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Can Video Gaming Educate Us?
This thread has been made because of a common controversy about video games, whether or not they make us "smarter, or stupider".
If we were to talk about how Video games can make us smarter, than maybe we can discuss points on how video games can improve our focus, in which we focus on your tasks on trying to do whatever to beat any video game we play. Maybe also add in the fact that we'd have to think critically on how to solve problems and go past obstacles that go along our way to try and beat the game. However, then there's the question of whether or not video games make you "stupider", or just, not good for you in general where people have said that too much of one thing is not a good thing, or the common debate from people on how video games can "rot your brain". But still, knowing all of this, could people possibly use more video games, other than the obvious education games, to educate people somehow? Could we take in the benefits of playing video games to account, or, would the possible bad qualities of playing them outweigh the good? What benefits, or disadvantages would you see from using video games to educate people somehow? Do you have any other thoughts on the matter? |
I strongly believe that specific video games can educate us in specific fields.
In my case, had I not played video games, I wouldn't have a good base for English that's for sure. But in my opinion that goes for most non-native English gamer speakers. Then there are many other games that can teach other things apart from English. I will once again mention Persona because I can =D Persona and SMT series teach psychology (there's even whole add-on in Persona 4 Golden explaining Jung psychology which is the main point of Persona series), myths and in a way social interactions (simplified of course). Strategies and puzzles teach us how to think logically. Time-limited games teach us how to organize our limited time. In fact... aside from pointless shooting in shooters, is there even a game that doesn't teach us? |
Video games help us improve our eye coordination through the use of puzzle games and rhythm-based games, improve our reading skills when reading the dialogue, and improve our math skills when calculating damages.
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There are plenty of video games that can help us improve reflexes as well as other things through puzzles and having to solve things. If you just hang out with friends all day, then you take away the critical thinking aspect of your life if you were out of school and stuff. You almost need something that stimulates your brain, and video games do that. That's how older people get Alzheimer's and stuff. They get in a rut of not really doing anything that requires thinking and that part of their brain stops functioning. I'm not saying you should play them all day long, however, a couple hours could only stimulate your brain.
Also, I've picked up on a lot of words through video games where they use those words. |
Eh, Hit and miss. I believe it helps in some fields.
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With accurate enough physics you can learn from shooting too. |
Well I can tell you games, along with books, were a large factor in me learning english. Along with that I think Minecraft can teach you a lot about resource management etc.
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Let's see how video games benefitted me:
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What's funny is, one time I saw a tweet that talked about how playing video games not only increases someone's decision making rather significantly, but also helps their focus.
And in my last semester at community college (a communications class that I took a year ago), we were doing persuasive presentations, and someone did one on why gaming relieves stress. I commented on his presentation saying that I liked it because it addressed what appears a counter-intuitive topic. |
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I still want shooter that would require precise calculations for shooting and aiming xD |
It sure helps in a lot of things, like there already has been said. Every game can be educating in it's own way and can educate something different. I learned English before I even got it on school thanks to video games.
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ya....... like minecraft where all the teachers are letting students play it for like "math skills" or something which is stupid..........
I mean that if people keep letting students do this... were not getting proper education |
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I mean, it taught me tons of stuff (reflexes, computer knowledge, etc), and i couldnt even be here if it werent for video games. And I wouldnt even know about the famous video game series, like Pokemon n.n But again, on the other hand, video games is affecting my daily life presentation. I sleep all nighters, which isnt good. My grades are dropping like crazy o_O, when I'm usually a decent student. Even my normally socializing personality is fading away (in reality). |
I am pretty sure most game production companies are trying their best in making games educational (I hope) but sometimes they don't exactly do anything good for you, but from my own personal experiences, they can definitely teach you about a lot of things, they can teach you how to properly multi-task, they teach you logic, sometimes even physics, math in some cases, language, realtime decision making, and much more. Then there are those that are just bang! bang! bang!
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@Ranixpsg: Why do you take both good and bad things from gaming? =D
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Less social things you have, more time you have =) |
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And yeah..i meant social, as in, u know..talking to other ppl, being more active during more participations :P |
Some of them can, And some of them will not.
Depends on the game you are playing. |
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I think besides the things that have already been mentioned, games can also teach values and dive into moral and philosophical problems and decisions. Take for example games that let you be either good or bad. Depending on your choices, people around you react differently, like they would in a real world scenario. The player can pick a side, but he also has to live with the consequences. If we look at the game "The Darkness", one could say its a metaphor for how power and vengeance corrupt people and end up destroying them.
So yeah, video games can be very educational |
I know personally games have at least expanded my vocabulary if nothing else. The Final Fantasy series in particular uses words that a lot of times during gameplay I had to pull out a dictionary to figure exactly what it was they were saying. Strategy games increased my ability to think ahead and gave me a basic understanding of probability.
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In the end however, the primary function for a game as far as I'm concerned is to entertain and not to educate, so if it fails in the latter endeavour I can't blame it. |
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I want to agree that you can sort of learn about shooting a real gun by playing a shooter, as I had played plenty before I fired for the first time I'm inclined to believe the prior knowledge helped a bit. But I'm not really sure, the whole thing just came natural. Quote:
I've always chosen my paths based on what was best for my character and I always assumed everyone else did that, too. My big question always was, "Which option will land me with the better gear?" For example, Fallout 3 and NV. In Fallout 3 I was evil because it was most beneficial to my character, whereas in New Vegas I was usually a saint (save for achievement-required run of the Legion story) because it was most beneficial. I'm not knocking your response, just saying that there's plenty of us out there who didn't care about the morality of the situation and didn't take anything home from it. My feelings have always been: It's a game, just shoot the guy, take his stuff, and leave. |
Simply put: Yes, video games can be educational.
And I'm not talking about Bull**** edutainment games either.
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Video games can also change your system of belief, outlook on life, they teach about morals, consequences, some games have practical alchemy and lockpicking and other side skills, there's a lot that games can have to offer if the mind is open to listening.
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Hm, based on the previous responses, I wouldn't necessarily call video games "educational" in the sense that they provide us with additional knowledge that we may or may not have possessed originally, but rather they increase our mentalities. Like other members have mentioned, decision making, problem solving, etc. are all traits that are attributed to our cognitive processes, and I think that's the major benefit from video games. Of course there will be those individuals who argue video games lead to violence, but essentially, putting the content aside, the minuscule details and workings of video games I believe actually help us.
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Video games are effective not because they're more educational than anything else in particular, but because they manage to get a lot more in - it's like microtransactions. Spending a dollar on a gambling pack in a cash shop is, on its face, less than the 60 dollars you'd spend on a game, but if you end up buying 75 of those packs looking for the item you want the game company ends up with more money. While you may not learn English as fast as when you read a book, a person may be able to stand playing 5 hours of a video game and only 1 hour of reading, which means in the end they learn more even if it's "less educational".
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There are those games like COD which have pointless shooting but they also teach somethings to the younger players. For examples the thing about the Tungsten rods in Ghosts.
But don't talk about those lame educational games. Nobody's going to play them just because they know it's supposed to be educational. |
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I think the best thing about learning through games is the trial and error idea. Take Mario. "Oh, I'll run this way, look at that funny brown mushroom, what happens if I walk into- oh. I guess that's wrong. I'll jump over it." *Accidentally lands on it and kills it* "Oh, I can kinda fight them". (because lets face it, be it Mario or Halo, you do have an approach like this!) I like how games inspire creativity though, like Little Big Planet, Portal, Happy Wheels, even COD:WaW, where you make your own levels and platforms for others to play. I do think that they can facilitate more creative thinking, and do cause people to get more hands on in games. I want to point out that I like what someone mentioned about Minecraft and resource management: That's a pretty good point! :) |
Depends on the game but most games help improve hand eye coordination and help with problem solving skills. Games like assassins creed teach you some of the worlds history while throwing in some fiction most people can tell the difference on what actually took place in the era and what didn't but the areas you explore can kind of tell you what it generally looked like back in the day. I guess it is all a matter of opinion I've gained a wider vernacular from video games than I would in actual life.
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