Gaming ‘boosts vital jobs skills’

PLAYING video games such as Minecraft and Tomb Raider can help undergraduates gain vital skills and make them more employable, a study suggests.

Students develop ‘graduate attributes’ such as critical thinking and problemsolving through gaming.

Research from the University of Glasgow contradicts reports which have claimed that some computer games make young people more aggressive.

In an eight-week trial, 36 undergraduates were split into a control group and a group that played specific games for a total of 14 hours. Both groups were then tested on their communication ability and resourcefulness skills. Gamers showed improvements in communication, adaptability, and resourcefulness compared to the control group.

Information studies lecturer Matthew Barr said: ‘The way games are designed often encourages critical thinking and reflective learning, commonly cited as desirable attributes in graduates.’