Final EssayTopic 5CMNS 110Instructor: Jamie RennieStudent name: Duc Nguyen Le TrungStudent ID: NGUD1D1703July 10th, 2018People often think of the negative aspects of video games as soon as they hear or think about it. Some reasons are given by these people are: video games created violent habits or people who play violent video games have problems with physical health and mental health. Video games, however, are not harmful, they are the tools for entertainment. The development of technology is changing the way we received the information and educational method.
So that video game in contemporary society are geared towards other aspect of life such as teach young children to read or write, or train pilots, surgeons, and soldiers. Furthermore, video games can simulate scenarios and allow people to practice various skills in a safe, controlled environment. 21st century is said to be an era of technology because of 4.0 industrial revolution. Computer and video games are seen as new media in our society (Squire, 2008).
In 21st century people spend more time on new media than interact directly with other people. Video games are created in 1950s but they only became popular in 1970s. In 1970s video games is very simple and cannot create a network or community in game. Most of video games, at this time, are created for playing online. That mean players can interact with other players through game, they can share experiences and thoughts. So that video games publishers create video games which teacher and children can interact to each other and through video games children can learn some skills or learn how to behave in modern society.Video games in teaching children and social behaviorBefore computer and internet were invented, television and radio are seen as entertainment tool. But when computer was invented video games also develop in tandem with the development of computer. As first, video games were invented to entertain people but now video games are developed to use in education. Teaching children know how to read become easier if parents let them play some video game (Hennefer & Wudel, 2015). Minecraft is an infinite set of programmable Lego blocks, it’s a way to instill spatial reasoning, math, and logic (Gear, 2014). Players in Minecraft have to know how the game work because the minimal instructions or tutorials. The game required players to read a lot of information about the missions that they have to complete. The game seems to be hard to play but when player completed a mission which will motivated them to continue. Children, especially elementary students, will have to read the missions in games and try to manage their selves to complete. Video games are more attractive to read than any other media so that children want to read missions by themselves. In modern society people need to know some skills to behave. However, they don’t have time or any place to practice it. Video games become a wonderful choice for them to practice these various skills in safe and The Sims is the perfect game for that. The Sims is one of the most popular game ever made in the world, with 17 million units have been sold (Prensky, 2002). In The Sims’ world players are free to create their own world with different scenario. Players can set up a house, talk, work, grow, buy or even date and have children. Players can have an overview all real society by playing this game. The Sims is not only a game to play but it also a world that people can learn how to behave. Player learn how to manage and control a complex or how to design or create the graphics for house, objects. Players can learn about the 21st century America. Sims provides the variety of professions from military officer to aroma therapist. Finally, the consequences of character in game will give players some experiences. From these experience in game players could change their habit in real life. The Sims ” is one that directly and explicitly helps you learn about life. (Prensky, 2002). Video games in soldiers and pilots trainingIn America people are allowed to have guns at home so that they could use that gun and go hunting in hunting season. So that the percentage of people who know how to using gun is higher than other country. But in other country guns are only used by polices or militaries. So that people, again want to have a scenario and environment to use guns or simply satisfy enthusiasts with guns. Soldiers need real battleground to practice skills which learnt in military school before participate into a real battle. PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) is a perfect choice for them to play or even practice. PUBG is a new game released in 2017, but has now officially sold 10 million copies after 6 months released-from March to September (Hollister, 2017). The rules in game, basicly, you and other 99 players parachute onto an 8*8 square-kilometer island, scavenge for weapons, and fight until only one left alive. It’s sound very simple but in reality, the game is really hard to play. Players must have a certain amount of knowledge about guns and their uses in game such as sniper rifles, pistols, shotguns and assault rifles. Why players have to know that? Because every kind of guns have different functions for different strategies and missions. The recoil of gun, speed of bullet, and distance from your position to enemies is the most important thing to keep in mind if you want to hit the enemies. The team strategy is also considered if you play this game in a team of 4 or 8. PUBG is a suitable game for soldiers to practice individual and team skills. As a PUBG player, I think this game is a perfect choice to practice the skill in the scenario battleground. Pilots training is very complicated; it takes many years to learn how to control planes. Many people will think how pilots is trained or what kind of tools pilot schools use to train a normal people to become a pilot. Answers for that question are technology, video games, etc. So why they use video games in training pilots? Pilot training is very complicated; it’s not simple as learning how to drive a car. In reality pilots are not allowed to fail even a small mistake. But pilots are allowed to fail in video games. Furthermore, video game is a tool for practicing situational skills, through that pilots can respond faster when encountering similar situations in reality. Flight Simulator X (FSX) and Prepar3d (P3D) are two most popular software for pilots training in the world. FSX and P3D create the environment which is 99% same with reality such as weather, types of plane, etc. All of buttons or the position of plane computer is also same with the real plane. That why two video games above are the best choice for students who want to learn how to control a plane and it’s also suitable for student who is training to become a pilot. Pilot training can not only explain by words or speech; they need something to practice in safe before apply it in real world. What can games do in a classroom that other media cannot? Video games teach children know how to solve problem without books or teachers. When a children have problem in doing homework, they are not patient to find the way to solve it, as result children will ask teachers or parents for have. But in video game children want to be a winner so that they want to solve all problems buy themselves. The competition and leadership are two big benefits created by video games (Olson, n.d.). Moreover, video games in the connection which connect parents and children together. Let’s imagine a kid and his parents are playing video games together in a Saturday night and his parents are not a good player in the games they are playing. In the scenario, the kid absolutely become a leader who will have his parents to win the game and he also want to get the highest score in that game to prove that he’s an expert’ in that games. Video games also encourage children to do exercise (Olson, n.d.). Sports video games are created a lot of new and creative moves so that players (specially boys) want to practice in their skateboards or baseball court. Kids want to make friend with people who have the same interest in something and most of children use video game to make some friends. The percentage of video games used in education is still low because games which is suitable to use in education are very limit. Video games are encouraged to use in education because video games bring a lot of benefits to children. However, Griffiths (2002) has claimed that there are some elements which teachers and parents should consider when choosing video games to use to educate children.Educational or therapeutic objective. The objective of game should be clear. Children know exactly the goal and the educational elements in game.Type of game. In the market there are many types of video games are suitable for children such as puzzle, simulation and mazes. Some games require physical skills and strategy, while others require some patient to solve problems.Information and rules. Some games allow players to have a huge knowledge and experiences to play. But some of them require to apply the knowledge that learnt in school to play.Difficulty. Some video games allowed players choose the difficuty while some of them will automatically increase the difficulty by level and time of play.Duration. Some games have a short duration while others require players spend more time on a mission. The rewards when complete a mission also keep player spend more time on it or not.Participant age and characteristics. Some video games content some violent elements so that they provide a range of ages. Video games created for education should content non-violent and suitable for children.Number of player. Some video games are playing offline that mean players play against computer. Meanwhile, some of them are online playing, players have to play with other people. In some online game require group work, solidarity might be the key to win the game.Facilitator’s role. In some video games, the teacher or facilitator merely observes. In others, the facilitator may be an important part of the game format.Setting. Fully prepare staff to integrate these games into the curriculum. Without proper acceptance, the games may be used primarily as a game or toy rather than as a therapeutic or educational tool.In conclusion, video games are not bad as people usually thought; it depends on the way people use it. Video games is one of the greatest inventions in the world. Video games become a part of human life they bring people together and become a tool to educate and train people. In future video games might become a second world where everyone can create their own world or they will become something that we cannot imagine at this moment. ReferenceGear, C. T. (2014). How videogames like Minecraft actually help kids learn to read. Retrieved June 15th, 2018 from M. D. (2002). The educational benefits of videogames. Education and health, 20(3), 47-51. A., & Wudel, K. (2015) Teaching Your Kid to Read? Let Her Play Minecraft. Retrieved June 18th, 2018 from S (2017). PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds sells 10 million copies. 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