Can Video Games be used to Teach?

Can Video Games be used to Teach?Point Counterpoint

RDG5410

Christin Terry

Can Video Games be used to Teach? In todays fast paced society, many controversial questions arise and demand to be answered. With todays technology, research, and immediate access to the internet, one of those questions demanding to be answered is, What is the best way to teach our kids? There are thousands of potential answers to this and other similar questions. Another closely related question that must be addressed is, Can Video Games be used to teach? Yes Video Games are one of the fastest growing methods of learning in the 21st century. The most straightforward way to teach with video games is to have students play a game containing content that aligns with an existing school curriculum, (#1). From earliest reports, educators report to having success with teaching through video games simply because they provide an interactive and fun learning experience while providing immediate feedback all while continuing to maintain the students attention. One school located in New York participates in a class of Quest to Learn (Q2L). This school, one of the first in the U.S., is built on the innovative approach of games-based learning (#2). This Q2L school follows a curriculum based solely upon using video games to teach and thus far, has tremendous success.

Yes According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, daily use of the media among children of all ages has increased dramatically over the past five years, (#3). Additionally, in a typical day, kids spend an average of 7 hours and 38 minutes using entertainment media, (#3). Why not cater to these needs and encourage the use of entertainment media to aid in student learning? Much of the worlds educators are making exactly this choice to incorporate video games into learning. First grade teacher, David Brantley, credits the use of the Wii in his classroom to, motivate reluctant students, (#4). David uses the Wii bowling game to calculate statistics, measurement, angles, and difference activities and reports having great success in his class of first grade learners.

Yes Do video games really teach? (#5). That is a question researchers and educators are constantly asking. According to the National Education Association, The potential of video games for education is enormous (#5). A statement provided by the Federation of American Scientists indicates, Video games can reshape education. Its the next great discovery, a way to captivate students so much they will spend hours learning on their own (#5). Countless classrooms all around the world are integrating video game technology into the curriculum. We have heard from the above sources the benefits and proponents of using Video Games in the classroom and to teach our children. Next, we will read what the critics have to say.

No Many parents and experts today report that using video games to teach our kids is ruining their brains, promoting obesity, diminishing creativity, and contributing to violence. According to Pediatrics for Parents, the data about childrens video game habits are correlated with risk factors for health and with poorer academic performance (#6). Additional risk factors are observed for aggressive behavior and desensitization to violence (#6). The Guardian reports to many children and teens reenacting violent scenes from video games on the playground and at school. Doctors found children who continually play computer games may be more likely to develop tendinitis, (#7).

No A study mentioned in The Impact of Video Games on Children reported that, teens who play violent video games for extended periods of time; tend to be more aggressiveAre more prone to confrontation with their teachersMay engage in fights with their teachersSee a decline in school achievements(#8). There are also many studies that have found a positive correlation between negative behavior, such as aggression, and video and computer game violence, (#9). These studies and reports continue to show correlations between video game violence and real life student behavior.

No An additional factor plaguing our kids who overindulge in playing video games is obesity and laziness. Time and time again we witness children overeating and snacking while playing video games when they cannot tear themselves away from the screen. This is an unhealthy way to promote learning with video games. We need not want to encourage our children any further to learn from this method of instruction. We need to help promote more healthy life styles and encourage our children to learn from a variety of different avenues. Parents and teachers who do promote video games for learning would benefit from, connecting the games to books, movies, TV, and the world around them, (#10). By doing so, we can, cultivate pattern recognition across media platforms and parlay the problem-solving of gaming into the real world, (#10).

Bibliography "Can Video Games Teach Kids?" PARADE.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 July 2012. . #2

Clip Art and music all located Microsoft Word Clip Art

"Four Ways to Teach with Video Games | Currents in Electronic Literacy." Four Ways to Teach with Video Games | Currents in Electronic Literacy. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 July 2012. . #1

"GoVenture :: Do Video Games Really Teach?" GoVenture :: Do Video Games Really Teach? N.p., n.d. Web. 20 July 2012. . #5

"The Impact of Video Games on Children." The Impact of Video Games on Children. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 July 2012. . #8

"Join the Team!" Video Games in the Classroom. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 July 2012. . #3

Bibliography (continued)Levasseur, Aaron. "The Literacy of Gaming: What Kids Learn from Playing." Mediashift. PBS, 3 Aug. 2011. Web. 19 July 2012. . #10

"Pediatrics for Parents." Pediatrics for Parents. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 July 2012. . #6

Shepherd, Jessica. "Children Becoming Addicted to Video Game Fantasy Worlds, Teachers Warn." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 03 Apr. 2012. Web. 20 July 2012. . #7

"Video Games: A Cause of Violence and Aggression." Serendip Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 July 2012. . #9

"Wii Love Learning: Using Gaming Technology to Engage Students." Edutopia. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 July 2012. . #4