Free Games to Save the World? How Gaming Can Benefit the Education of Children
There is something about gaming that draws a sharp intake of breath from parents, similar to when their child first behaves badly or casually swears over breakfast. This is because gaming has unfortunately received a negative press over the last decade, as the development of violent and anti-social video games have become dominant in the marketplace ahead of less overt and more child friendly titles. Not only this but the advent of online games, which are accessible through a variety of media outlets, are unfairly associated with encouraging addictive behavior and also diverting young children’s attention and time away from more favorable activities.
This is unfair, however, and it does a disservice to the role that gaming and electronic simulation can play in educating children. After all, when you consider that skilled professionals such as surgeons and pilots use computer based simulators to learn their crafts, is it really so strange that this technology can be applied to create educational games for the benefit of children? Extensive research suggests that it is more of a logical progression than an anomaly, and that increasingly realistic graphics help to encourage youngsters to interact globally with others through various different scenarios.
John Black, a Professor at the Teachers College of Colombia University, has completed supportive studies to suggest that youngsters grow and learn better when they can manipulate variables or specific events. This is exactly the opportunity that free interactive or online games offer to them, as they can be designed around a significant social issue or subject matter and allow the user the platform to make their own decisions to find a resolution or answers. This both engages and empowers children, and helps them to develop an interest in specific subjects or social circumstances.
If you look at modern gaming, social media giants Facebook are at the fore front of free and interactive online games, and these offer a range of educational benefits to those who play them. Aside from engaging youngsters and teaching them to interact with others, games such as CityVille encourage them to develop an interest in the economy, business and the benefits of cultivating social harmony to create prosperity. Whisper it quietly, but the skills that are learned through this game are similar to those which drive a social entrepreneur, and enable them to effect social change and improvement.
So despite its less than perfect reputation, it is clear that gaming can play a significant role in educating children, while also inspiring social change through acts of philanthropy or charitable giving. The fact that this type of gaming can still be fun assists the child even further in their education, and helps them to maintain their focus and motivation to learn. Parents also have a significant role to play, as they remains the key regulators of their child’s activity and development, and so must themselves learn about the advantages of interactive and educational gaming and how it may benefit their children.
It is only natural that parents are wary of gaming, but how can something be judged without being understood fully? If you are a parent, then you are never too old to be proven wrong, especially if you happen to be male and happen to be married. So read here to learn more about interactive gaming, and how it can teach your children and help them to engage them as potential problem solvers of the future.
