Videogames are not an unserious activity, but a Powerful Teaching tool.

                                                                                                 Ivonne Alexandra Londoño Leudo

Throughout the years, videogames have had a huge impact in our lives. Some experts have demonstrated its negative effects  both in  human health and social behaviors. However, latest studies and research  related to meaningful teaching practices using ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies) explain that videogames could be a stimulating factor for enhancing learning in any subject.  They are not  only a fun tool or distraction but also   a relevant part in the curriculum.

One advantage of videogames is the direct relationship with the ICTs Tools, which are considered   cutting-edge in education resources. they promote the  learner’s engagement to acquire knowledge, through the improvement of cognitive skills, visual-spatial, memory skills, multitasking skills, social values and also attitudes (Souvignier, 2001). Supporting this fact, there are some examples of the effective use of videogames: The history based and real time strategy computer game “Rise of Nations” developed by Big Huge Games in 2003, which is used to understand the development of societies where the player acts as a leader of a civilization, can create scenarios, learns about architecture through quests for conquering cities. As a result players develop strategic thinking, planning skills, math reasoning and also reading skills.

Moreover, the newest games have a clear purpose, to create a virtual environment involving not only visual and auditory tasks but also kinesthetic ones, demonstrated in the recent success of Nintendo Wii Fit, Nintendo DS, Xbox and Kinect. In fact, Microsoft worked with Dr. John Ratey (Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, and author of “Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain”) experimented with a Kinect pilot program in two classrooms at Middleton Elementary School, finding the following results:

• ·         Showed a trend of improved executive function, which is the portion of the brain responsible for planning, problem-solving and working memory.
• ·         Showed a trend of increased attention, which resulted in better engagement and behavior during classroom lessons.
• ·         Reported higher levels of social understanding and acceptance among their peers, which helped reduce personal conflicts among classmates.

On top of that, studies related to Flynn Effect in digital societies which explain the increase of Intelligence Quotient (IQ), pointing out that “Children’s exposure to computer screens and, particularly, to videogames may have a similar long-term effect, individually and perhaps generationally, and there is already some research documenting it” (Newcombe & Huttenlocher, 2000). 

Nevertheless, Dr. Gentile (2007) in a scientific research on the positive and negative effects of media on children, adolescents, and adults, including such topics as media violence, educational media, video games, advertising, media ratings, and technology “addictions”, wrote that “playing violent games increases aggressive behaviors, increases aggressive cognitions, increases aggressive emotions, increases physiological arousal, and decreases prosocial behaviors”. 

On the contrary, regardless of all the negative evidence presented, these types of games promote the collaborative work, where everyone learns from the experiences of others, building self-confidence on the rise to success, respecting rules, interacting with the environment and improving its social awareness. Meanwhile, gamers have fun in their games, create social relationships respecting others points of view, rules, attitudes in their social groups. The game “Second Life” a virtual online world that was launched in 2003 is a great example of that, where people  can interact with others  around the world through their avatars.

 

For me, the gist of the matter is that video games are essential in the core of the curriculum.  Teachers should consider  the  advantages and disadvantages from these devices in planning classes. They need to understand that this tool will be useful for supporting traditional practices and bring students and teacher together in a friendly learning context.