Have you ever thought about the positive side of playing video games instead of always thinking of the negative side? Playing video games has educational benefits, improves multi-tasking, social benefits, builds confidence, promotes exercise, and encourages cooperation and teamwork. In addition to understanding the many real concerns that today’s parents have with video games, it’s also worth considering the benefits and positive aspects that contemporary interactive entertainment choices provide.
Certainly, many popular titles today are M-rated and intended for discerning adults, given the average age of today’s gaming audience. But the vast majority of games can be played by a broad range of ages and still manage to be fun and engaging without resorting to foul language or violence. Games can definitely be good for the family. There’s plenty of selection.
Oftentimes I think parents feel that they’re not because video games in the media are portrayed as violent, and hardcore games tend to get the large majority of publicity.But parents also need to be comforted knowing that E for Everyone is by far largest category of software. Nearly 60 percent of the almost 1,700 ratings we assigned last year were E for Everyone, which means there’s a huge selection of games available that are appropriate for all ages. In fact, most video games do have quite a few redeeming qualities, even those with violent content. All games can and do have benefits for players, and in a number of different and sometimes surprising ways.
Games provide an inquiry based learning experience and are highly interactive which is beneficial towards education.University of Missouri professor, Elizabeth Behm Morawitz writes, Students learn through trial and error and are rewarded in the video games for trying new strategies until they achieve the goals. Traditional curricula, such as science, reading, and math, can be supported by the use of educational video games. Additionally, the introduction of video games into education helps students to develop new ways of thinking and solving problems. Video games improve players’ visual spatial and problem solving skills.Experts argue that taking advantage of this new technology for educational purposes will help to produce a more intellectually sophisticated and successful generation of children.
In essence, video games have the potential to develop our children into better thinkers and learners. Other carefully-designed studies have also shown that action video games can improve several aspects of brain activity, including multitasking. California State University of Long Beach Psychology professor writes, (The present study examined whether action videogames can improve multi-tasking in high workload environments.Two groups with no action videogame experience were pre-tested using the Multi-Attribute Task Battery (MATB).
It consists of two primary tasks; tracking and fuel management, and two secondary tasks; systems monitoring and communication. One group served as a control group, while a second played action videogames a minimum of 5 h a week for 10 weeks. Both groups returned for a post-assessment on the MATB. We found the videogame treatment enhanced performance on secondary tasks, without interfering with the primary tasks.Our results demonstrate action videogames can increase people's ability to take on additional tasks by increasing attentional capacity). Games with broad appeal that are easy to grasp can additionally help many families play together, and better bridge the gap between generations.
There are also many games that have positive social messages that encourage people to be a force for good. Clay Routledge, Ph. D. writes, Participants who had just played a “pro-social” game in which characters must work together to help each other out as compared to those who had just played a “neutral” game (e.
g. Tetris) were more likely to engage in helpful behaviors.Examples included assisting in a situation involving an abusive boyfriend, picking up a box of pencils or even volunteering to participate in more research (Psychology Today). All parents know that kids need a healthy combination of physical and mental exercise. Fortunately, today’s motion-controlled games for Microsoft’s Xbox 360 Kinect, Nintendo’s Wii and Wii U, and Sony’s PlayStation Move help kids get both kinds of workouts at the same time.
Stephen J. Fallows, Ph. D. , and John P. Buckley, Ph. D.
write from their research, Dance Central and Kinect Sports Boxing increased energy expenditure by 150% and 263%, respectively, above resting values and were 103% and 194% higher than traditional video gaming.This equates to an increased energy expenditure of up to 172 kcal • h–1 compared with traditional sedentary video game play. Played regularly, active gaming using Kinect for the Xbox 360 could prove to be an effective means for increasing physical activity and energy expenditure in children (JAMA Pediatrics). Organizations supporting individuals of all ages and interests are additionally using active games to help get people up and moving.Nursing homes, cruise ships and even after-school programs all now employ active video games in some form to help stimulate both the mind and body. Many games today also emphasize the cooperative aspects of game play, in which two or more players need to work together in order to reach a common goal.
Georgia Tech professor and Persuasive Games founder explains, (Requiring direct management and informed decision-making at multiple levels, group heads quickly learn to delegate responsibility, direct personnel and steer allies toward a common goal.Actively promoting teamwork between seemingly disparate individuals located states or entire countries apart, he says, all ironically offer preparation for a job in today's increasingly virtual workforce). Playing video games has educational benefits, enhanced multi-tasking, group benefits, constructs confidence, stimulates exercise, and inspires cooperation and teamwork. Gaming video or computers has positive as well as negative effects. Anything in moderation is not a problem.
Parents and children need to be able to decide how much gaming is permissible and what kind of gaming.Parents must teach their children what is good and what is bad. Gaming is like any other activity in life, too much hamburger or pizza can be harmful too. The world of gaming is constantly changing. The internet is replete with articles and tips written by experts on gaming, benefits, and disadvantages, it is important to be informed parents and game players.
Read up on games and learn how to choose games that are beneficial. Know what your child is doing at all times. Place your trust in your child but ensure that he or she is able to gauge accurately right from wrong.
