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Can't sleep, sweaty palm, nervous tics? If your game addiction is getting too much take comfort in the fact there's hope for you yet! A recent Home Office Research Review has discovered that those joystick manoeuvres are far more likely to be improving your brainpower than developing the size of your thumbs.
Artificial Intelligence?
At last, no more hassle from your loved ones about the hours you've playing games. Let them know that the hours you spend blasting away in Quake make you a bright high-achiever more likely to succeed.
One British study surveyed found that kids who play computer games and been hooked on games for at least five years were highly intelligent, motivated and achieving people, but often misunderstood.
A follow-up study five years later found that they generally had done well educationally, gone on to university or college and then into good jobs and earning much more than the average wage. This information came from the latest Home Office Research Review by Jessica Harris, the report reviewed 20 different studies to see what effect computer games have on kids.
In the Home Office report it also looked at a study that showed computer game training could be better than teacher training. As the report says: "The study found that almost all students improved their reading comprehension test scores after training, although the poorest readers made significantly greater gains in the computer game condition than in the teacher training condition."
Though I don't think for a minute that teachers should be replaced with Mario it's interesting to see that in certain cases computer games can be beneficial in learning to read, do maths and an understanding of the world around them.
Making the next level…
NASA have also conducted research into how playing games affect kids. Their major report shows hyperactive kids learn more from playing a favourite game than from any text book. Scientists used games as a way to increase their attention spans as they monitored the children's brain waves. A game improves intelligence and can channel hyperactivity into more productive avenues, but is it useful in helping kids to develop general skills, that will be important in later life.
Games primarily are an escape, a dose of fun and stress relief to take your mind off other problems, but games are just as absorbing as films and the stories just as in depth as a piece of fiction. Take Black and White; it's been applauded for its total interaction between the player and their character, how it's a new level of game playing and absorbing each player into a complete new world.
Playing a game though, is completely different to sitting zoned out in front of the television or in a cinema; you interact with the medium, your actions are the story. If you spend hours on a game trying to solve a puzzle, you're using your reasoning skills not just being a couch potato with the latest soap episode.
When Rubik's cubes first appeared they were praised for helping with reasoning and basic mathematical problems, so why not do the same with computer games? The puzzles are just as difficult and far more wide ranging. Computer games engage parts of the brain like a toy, like a book, like a film, but unlike them, you make the decisions and you form the story - a level of mental activity unlike any other medium or form of entertainment
And what about spatial ability? You spend hours in gaming working on this, as you try to ease your way out of tight corners, through corridors, round race tracks and jumping from one platform to the other. If there is one positive from this, kids everywhere will grow up to be ace at parallel parking on a busy Saturday afternoon down the high street!
People will always complain about violence in games, but the biggest selling game of all time was a puzzle game, Myst, and the biggest selling game in the UK this year was a quiz game, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. Not a gun or sword in sight.
Will The Game Ever Be Over?
Tearing kids away from what's forbidden, will never stop kids from playing games, I spent hours reading dodgy horror books, it doesn't matter if you're not meant to have it, you can always find a way. Games aren't zapping brain cells, they're not turning your kids into plugged in zombies and there isn't always something "better to be doing". Games can form relationships between a player and a story, games can improve higher mental functions and games make learning fun - and it's a damn good way to relieve stress.
Even though games might make kids more intelligent it can't be forgotten there's a big world out there. Sure, playing games for hour on end is fun and a learning experience but we can't forget the importance of social interaction, too much game playing would mean never seeing friends or having meaningful relationships. And speaking frankly, playing FIFA 2001 isn't the most fun you can have with two players, if you know what I mean. Nudge. Nudge. Wink. Wink.
Artificial Intelligence?
At last, no more hassle from your loved ones about the hours you've playing games. Let them know that the hours you spend blasting away in Quake make you a bright high-achiever more likely to succeed.
One British study surveyed found that kids who play computer games and been hooked on games for at least five years were highly intelligent, motivated and achieving people, but often misunderstood.
A follow-up study five years later found that they generally had done well educationally, gone on to university or college and then into good jobs and earning much more than the average wage. This information came from the latest Home Office Research Review by Jessica Harris, the report reviewed 20 different studies to see what effect computer games have on kids.
In the Home Office report it also looked at a study that showed computer game training could be better than teacher training. As the report says: "The study found that almost all students improved their reading comprehension test scores after training, although the poorest readers made significantly greater gains in the computer game condition than in the teacher training condition."
Though I don't think for a minute that teachers should be replaced with Mario it's interesting to see that in certain cases computer games can be beneficial in learning to read, do maths and an understanding of the world around them.
Making the next level…
NASA have also conducted research into how playing games affect kids. Their major report shows hyperactive kids learn more from playing a favourite game than from any text book. Scientists used games as a way to increase their attention spans as they monitored the children's brain waves. A game improves intelligence and can channel hyperactivity into more productive avenues, but is it useful in helping kids to develop general skills, that will be important in later life.
Games primarily are an escape, a dose of fun and stress relief to take your mind off other problems, but games are just as absorbing as films and the stories just as in depth as a piece of fiction. Take Black and White; it's been applauded for its total interaction between the player and their character, how it's a new level of game playing and absorbing each player into a complete new world.
Playing a game though, is completely different to sitting zoned out in front of the television or in a cinema; you interact with the medium, your actions are the story. If you spend hours on a game trying to solve a puzzle, you're using your reasoning skills not just being a couch potato with the latest soap episode.
When Rubik's cubes first appeared they were praised for helping with reasoning and basic mathematical problems, so why not do the same with computer games? The puzzles are just as difficult and far more wide ranging. Computer games engage parts of the brain like a toy, like a book, like a film, but unlike them, you make the decisions and you form the story - a level of mental activity unlike any other medium or form of entertainment
And what about spatial ability? You spend hours in gaming working on this, as you try to ease your way out of tight corners, through corridors, round race tracks and jumping from one platform to the other. If there is one positive from this, kids everywhere will grow up to be ace at parallel parking on a busy Saturday afternoon down the high street!
People will always complain about violence in games, but the biggest selling game of all time was a puzzle game, Myst, and the biggest selling game in the UK this year was a quiz game, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. Not a gun or sword in sight.
Will The Game Ever Be Over?
Tearing kids away from what's forbidden, will never stop kids from playing games, I spent hours reading dodgy horror books, it doesn't matter if you're not meant to have it, you can always find a way. Games aren't zapping brain cells, they're not turning your kids into plugged in zombies and there isn't always something "better to be doing". Games can form relationships between a player and a story, games can improve higher mental functions and games make learning fun - and it's a damn good way to relieve stress.
Even though games might make kids more intelligent it can't be forgotten there's a big world out there. Sure, playing games for hour on end is fun and a learning experience but we can't forget the importance of social interaction, too much game playing would mean never seeing friends or having meaningful relationships. And speaking frankly, playing FIFA 2001 isn't the most fun you can have with two players, if you know what I mean. Nudge. Nudge. Wink. Wink.
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My parents have said it turns your brain to mush.
Like comic books
Like comic books
They can also improve reflexes quite a lot.
Can't sleep, sweaty palm, nervous tics? If your game addiction is getting too much take comfort in the fact there's hope for you yet! A recent Home Office Research Review has discovered that those joystick manoeuvres are far more likely to be improving your brainpower than developing the size of your thumbs.
Artificial Intelligence?
At last, no more hassle from your loved ones about the hours you've playing games. Let them know that the hours you spend blasting away in Quake make you a bright high-achiever more likely to succeed.
One British study surveyed found that kids who play computer games and been hooked on games for at least five years were highly intelligent, motivated and achieving people, but often misunderstood.
A follow-up study five years later found that they generally had done well educationally, gone on to university or college and then into good jobs and earning much more than the average wage. This information came from the latest Home Office Research Review by Jessica Harris, the report reviewed 20 different studies to see what effect computer games have on kids.
In the Home Office report it also looked at a study that showed computer game training could be better than teacher training. As the report says: "The study found that almost all students improved their reading comprehension test scores after training, although the poorest readers made significantly greater gains in the computer game condition than in the teacher training condition."
Though I don't think for a minute that teachers should be replaced with Mario it's interesting to see that in certain cases computer games can be beneficial in learning to read, do maths and an understanding of the world around them.
Making the next level…
NASA have also conducted research into how playing games affect kids. Their major report shows hyperactive kids learn more from playing a favourite game than from any text book. Scientists used games as a way to increase their attention spans as they monitored the children's brain waves. A game improves intelligence and can channel hyperactivity into more productive avenues, but is it useful in helping kids to develop general skills, that will be important in later life.
Games primarily are an escape, a dose of fun and stress relief to take your mind off other problems, but games are just as absorbing as films and the stories just as in depth as a piece of fiction. Take Black and White; it's been applauded for its total interaction between the player and their character, how it's a new level of game playing and absorbing each player into a complete new world.
Playing a game though, is completely different to sitting zoned out in front of the television or in a cinema; you interact with the medium, your actions are the story. If you spend hours on a game trying to solve a puzzle, you're using your reasoning skills not just being a couch potato with the latest soap episode.
When Rubik's cubes first appeared they were praised for helping with reasoning and basic mathematical problems, so why not do the same with computer games? The puzzles are just as difficult and far more wide ranging. Computer games engage parts of the brain like a toy, like a book, like a film, but unlike them, you make the decisions and you form the story - a level of mental activity unlike any other medium or form of entertainment
And what about spatial ability? You spend hours in gaming working on this, as you try to ease your way out of tight corners, through corridors, round race tracks and jumping from one platform to the other. If there is one positive from this, kids everywhere will grow up to be ace at parallel parking on a busy Saturday afternoon down the high street!
People will always complain about violence in games, but the biggest selling game of all time was a puzzle game, Myst, and the biggest selling game in the UK this year was a quiz game, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. Not a gun or sword in sight.
Will The Game Ever Be Over?
Tearing kids away from what's forbidden, will never stop kids from playing games, I spent hours reading dodgy horror books, it doesn't matter if you're not meant to have it, you can always find a way. Games aren't zapping brain cells, they're not turning your kids into plugged in zombies and there isn't always something "better to be doing". Games can form relationships between a player and a story, games can improve higher mental functions and games make learning fun - and it's a damn good way to relieve stress.
Even though games might make kids more intelligent it can't be forgotten there's a big world out there. Sure, playing games for hour on end is fun and a learning experience but we can't forget the importance of social interaction, too much game playing would mean never seeing friends or having meaningful relationships. And speaking frankly, playing FIFA 2001 isn't the most fun you can have with two players, if you know what I mean. Nudge. Nudge. Wink. Wink.
Artificial Intelligence?
At last, no more hassle from your loved ones about the hours you've playing games. Let them know that the hours you spend blasting away in Quake make you a bright high-achiever more likely to succeed.
One British study surveyed found that kids who play computer games and been hooked on games for at least five years were highly intelligent, motivated and achieving people, but often misunderstood.
A follow-up study five years later found that they generally had done well educationally, gone on to university or college and then into good jobs and earning much more than the average wage. This information came from the latest Home Office Research Review by Jessica Harris, the report reviewed 20 different studies to see what effect computer games have on kids.
In the Home Office report it also looked at a study that showed computer game training could be better than teacher training. As the report says: "The study found that almost all students improved their reading comprehension test scores after training, although the poorest readers made significantly greater gains in the computer game condition than in the teacher training condition."
Though I don't think for a minute that teachers should be replaced with Mario it's interesting to see that in certain cases computer games can be beneficial in learning to read, do maths and an understanding of the world around them.
Making the next level…
NASA have also conducted research into how playing games affect kids. Their major report shows hyperactive kids learn more from playing a favourite game than from any text book. Scientists used games as a way to increase their attention spans as they monitored the children's brain waves. A game improves intelligence and can channel hyperactivity into more productive avenues, but is it useful in helping kids to develop general skills, that will be important in later life.
Games primarily are an escape, a dose of fun and stress relief to take your mind off other problems, but games are just as absorbing as films and the stories just as in depth as a piece of fiction. Take Black and White; it's been applauded for its total interaction between the player and their character, how it's a new level of game playing and absorbing each player into a complete new world.
Playing a game though, is completely different to sitting zoned out in front of the television or in a cinema; you interact with the medium, your actions are the story. If you spend hours on a game trying to solve a puzzle, you're using your reasoning skills not just being a couch potato with the latest soap episode.
When Rubik's cubes first appeared they were praised for helping with reasoning and basic mathematical problems, so why not do the same with computer games? The puzzles are just as difficult and far more wide ranging. Computer games engage parts of the brain like a toy, like a book, like a film, but unlike them, you make the decisions and you form the story - a level of mental activity unlike any other medium or form of entertainment
And what about spatial ability? You spend hours in gaming working on this, as you try to ease your way out of tight corners, through corridors, round race tracks and jumping from one platform to the other. If there is one positive from this, kids everywhere will grow up to be ace at parallel parking on a busy Saturday afternoon down the high street!
People will always complain about violence in games, but the biggest selling game of all time was a puzzle game, Myst, and the biggest selling game in the UK this year was a quiz game, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. Not a gun or sword in sight.
Will The Game Ever Be Over?
Tearing kids away from what's forbidden, will never stop kids from playing games, I spent hours reading dodgy horror books, it doesn't matter if you're not meant to have it, you can always find a way. Games aren't zapping brain cells, they're not turning your kids into plugged in zombies and there isn't always something "better to be doing". Games can form relationships between a player and a story, games can improve higher mental functions and games make learning fun - and it's a damn good way to relieve stress.
Even though games might make kids more intelligent it can't be forgotten there's a big world out there. Sure, playing games for hour on end is fun and a learning experience but we can't forget the importance of social interaction, too much game playing would mean never seeing friends or having meaningful relationships. And speaking frankly, playing FIFA 2001 isn't the most fun you can have with two players, if you know what I mean. Nudge. Nudge. Wink. Wink.
Page: