THE IMPORTANCE OF VIDEOGAMES IN SOCIETY
The videogame industry lost its innocence a long time ago. These days, it's a mature sector, admired for its technological muscle, innovative capacity, and its well-developed entrepreneurial vision. The figures don't lie: the sector will end 2019 with a global income of more than $150 billion and year-on-year growth of 9.6%, according to market intelligence company Newzoo.
With numbers like this, it's no surprise that video games dominate the audio-visual sector, far ahead of music and cinema. Not even Hollywood can compete with a sector that boasts 2.5 billion players globally, particularly with hits like Fortnite, which has 139 million active players. The fever for this videogame has crossed borders and is already rattling giants like Netflix more than Disney and HBO, its direct competitors in the battle to dominate the audio-visual content streaming field.
THE KEYS TO GAME-BASED LEARNING
The benefits of video games have also reached education with game-based learning. This teaching method uses beneficial aspects of video games to transmit knowledge to students. It is based on three key factors:
It breathes life into education: it transforms learning into an enjoyable, thrilling game without boring lessons. Students assimilate and retain information almost without noticing.
It boosts motivation: students are the main characters in the story, and their success is rewarded with medals, extra lives, bonuses, etc. This captures and keeps their interest in learning.
It gives opportunities to practice: students can apply the knowledge they acquire without getting into dangerous situations. This is what flight and navigation simulators, for instance, are all about.
Tips for using video games in the classroom.
Tips for using video games in the classroom.
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Tips for using videogames in the classroom [PDF]External link, opens in a new window.
VIDEOGAMES FOR LEARNING: SERIOUS GAMES
In the game-based learning field, there are educational video games known as serious games. This specific learning segment seeks to teach students specific subjects such as languages or train professionals like police officers, pilots, firefighters, or healthcare personnel. Educational video games are a booming market and are expected to be worth $17 billion by 2023 — 485% more than in 2018 — according to forecasts published by the Statista portal. Let's take a look at some of these products:
Dragon Box is an introduction for small children to geometry.
Extreme Event prepares learners to deal with natural disasters and encourages teamwork.
Pacific gives training in leadership and team management.
Spore is useful for teaching biology, specifically the evolution of living beings.
Duolingo helps in the learning of languages like English, French, and German.
Blood Typing, developed by the Swedish Academy, teaches about blood types and transfusions.
THE BENEFITS OF PLAYING VIDEOGAMES
The impact of video games on society has been the subject of numerous studies. For example, in 2014, Andrew Przybylski, a psychologist at the Internet Institute at Oxford University, published a study in the journal Paediatrics establishing how long children should be allowed to devote to video gaming. He concluded that those who played less than an hour were more emotionally stable, while those who played for around three hours a day developed social problems. Therefore, when it comes to video games, moderation is key because there are other benefits as well as improving learning abilities. Let's take a look at some of them:
They speed up response times
Researchers at Rochester University have found that they improve troubleshooting skills by posing problems that must be solved in a set time.
They encourage teamwork
According to the Californian organization, the Institute for the Future (IFTF), multiplayer games boost teamwork in problem-solving.
They stimulate creativity, focus, and visual memory
The University of California has found that they stimulate these aspects by setting goals that require concentration, imagination, and remembering details to achieve them.
They improve strategy and leadership.
Video games put players in command, honing their abilities to resolve disputes, interact with other players and make decisions, found Pittsburgh University.
They teach languages
Helsinki University found that they are useful for learning other languages through on-screen instructions, chats for communicating with other players, or the story's narration.
Critical thinking
Monterrey Institute of Technology published an article underlining the underlying ethical, philosophical and social basis of these games and their ability to make players think and improve their critical thinking.
THE ROLE OF PARENTS CONCERNING VIDEO GAMES
This aside, parents continue to be worried about the impact of video games. And there is indeed some cause for concern: in 2019, the World Health Organization included "gaming disorder" as a behavioral addiction in its International Classification of Diseases. When introducing children to video games, parents should look at aspects like the PEGI video game content rating system or its US equivalent, the ESRB, which advises parents on the suitability or otherwise of certain games by establishing a recommended age of use.
The magazine Psychology Today makes a set of recommendations for parents:
Check the game content. Parents should exercise control over the type of video games their children are playing. Choose educational rather than violent games.
Encourage the use of video games collaboratives. When kids play together, it fosters social interaction and establishes alliances. It is important to avoid gaming becoming a solitary activity.
Establish time limits. Parents must establish rules. For example, kids can play for a couple of hours after homework or chores, not before.
Follow the videogame manufacturer's recommendations. For example, do not sit too close to the screen, play in a well-lit room, do not play with the screen set to maximum brightness, etc.
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