2nd August 2016 1:00
By Blue Tutors
There is an obvious opportunity cost to time spent sat in front of a computer or games console for those of school age. The battle between homework and gaming is fought daily with many parents seeing gaming as a direct obstacle to their children’s progress in school. Yet, years of research on the effect of traditional ‘gaming’ on children’s performance at school have yet to come to a solid conclusion. Several studies do, however, show school results appearing to suffer for children who spend over an hour a day playing games. There are also concerns over the addictive and often violent nature of computer games in particular. On top of this, the sedentary nature of what is now the most popular form of entertainment for children can have negative health effects that also affect learning. The instant feedback and gratification in gaming is in direct contrast with the wait for exam results after years of school study, and some argue that this is further diminishing youngsters’ already dwindling attention spans. The findings linking gaming to aggression or social isolation have proved difficult to reproduce and are thought to be highly game dependent, but magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have showed permanent differences in the structural development of the brains of gamers and non-gamers, although we do not yet know what these differences mean in terms of learning.
The face of gaming has changed immensely over a generation, so much so that we are now seeing the gameificaiton of education itself. Formal school education is increasingly moving online, from timetables to homework assignments, but now games are finding their way into the classroom itself. There are already several online practice tools for improving vocabulary, spelling and maths that are presented in what is essentially a gaming format. As well as games designed to practice and reinforce the school curriculum, any games which develop numeracy and memory should, in theory, result in improved performance in academic learning. Some teachers see games as a valuable high-tech tool for 21st century teaching, but there is very little evidence that this actually translates into better understanding or test scores. Any improvements in working memory in children through brain training games have been shown not to extend to broader skills. The use of games is thought be of most benefit to underperforming students or those with special needs, where teachers say it improves motivation.
Beyond its implication on formal academic progress, what is the broader educational value of gaming; what else do you learn? Gaming is a fantastic way to work on problem solving, logic, and following instructions in a very different and more entertaining context than school work. More elaborate games require planning, decision making and often involves working under time pressure or with competing objectives, developing strategic thinking, concentration and multitasking. Studies have also shown an increase in hand-eye coordination, fine motor and spatial skills in those who play computer games at all ages over those who don’t, although others argue the same gains could be achieved through sport. The image of gaming as isolating is also being challenged by an increased number of team games, teaching gamers to delegate as well as effective communication and cooperation. They can also contribute to greater “digital literacy”, a vital skill in an increasingly media and technology heavy job market. Finally, many credit gaming with sparking their interest in gaining valuable IT skills like coding. But perhaps the most valuable lesson we can take from gaming is the importance of persistence and failure; much like sport or music, gaming as an extracurricular activity teaches children that long term success is attained through hard work and overcoming setbacks, an invaluable mind set in academic study and life.
The jury is out on whether gaming is really good or bad for our brains, but there does seem to be an opportunity us to use the explosion of gaming to our educational advantage, using digital games design based on sound learning principles to provide a more personalized and engaging learning opportunity.