environments are the future of education” ("Games: Improving education,"). This article coincides with my view point that video games can be used effectively in the classroom to benefit large number a students. Through scientific research on cognitive skills all the way to real life case studies, it is clear that video games should be considered as a possible way to educate students. As we all know, kids learn the most when they are having fun with what they are being taught.
Reference List
(2007, September 29). Using Serious Games And Simulations In The Classroom - See more at: http://elianealhadeff.blogspot.com/2007/09/using-serious-games-and-simulations-in.html
Baveiler, D. (Performer) (2012). Your brain on video games [Web]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FktsFcooIG8
Games: Improving education. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.theesa.com/games-improving-what-matters/education.asp
Salen, K. (Performer) (2009). Big thinkers: Katie salen on learning with games [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/digital-generation-katie-salen-video
Zichermann, G. (Performer) (2011). Gamification [Web]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=O2N-5maKZ9Q
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