Computer games can help children in learning mathematics. However, they can also lead to dire consequences. Helpful or harmful computer games, discuss not only parents, but also scientific researchers. One of the latest scientific work suggests that adolescents are able to succeed academically with the help of computer games.
Scientists from the Royal Institute of technology Melbourne (RMIT) conducted a study “Internet and academic performance of 15-year-old students in Australian schools”. As a result, scientists have found that teenagers who regularly play online games, learn better than their peers.
The study analyzed the performance of more than 12 thousand pupils of the middle school at the age of 15 years. RMIT Professor Alberto Posso compared the results of the International program on assessment of educational achievements of students, which skills in reading, knowledge of mathematics, science, and computer literacy was estimated by 1000-point scale.
The researcher also gathered information about what students are doing on the Internet. As a result, those students who daily played online game, was much more capable than their peers in some disciplines.
“Those students who daily played online games that had results in mathematics 15 points above average, and the natural Sciences — 17”, — said the scientist.
The Professor believes that gaming helps students develop analytical skills and decision-making skills. This has a direct impact on the academic achievement of adolescents and helping them. “During the game you encounter puzzles, the solution of which requires knowledge, natural science knowledge, reading skills and mathematics. <…> Sometimes the player is required to understand some of the principles of chemistry, so he understands the science,” added Pozzo.
About genres or specific examples of computer games, researchers are not mentioned.
In addition, the researchers analyzed the assessments of those students who spend their free time in social networks. As it turned out, spending time on social networks leads to a diametrically opposite effect, and it’s worse influences on learning.
Students who spend their time on Facebook, had math scores on average 20 points lower than those who prefer to give social media less time.
It should be noted that though research shows some connection between the games and results of the study, but not prove the existence of dependence between them. A positive correlation between online gaming and academic performance is only the beginning, and in the future the scientists to complicate and deepen the methodology of research on this topic.
The theme of the impact of video games on cognitive and other abilities of the person rises not for the first time. For example, in a scientific way managed to prove that 3D games can develop memory: considering a concrete example — the “volume” of Mario 3D World, scientists at the University of California, Irvine have found that games improve memory performance by 12%.
“The games have a large space for research and a lot of information that you want to remember. Thus, they stimulate and develop a memory,” said one of the scientists.
In addition, games can help people with brain damage. The first-person shooters can positively affect the attention span of the brain and its ability to process information.
The study on this topic was attended by 31 the subject with a traumatic brain injury. They were invited to play in one of the first-person shooters. Scientists have considered modern console such as medical equipment, is able to help patients and to improve the functioning of their brain.
Except that the study participants eventually began to play better, in everyday life, they are much more fulfilled everyday tasks.
In turn, Professor POSCO have already recommended to teachers to use video games in the educational process. So, the game adapted to Minecraft school education and has been used in secondary schools. According to the developers, it will help students to explore geometry, develop critical thinking and ability to work in a team.
However, you should not take the statements of scientists as a call to action. Let the disease of “addiction” is not listed in the international classification of diseases, cases of self-torture, suicide and crimes motivated by failures in the virtual world happen.
So, in June 2016, the media reported that the Chinese have rotted their feet after a six-day video game marathon.
The PRC spent in Internet cafes playing six days, three of which did not eat or drink.
There he spent all his money, and when he was found by the police, the young man had signs of rot on his feet. The father of the compulsive gambler believed son missing after he developed an addiction.
In Russia, wide publicity was the story of the teenager who attacked his parents with a knife after they banned him from playing online games. The mother of a 15-year-old schoolboy died and his father suffered serious injuries and survived.
In this case, many experts say that computer games can be just one of the elements that led to manic dependence, but nevertheless significant.
According to scientists, “the flip side” home away from home with a computer also requires detailed study.
