Study: Games Make Kids Better Students

vansau

Mortician of Love
May 25, 2010
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Study: Games Make Kids Better Students



Kids will undoubtedly be thrilled to learn that they can now tell their parents that games will help them in class.

When a study comes out about videogames these days, it tends to be filled with depressing news. Recently, we've learned that <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/107006-Study-Videogame-Addiction-Leads-to-Depression>videogame addiction supposedly leads to depression and how <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/110496-Videogames-The-New-Homewrecker>a number of divorces are being blamed on games. However, a new study has just been released that reveals "puzzle games which exercise a child's working memory" are actually good for kids' abstract reasoning and problem solving skills.

The study comes out of the University of Michigan, where psychologist Susanne Jaeggi and her team decided to study the effects of videogames on the brain. As a result, the study followed 62 elementary and middle school children; 32 of whom were trained via brain-oriented videogames for fifteen minutes at a time, five times a week for a month, while the other 30 worked on "general knowledge and vocabulary tasks." The games were geared towards testing working memory (meaning that subjects were required to retain information while they solved problems).

Basically, the game required its users to fully concentrate on it to the point of blocking out distractions while concentrating on a single task. It turns out the only the kids who worked with the games demonstrated clear improvements in both abstract reasoning and problem solving. Not only that, but the improvements lasted for three months after the training stopped.

Apparently, though, "the authors stressed that the children who benefited the most were those who really needed them, as well as kids who do not find these types of games frustrating."

It's certainly cool to see a study that shows how videogames aren't contributing to the downfall of society, especially when it comes to kids. Maybe this will convince politicians that videogames aren't quite as dangerous to children <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.240897-Senator-Yee-Games-as-dangerous-as-pornography-gambling-alcohol-abortion-and-the-death-penalty?page=1>as things like pornography, gambling, and alcohol.

Yeah, you're right. It probably won't change a thing.

Source: <a href=http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/228449.php>Medical News Today

<a href=http://theartinscience.blogspot.com/2010/08/left-or-right-its-no-brainer.html>Image Source

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Stilt-Man

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Dec 31, 2009
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This is interesting news, but it's a far cry from "Grand Theft Auto beneficial to kids." The children involved were using puzzle games, not general, off-the-shelf games. As such, I can't really say this is a +1 to the gaming community.
 

SoopaSte123

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Jul 1, 2010
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Wow, games that make you think can help make you better at thinking? What a revelation. I'm so glad we have top notch researchers to help us make discoveries like this one.
 

Korak the Mad

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Nov 19, 2010
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I already knew that, but it is now scientifically proven.

It really also depends on what the game is. Games that involve thinking outside the box are beneficial.
Games that are mindless shooters or games like Grand Theft Auto, those ones will rot your brain.
 

Spacewolf

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May 21, 2008
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Only 63 people isnt a big enough sample size to get any meaningful data from not to mention it basically says the children who did better where the ones who where already good at these sort of games and didnt find them frustrating
 

danhere

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Apr 5, 2010
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Spacewolf said:
Only 63 people isnt a big enough sample size to get any meaningful data from not to mention it basically says the children who did better where the ones who where already good at these sort of games and didnt find them frustrating
For a qualitative study, 62 (I'm guessing you typoed?) is more than enough for a sample size. The study also didn't say the ones who reaped the most benefit were the ones who were already good at these games. They said that those who "really needed" the games did (in my interpretation, this means kids who were behind got the most out of the study). The part about frustration is obvious. That's the reason why these kids got more benefit from games rather than worksheets: the latter is more frustrating to do. If someone enjoys what/how they're learning, they will experience most progress. Furthermore, the fact that these games were engaging and immersive, as shown by the fact that children ignored external stimuli, made them more effective learning tools. Normal busywork, on the other hand, would leave them prone to distractions and feel more like a grind or chore.
 

Flailing Escapist

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Apr 13, 2011
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Oh really?
Puzzle games do the same thing for your mind that puzzles do.
I'm glad somebody figured that one out.
Back to sudoku for me. x3
 

Chrono212

Fluttershy has a mean K:DR
May 19, 2009
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Now all we need is various GCSEs, A-Levels and Degrees that involve TETRIS playing and then I'm all...set...oh.