Do video games "teach"?

Here's the big whopping question I've always wanted to ask in a forum: do you think certain video games teach or educate kids?

A lot of teachers hate video games because they feel it interferes with the kid's education and may be a possible reason for kids not getting their homework done. While this may be true in some cases, the kid can still learn from certain games. I know I wouldn't be half the reader I am if it weren't for all those SNES games I played back before they had the technology to actually put voices in the game...back when you had to read all of the dialogue that happened in the game.

Another thing is some video games are made just for that: teaching! Maybe school would be a little more interesting if the teacher assigned a worksheet that had questions about the dialogue in a certain video game. This would teach the kid how to read because he would have to read through all the dialogue in the video game to fill out the worksheet...But instead they have to read boring old dusty books handed out by the teacher and fill out a worksheet on it. This might explain why a lot of kids fall asleep in school.....I'll tell you this...it's not JUST a lack of sleep at night!

Back when I was in 3rd grade I sucked at spelling. I couldn't spell words worth a crap. I finally got my hands on that Zelda: A Link to the Past game. After I played through that game and beat it, I was a master speller. I could spell out all kinds of words. My grades in spelling, reading, AND math all went up.. I was good at reading and spelling so it made me feel proud of myself and made me want to do better in other subjects, hence, my grade in math rose as well. My mom never believed me that it was video games, but I swear on my life it was. But most teachers try to pull kids away from gaming...try to get them to read, write, go to school activities, etc... Personally, I don't think this is fair and the teachers won't even give it a second thought if you try to talk to them about games..

My last point before I finish this long ramble is that teachers say books are good for you because they put your mind in a fantasy world and let your imagination take you places....well..games do the same thing. You are thrown into a fantasy world and you may not know it...but you do use your imagination...a lot of kids imagine what certain bosses will look like in a game, or how certain battles will be, or even what's going to happen in the storyline. There's no getting around it! I believe video games are just as good as a teaching tool, as books, worksheets, and school is. But the teachers never listen because they think the kids will abondon their homework for video games...So I've rambled on long enough...what do you guys think? WHEW!!! :p

 

I think video games can help kids with their problem solving. That was always my strongest point in my classes.

 

i agree with u there. and studies have shown that it increases people's reaction time

 

That all depends on the video game. For example, KH could, in a way, teach kids about teamwork. So could most RPGs. True video games can interfere with one's life, but if it does, it's your own fault. Video games can also be a good way to vent one's emotions, a.k.a., your brother pisses you off and you go play Halo. 5 min. later, you feel great. ;)

 

I second the Blademaster - it really depends on the videogame and how the player reacts to it. Not all of them are educational, seeing as how their main role is to set the player in a different universe.

When teachers complain about how viddygames are time consuming and useless, they're not entirely wrong. I'm not saying they're completely *right*, but I will admit that let's say a fighting game isn't going to help you improve your grammar much less motivate you to do your homework. They *are* time consuming and sink you in a universe which you don't want to leave...hence, the idea of discarding to do homework.

Plus, the new generation of games where we now have very little reading and plenty of cutscenes with the characters talking is kinda shadowing the idea of educating and 'helping' one's spelling and stuff. I believe that very soon, we wouldn't even have to be reading dialogue boxes at all, because the characters will be be able to talk full-time.

(On a small note, I personally believe reading a fantasy book stimuates your imagination a whole lot more than a videogame which already has an identified universe. =P)

My point? Don't toss out your books! =O They're just as important!

 

Most difinitely. I'm all in. Of course it'd depend on what game you play.

But yes, all in all, you learn a lot from video games. I know I have from personal experience.

 

Guys, it doesn't even depend on the videogame you play. All things in life teach us something. FPS games teach us tactics, Fantasy games give us wisdom and lessons, as well as teach us how to coordinate our lives and work to "level up" the correct way. Simulation games teach us how to take a step back and look at our life, then manage it the best we can. Fighter games teach us...well...a lot less things then most other genres, but it does teach us martial arts, tactics, timing, all that crap. Hell, even games like "Playboy mansion" can teach kids about how to get a girl. XD

The only reason kids actually play videogames though is to take away from stress. Teachers dislike videogames because they think they're uneducational, when our teachers, when they were kids had to read comic books and other things like that, which at the time were considered uneducational. The whole dispute is not between wether videogames teach us or not, it's a dispute between generations. There are such giant leaps between them, your parents will always looka t you and go "HUH!?", when they fail to realize their parents did the same thing to them, for things that are just as "bad" as what we're doing today.

 

Pretty much Cin said pretty much all on how I think video games teach people.

 

Video games can teach alot. They can help people think and solve things faster just making you solve a simple puzzle. RPGs can teahc people confidence, self-esteem, morals, etc. And games like WWII shooters and MGS can teahc history in there own way(no, I'm not saying MGS's history is ture, however I am saying it gives you ieas on how the government and war works, etc). Deny this one all you want, but shooters also teach basic military strategies and konwledge, kind've like their teaching future soliders...

 

Amen!:D I back that up along with strategy enhancing skill

 

Oh, video games can 'teach' alright. With positive and negative outcomes.

For example, a fighting game can teach us what we can and what we can't do in real life. Though you can bet you won't see many people doing a Hadoken on a thug anytime soon.

It depends on what the game is about really. If the game is about wide-spread man-slaughter and how to murder someone ruthlessly, it is indeed teaching something. Just something inappropiate.

 

I'll say video games "teach" it's thanks to them i learned much English. (i live in Norway) and my friend that don't play much games have problem with his English

 

Some video games can 'teach' some of them can affect disturbing.
I think it depends a little on what game it is. Though playing games you learn how different individuals think, and that is good. You can also learn differences and how to do certain stuff and what you can't do.
I think they teach some stuff pretty good. But some of the bloody and not for kids one, they can affect a kid in a disturbing way for the kid.
But most video games can be helpful.

 

I've found that games like Halo, Devil May Cry, and pretty much every driving simulator have contributed to bettering my reflexes. Games like House of the Dead have also shown how to kill zombies with absolutely no plot, should a violent outbreak ever occur. And in all most games have shown me how to think non-linearly.

Okay, but seriously, where do pilots and astronauts go before they hit the sky/space? The simulator, which is just a big and expensive word for video game...except with better graphics.

 

Games help a person releasing stress . Personally , i will play some games during examination but don't over .

Besides , games help us in thinking and solving problem .

 

Games fustrate me because Im persistant in doing in them its like for example the data fights in Com. I managed to get roxas down to like 3 bars. Then died. So I was like 'yeah i can beat him' Then I would try kill him 100 times on level 60 without sucsess. And continue fighting him even tho I know ill just die. Which then cauuses me to get pissed. XD But when I beat them I become cheary. But it does let me escape from the world and kill things :D

 

video games work sometimes with me,teachers can be real..a-holes about video game,I'm a true gamer and reading and spelling from games help me alot all thanks to video game^_^ jk

but i've had this is teach how did get me off of videos games cause he tols my mom i can work hard and study more with out the 5-8 hours of game,but it didn't last longXP

 

Video games can teach. Most of them are not utter nonsense.
For most video games have a story. And don't all stories teach a lesson?