The University of Jerusalem looked into how children adopt learning techniques to beat games. They concluded that children will actively study and use their own learning techniques to complete games. Why? Because unlike learning in a school environment, children choose to play video games. Studies show that video games engage their users minds helping kids rotate shapes in their heads, use mathematics skills better and collaborate among other students, increasing cognitive and social skills.
Want an example? How about Theorycrafting? Theorycrafting can be used by kids in Pokemon. They know that if they are earning 10xp per battle and it takes 100xp to level up, children will use mathematics to figure out they have to beat 10 Pokemon to level their character up.
I told these facts to a friend who is a parent and their rebuttal was "Well video games make kids fat." I'm soooooooooo glad this fact was brought up.
A recent study showed that children who were obese were encouraged to participate in dancing games in order to increase physical performance instead of Physical education classes. The results showed that over a one year period, 3 times a week, playing active dance video games, students had increased cardiovascular health and surprisingly achieved higher academic results in subjects such as math. This shows video games can promote positive health experiences to children who don’t usually participate in physical activity. Another study based on combating obesity with video games showed that while children only expended the same amount of energy playing video games as watching television, that energy output tripled when playing a physically interactive video game. Once again this shows that children use physical skills to participate in video games that they may not use in the real world. If we can incorporate these physically interactive games into our physical education programs in schools, we could see an increase in not only class participation, but in students’ health and well being.
So there you have it. Don't worry if your kids are playing games, instead maybe we can relate some subject matter to these games to encourage our kids to learn using their own techniques?
*Also my friend said I was "talking out my ass" to give video games a good wrap. For your convenience I have included my sources that show games are good for kids (in moderation.)
Strasburger, V. C., Jordan, A. B., Donnerstien, E. (2010) Health Effects of Media on Children and Adolescents. PEDIATRICS, 125, 759 –767.
Hamlen, K. R. (2011) Children’s choices and strategies in video games. Computers in Human behaviour. 27, 532-539.
Bavelier, D., Davidson, R. J. (2013) Brain Training: Games to do you good. Nature, 494, 425-426.
Stienkuehler, C., Squire, K., Barab, S. A. (2012) Games, learning, and society : learning and meaning in the digital age. New York, USA: Cambridge University Press.
Jago, R., Steeds, J. K., Bentley, G, F., Sebire, S. J., Lucas, P. J., Fox, K. R., Brown S., Turner, S., Katrina, M. (2012) Designing a physical activity parenting course: Parental views on recruitment, content and delivery. BMC Public Health, 12, 356.
Playing physically active video games may reduce obesity. (2007). AORN Journal, 85(5), 964.
Gao, Z., Hannan, P., Ping, X,. Stodden, D. F., Valdez V. E. (2013) Video Game–Based Exercise, Latino Children's Physical Health, and Academic Achievement. American Journal of Preventative Medicine, 44, 240-246.
Kolikant, Y, B. (2010) Digital natives, better learners? Students’ beliefs about how the Internet influenced their ability to learn. Computers in Human Behaviour, 26, 1384-1391.
Price-Mitchell, M. (2013) Effects of Video Games: More Good than Bad for Youth Development? Retrieved from: http://www.rootsofaction.com/video-games-for-kids-more-good-than-bad-for-development/
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