Let kids play video games .. it’s helping
Scots research shows skills boost
PLAYING video games can help students develop vital problem-solving and communication skills, according to a Scots academic.
Glasgow University information studies lecturer Matt Barr said his research shows a “positive effect” from gaming.
And he wants it to become a regular part of learning.
Barr said: “Video games often require players to be adaptable and resourceful, and find multiple ways of accomplishing a task.
“The way games are designed often encourages critical thinking and reflective learning, often cited as desirable attributes in graduates.”
The small-scale study involved 36 students split into two groups.
One was a control group while the other was asked to play eight video games including Borderlands 2, Minecraft and Lara Croft, logging a total of 14 hours of play in eight weeks.
The students completed surveys before and after the experiment which measured different skills.
The findings showed the gaming group improved their skills compared with the control group.
Barr said: “This work demonstrates that playing commercial video games can have a positive effect on communication ability, adaptability and resourcefulness in adult learners, suggesting that video games may have a role to play in higher education.
“The study also suggests that skills may be improved in a relatively short time, with gains reported here achieved over a period of eight weeks and just 14 hours of game play.
“The results suggest popular discourse around the alleged ill effects of games should be tempered by considerations of the potential positive outcomes of playing video games.”