why do teachers tell us to play video games

Some games even allow players to make changes in the game, allowing new possibilities.Īnd kids who play computer games often end up knowing more about computers than their parents do. They get to participate in the action and solve problems. The captivating power of video games might lie in their interactive nature. “The game focuses attention in a way that school doesn’t.” “Kids diagnosed with ADHD because they can’t pay attention will play games for 9 straight hours on the computer,” Gee says. Even kids who can’t sit still in school can spend hours trying to solve a video or computer game.

It usually takes 50 to 60 hours of intense concentration to finish one. And they can help players improve coordination and visual skills.Ī good video game is challenging, entertaining, and complicated, Gee says. If used in the right way, video and computer games have the potential to inspire learning. Gee has written a book titled What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy.Ī growing number of researchers agree with Gee. The games might actually do a lot of good. Video games are innocent of most of the charges against them, Gee says. It’s like blaming food because we have obese people.” “You get a group of teenage boys who shoot up a school-of course they’ve played video games,” Gee says. Gee is an education professor at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. A variety of studies appear to support the link between media violence and bad behavior among kids (See The Violent Side of Video Games).īut media don’t necessarily cause violence, says James Gee. Some adults assume that movies, TV, and video games are a bad influence on kids, and they blame these media for causing various problems. Whenever a wave of teenage violence strikes, movies, TV, or video games often take the heat. Here’s some news for you to share with your parents and teachers: Video games might actually be good for you. Last week: The Violent Side of Video Games

Why do teachers tell us to play video games