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Brianna Joseph
02/27-03/03 English The Educational Power of Video Games
A Persuasive Exploration
Over the past few years, video games have become an educational tool in most academic
disciplines: mathematics, history, geography, science, and others. With advanced technology
features where video games can now be played on cell phones, they are widely sold, making it
even easier for them to be used in classes. Granted, developers have sought to widen the
broadened effect of video games in education to one of the technologies for effectively
improving children's cognitive and attention skills and helping stroke victims. On the positive
side, these have tended in the right direction, though they have failed to stagnate current debates
about the educational value of video games. This essay seeks to state candidly how video games
have been effectively applied to help learners learn.
The Beneficial Effects of Video Games on Learning
Video games have spurred a new wave of enhanced creative thinking among learners. For
instance, one of the most famous game productions, "Civilization" contains a historical
simulation in which gamers must build cities, engage in trade, gather resources, and negotiate
political landscapes (Glazer 2). Furthermore, by playing the games, players get exposed to ideas
on history and politics, such as monarchy and monotheism, which enlighten them on facts
contributing to the uprisings and the collapse of civilizations. According to Kurt Squire, an
assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin, "expert gamers develop a nuanced sense of
civilizations, technologies, and resources by experiential learning" (Glazer 2). Furthermore,
video games usually teach the players words of a technical nature that are specific to the game,
Brianna Joseph
02/27-03/03 English and subsequently, the players feel a vital necessity to do some work in extending their
vocabulary outside of the classroom.
One of the significant advantages of playing video games is that it aids in increasing levels
of problem-solving abilities. Most video games usually pose complex challenges and obstacles
before players that can only be easily surmounted by creative and strategic thinking. They all
require players to analyze situations, formulate plans, and subsequently adapt strategies about
changes, with feedback from outcomes. For instance, in puzzle-solving games like "Portal" or
"The Witness," one comes along with a set of increasingly more difficult game-based puzzles
that require logical reasoning and spatial awareness traits. Engaging in such cognitive tasks
enables the players to develop their critical thinking skills, ways of moving around a problem in
many ways, and skills of innovative practice. This is because video games offer instantaneous
feedback to the players; thus, one can learn from his mistakes and advance his problem-solving
skills on other trials (Glazer 2).
Another significant benefit of video games is that they allow increased engagement and
motivation to learn. Unlike classical forms of education that absent an attention-getting problem,
video games provide wholly engaging, interactive experiences (Ault n.p). These dynamically and
interactively participated learning games come as a means of exposure for active partaking and
exploration that naturally involves further levels of engagement and motivation. For example,
educational games contain game mechanics and narratives, so students do not even realize they
are learning—they are having an enjoyable time. Thus, children devote more time and effort to
their learning activities and achieve better results with information keeping. Besides, most video
games are designed to contain extra elements of competition, such as leaderboards or
Brianna Joseph
02/27-03/03 English achievements, stimulating extrinsic motivation for the students to gain mastery and improve in
something specific. General in nature, it is to be said that video games' sheer captivating nature
and motivating strategies provide such an environment that instigates learning with positive
qualities like curiosity, exploration, and the concept of loving to learn.
Video games provide entrepreneurial skills among learners in the modern technological era
of education. John C. Beck and Mitchell Wade, in their book "Got Game," emphasize that
through video games, learners' problem-solving and creative thinking skills are developed, which
are incredibly important for successful entrepreneurs (Glazer 2). University of Illinois Assistant
Professor Dmitri Williams says authentic learning is successful through failure, and video game
mechanics are tightly bound to that concept. They repeatedly put an obstinate test before players
and offer a chance to change the strategy in reflection of a reasoned entrepreneurial mindset.
Criticisms and Concerns
Among the major criticisms are the excess hours displayed on screens and the issues that will
accompany one's physical health and being. With video gaming addiction highly on display and
the sedentary way of life commonly observed among most children, people fear the harmful
effects it will have on fitness and health. Increased gaming intensity has been reported to lead to
an increase in low levels of physical activity or lack of exercise, therefore presenting instances of
obesity and cardiovascular diseases, among other musculoskeletal issues (Glazer 951). Such
prolonged screen time may further signify a disturbance in sleeping patterns and even eye strain,
worsening these health issues.
Critics support the view that the immersive nature of video gaming may develop social
isolation and be a barrier to actual social interaction in the real world. Being online too much
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Brianna Joseph
02/27-03/03 English with video gaming might take away honest face-to-face communication and possibly even
fundamental human social skills, which causes people to be concerned about forming natural
relationships with others. Such concerns underscore the moderation and balance needed in the
usage of video games and emphasize a legitimate sense of responsibility and guardianship. They
also argue that the content of most video games is inappropriate; it is usually filled with violence
or other such themes, which may desensitize players to real-life violence, breeding aggressive
attitudes (Ault n.p).
Effects were found to relate violent exposure through video game studies to aggressive
behaviors, an increase in hostility, and damaging beliefs. Moreover, ultimately, though many of
them, stereotypes of gender are supported and even - dangerous - stereotypes, the same ones that
are supported and mirrored in the attitudes and beliefs of players. However, while these valid
points exist, with proper supervision and control, playing video games can provide the same type
of enrichment that educational experiences can offer, minus the severe backlash.
Refutation and Counterarguments
Admittedly, listening to these critics when considering the adverse effects of video games, it
is duly considered that an overly or inappropriately indulgent context of use might contribute to
the negative impact of the medium. Like most other things, if used with moderation and
appropriate guidance, video games can offer valuable educational experiences to children
without causing significant adverse effects. More importantly, with the improvement in game
design and educational technology, video games concentrate on specific educational objectives
and are designed to assist with using academic curriculum standards (Glazer 941). These new
video games are intended to provide students with significant experiences under specific
Brianna Joseph
02/27-03/03 English educational objectives. Studies show that games can effectively create learning environments in
all skills, subjects, and age groups.
Conclusion
In summary, though the concern is valid for how the inhibition of learning and development
through video games is likely to occur, the point is that video games may offer potential benefits
of value regarding educational purposes. Such potential may boost motivation, build requisite
skills, and encourage increased classroom collaboration based on games that capture their
interest and interactions. However, games are also learning tools with which education must take
steps consonant with each person's individual needs and preferences. Properly guided and used
with due caution, they have the power to change paradigms in education and prepare students
who are success-bound for the 21st century.
Brianna Joseph
02/27-03/03 English Works Cited
Ault, Alicia. “Video Games and Learning: Do games help students in the classroom?” CQ Press,
February 12, 2016. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.4135/cqresrre20160212.
Glazer, Sarah. "Experts Disagree Whether Online Games Have Educational Value." CQ
Researcher, vol. 16, November 10, 2006, pp. 937–960.
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