By 
Video games have long been viewed not only as an entertainment and distraction option. Yes, today it is also possible to use games and online games to learn. Born in the late 1950s and with few features, little by little they have been evolving technologically. Even further, the very concept behind games revealed interesting analyzes of human behavior.
The internet marked one of those steps forward when it made online gaming possible. Thereafter, the level of interactivity increased by including people beyond the physical space and in real time.
According to American researcher Jordan Shapiro, who specializes in learning through games and digital technology: “For years, most people thought video games looked like sweets: mostly harmful and tempting for children, but that’s okay if used with moderation. Now we understand that they can have more “nutritious” values than our parents ever imagined “.
That’s because even regardless of content, there are points in common in the gaming process that stimulate different areas of the brain and also promote well-being. Studies indicate social, emotional and even metacognitive benefits.
What many ask is: what exactly is the role of these games and how do they connect to everyday life? The discussion has entered strongly in the area of education, which already deals with the challenge of capturing the attention of students in the face of a strongly digital, interactive and multi-screen era.
So the first step is to understand the purposes and challenges behind applying online games to the school curriculum. After all, they can also become great teaching allies!
How Can Online Games and Games Help?
Like most behavioral learning, the benefits of games in general are not necessarily linked to specific knowledge.
- Fast and accurate levels of attention
According to an American Psychological Association, due to the repetitive action of reflex-based actions, children who play have greater spatial resolution in visual processing and improved mental rotation skills. The explanation is due to the fact that gambling is a skill that requires quick stimulation of thought and response. This agility of thinking also arouses positive increases in creativity. For example, some games provided by Genesis Casino can increase the creativity by forcing the players to always look for victory while minimizing risk.
- Evolutionary Mindset
Standard teaching rewards fixed skills, such as being good at math. Stanford professor Carol Dweck, who writes about motivation and social development, says the road can be dangerous.
It differentiates the theory of entity intelligence from an incremental theory of intelligence. While the intelligence of the entity is fixed in innate and fixed traits, the incremental one directs to the continuous effort in solving problems.
It is worth remembering that at a time when social skills and demands are so changeable, incremental intelligence tends to be the most productive. - Interpersonal Skills
70% of gamers play with other people and there is a sense of community among them. Unlike even the lone player, they need to play cooperatively and also competitively. This is already a well-known concept of games in general, including sports and thinking games. Online games, however, elevate this concept from the point where physical space barriers are broken, allowing you to play with people from all over the world. The very idea of a team encourages the sharing of tips and tricks, as well as teamwork to win. Gamers also like to teach each other how to do better in challenges.
From this analysis, it is already possible to agree on the benefits of online games and games both for learning and for more abstract and emotional areas.
Comments