How Do Video Games Assist People with Learning - Research Paper Example

 Video Games and learning Video games have become the fastest growing sector in the entertainment industry over the past thirty years or so and also become an integral part of our culture. They are also one of the most influential and profitable form of entertainment in the US and also all over the world. They are not only powerful components of the entertainment and economic sector but have become a powerful force in the cultural sector as well. Video games like Nintendo’s Pokemon, and Pac-Man and The Mario Brothers, have turned out to be cultural phenomena.  In fact Pokemon has a television show; a feature film based on it and has inspired a line of toys and trading cards. It has become an important part of youth culture.  Now what are video games? Video games are mainly simulations of some form. For instance they can be simulations of car racing or some business or sports, or combat and battles or civilization. Some games may be abstract simulations of adventure, space battles or fantasy. Video games can also be in the form of puzzle games or traditional games such as Monopoly, Scrabble and crosswords. Video games technology for the past ten years or so has made tremendous advancement and designers are using vastly improved graphics and sound to create digital worlds. Contemporary video games of today are much richer than Pac-Man and include components such as strategy, simulations, role playing, puzzles, sports and adventure. Video games such as Civilization, Age of Empires, Alpha Centauri); The Sims), Creatures, Final Fantasy VIII have rich interactive environments and players are able to engage themselves in fantasy or role play. Marketing professionals are selling games with educational potential as “edutainment”. Video games, many people believe hinder the process of the growing up of children. But more than this it is the issue of health that is the greatest concern associated with playing of video games. According to doctors people who play games frequently are more susceptible to pains in the neck and back, headaches, eye strains, and often damage to muscle. Also it is found that children who play violent games more often hallucinate or have nightmares than children who are not addicted to video games. But for all the criticisms associated with games, these games can play a useful and important role in education and help many students, with learning. According to Gavin M (2009), “If you have ever encountered a simulation program, essentially a video game with a focus on learning, then you have surely been surprised by the amount that can be learned in a short time even given some of their steep learning curves”. Research has shown that these games improve reflexes, hand-eye coordination and make children more social by providing them with an opportunity to mix and interact with other children through games that can be played by multiple people. These games also improve problem solving skills and logical thinking. Educational games such as Sim City, which requires players to build houses and cities and games that require development of war strategies can be used to improve communication, decision-making skills and alertness. There are games that can be used to improve mathematics and spelling. The popularity of video games has caught the attention of educational professionals. In the beginning video games were largely ignored by educationists. The discussions on games were mainly focused on their effects on children and the social consequences. Educationists for long ignored the educational potentialities of video games. However current developments in video games like interactive stories and digital authoring tools have made educationists see the powerful opportunities present in the use of video games as educational media.  Many educators today have shown keen interest on the effects of these games on players, and how some of the useful aspects of video games can be used to facilitate learning. Though many educators still fear that video games are harmful and that they promote aggression, violence, negative imagery of women, or social isolation, some educators view the games as powerful motivators and have recognized the need to use the motivational aspects of video games and integrate them into learning material.   Today video games are being used in almost every classroom in the United States. Many games such as Star Fall and Math Blaster help in enhancing the cognitive development of a student as well as strengthening problem-solving skills. Some non-educational games like Sonic the Hedgehog help students to understand easily Odysseus’ journey home. This adventure game in which the player has to complete a series of tasks, overcome obstacles and interactively take part in the quest helps the student to understand Odyssey better than had he simply read the Odyssey Some Professors in the US have even put forth the idea of having a public school which has a game-centered curriculum. Katie Salen (2009), a professor has this to say: “Kids are challenged to step into identities—mathematicians, scientists. They are immersed in and interdisciplinary setting, and instead of completing units, they go on a series of missions or quests, each of which has a goal.” With video games becoming more and more interactive they are being increasingly used as a medium for the development of problem-solving and cognitive skills. Some of the lessons and techniques of successful games like creating imaginative and manipulative environments can be used in educational software. Certain video games allow students to recreate scenes from Shakespeare’s plays thereby improving a student’s understanding of the play. Video games such as Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego, The Oregon Trail, Math Blaster, and Reader Rabbit released during the 1980s can be used in education as these games not only create a fun environment and make learning enjoyable, but also can be used to develop specific skills such critical thinking, comprehension and problem solving. For example, the video game Math Blaster can be used to teach math skills. Video games can be used as a popular and influential medium of instruction for a variety of reasons. They are able to create powerful emotional reactions like power, fear, wonder, aggression or joy in the players. This the designers of video games do by creating a number of components in the games such as game rewards, character traits, obstacles, competition and collaboration with other players. Playing video games brings family and friends together providing an outlet for adolescents. Also these games reveal how humans interact with technology and the study of this may help instructional technologists who design digital environments for learning. According to Thomas Malone (1981) the three main elements that make video games fun are challenge, fantasy, and curiosity. Instructional technologists can use this design of games with these elements to make enjoyable educational programs that make learning interesting and engaging. For instance Pac-Man is an action packed video game where there are challenge, clear goals, immediate and clear feedback and stimuli. This design gives the educators a framework for designing interesting learning environments. Students of traditional classes led by teachers have very little or no control over the learning process and have access to only material given by teachers, have to conform to the pace of other classmates and the feedback given on their work can be shallow and inaccurate. Educational professionals can use video games as a model to enhance learning environments by providing challenges, clear goals, opportunities for collaborations, all elements present in video games, and in the process create novelty and give the students more control over what they learn and how they learn. Marc Prensky (2006) says in his book that just as physical activities like running, hiking, golf provide challenges for people who love challenges; video games provide a similar feeling because they give children challenges to overcome. Video games can be used to improve some skills that will help in learning. Interactive gaming, as long as it is mixed with other healthy activities, can help develop certain skills and knowledge that are needed later on in life (Ryan Hoff, Kasey Kendall, Harrison Smith, and Gabriela Moriel). For instance, video games can be used to improve reading skills. Playing certain adventure games calls for repeated and careful reading of certain things to get information to solve the problems in the game. This can improve reading ability of a student. Video games improve logical thinking. For instance a video game that requires you to enter a locked building makes you figure out easy methods to get into the building. One needs to think about the steps to be taken in a sequential order. In regular life too one has to learn to think logically and carry out tasks in the correct order. A student has to develop observation skills and learn to notice every detail of a given subject and use it to plan required actions to be taken. In video games one has to observe and follow the commands. This will help in training a person to observe details. Video games can also be used to develop the vocabulary skills of a student. Many games require that you know the meaning of the word in order to proceed. A player may encounter many words he does not know but has to find out the meaning in order to succeed in the game. One can also expand ones knowledge of various things. In certain games you need to go to places and experience certain things which you have not done in actual life. This will help in leaning more about places and experiences. In many games one has to spell words correctly in order to be successful. This will help in learning and remembering the spelling of words. Video games can improve one’s ability to solve problems. In many games one has to solve a problem. This skill can prove to be very important in school, college or even in a career. Similarly video games require strategy planning, such as what methods should be used to solve a problem, what steps need to be taken which again will prove useful in learning. If one understands why people play video games it becomes easy for educators to develop electronic or digital educational and learning materials. Video games engage people for long periods and while playing some games one can gather and hold a lot of information. For instance while playing Pokemon, one of the most popular video games; children learn a lot of information like the attributes of each of the monsters and the result of the interaction between these monsters. Developers of education material can take lessons from the fact why so many people play this game for such long periods and can gather and keep so much information while playing. Developers can try and replicate this in their educational material. To conclude it can be said in spite of concerns expressed by some people it is evident that video games can be beneficial in a number of ways and used as tools for learning. One can learn new skills or refine skill and through their use concentrate on specific areas of development. The benefits are more than the negative influences of video games. As John Kirriemuir (2002) says, “The trick is to find good role playing games, simulation games or adventure games that do not embrace violence or excessive violence”. Violent games may have negative effect but children are able to develop many skills such as cognitive or problem solving. Video games are able to create an interactive and dynamic environment useful for learning. Educators involved in developing educational material should be able to correctly incorporate video games into a learning environment. They should combine the best game techniques with already proven learning techniques. According to James Gee (2003) people learn best when they are entertained and that educator have been too concerned with imparting mere factual information. Video games make lessons interesting and entertaining and in the process help the children to develop some skills as well. Today technological advancement and improved graphics has made video games more realistic and involves more interaction than before thereby providing a learning environment that is more conducive and dynamic and at the same time fun for the children. References 1. Gavin M (2009), Can Video Games Help Us Learn? http://kokugamer.com/2009/10/26/can-video-games-help-us-learn/ 2. Gee James (2003), What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003 3. Hoff Ryan, Kendall Kasey, Smith Harrison Smith, and Moriel,Gabriela Moriel (2009) Can Video Games Be Actually Good For You, http://neuroanthropology.net/2009/06/02/can-videogames-actually-be-good-for-you/ 4. Katie Salen, Quote retrieved from http://neuroanthropology.net/2009/06/02/can-videogames-actually-be-good-for-you/ on 16/1/10 5. Kirriemuir John (2002), Video Gaming, Education and Digital Learning Technologies http://www.dlib.org/dlib/february02/kirriemuir/02kirriemuir.html 6. Malone Thomas (1981), “Toward a theory of intrinsically motivating instruction." Cognitive Science, (4), 333-369, 1981 7. Prensky Marc, Don’t Bother Me Mom – I’m Learning, Paragon House Publishers (March 2006) Read More