Can Video Games Be Productive for Students?
Online gaming has been receiving a lot of attention from students belonging to the all-ages group. Almost 95% of parents mention that their children play video games at some point in time during the day. On the other hand, students state that online video gaming is a getaway from all the academic stress they have been facing all day. According to their schedule, a lot of students prefer to play video games after they’re free from their school, tuition, and necessary tasks. Many students have allotted a fixed period in the day only for gaming.
The habit of gaming in students is a very debatable topic that requires enough information to attain a conclusion. This blog will guide parents and students to make online video gaming productive.
Here Are Some Unique Facts About Gaming:
• The whole world of online gaming works on the concept of connectivity. Anonymous or known gamers connect online and play video games together.
• This brings in the aspects of competitiveness, zeal, and determination that help the students to get away from the day-long stress and live in the gaming moment.
• All of this sounds pretty fascinating. As known, excess of anything can lead to extreme or uncontrollable situations.
• The issue of excess gaming in students of age 12 years to 18 years has been a very popular topic of debate.
• There are uncountable risks associated with excess gaming that directly or indirectly affects the behavior, psyche, and lifestyle of the gamer. Well, the other side of the coin says quite opposite.
• Playing productive games for a limited and acceptable time (say an hour) during the day can do well for the students.
Some parents and educators suggest it is risky for students to play video games as it primarily kills or turns the time of the individual unproductive. On the other hand, some theories state that playing good games online for less than an hour a day can help the student in increasing IQ, analytical skills, and social skills.
Is Online Gaming Risky or Helpful?
This is the most debatable question in the whole field. The simplest answer to the question depends on the time that is being spent on gaming and the types of games that are being played. Technically, video games contain high-vibrant colors, motions, attractive graphics, competitions, motivation, levels, and sounds that attract most gamers. The concept of each game is developed after a deep-down analysis of the audience, its age group, preferred genre, and aggressiveness of playing. In easier words, the gaming companies are very strategic about the concept and gameplay of every game that they develop. Thus, there are uncountable attractive elements and aspects in a video game that attract the students.
Coming back to the question of the segment, the risk of mental damage by online gaming particularly depends on the types of games that are being played. Also, the amount of time a student spends playing video games every day plays a very important role in recognizing whether he/she is being benefitted or at a risk.
- Gameplay Time: Gameplay time refers to the period that has been spent on a particular game. The total gameplay time of a student should not be more than 60 to 90 minutes a day. Some parents complain about their children playing games for around 3-5 hours a day. Nevertheless, psychological and behavioral changes are often noticed in such students later.
- Choice Of Games: Just like movies, every game has an age rating that clearly states the age group that is appropriate to play the game. In many cases, adolescent students choose games that are developed for individuals above their age. Such games leave a negative impact on the thinking processes and ideologies of the students. Therefore, students should only play age-appropriate games.
There are multiple risks associated with excessive gaming or playing games that are not age-appropriate. Some of the major risks are stated below:
• Dopamine addiction is the most noticeable risk of extreme or excessive gaming in students. Dopamine refers to a chemical release in the brain that brings pleasure or satisfaction. The brain of the gamer releases dopamine whenever a gamer plays a video game.
• Some students that play video games excessively face emotional suppression. This simply refers to forcibly managing the emotions so that they do not leak. Emotional suppression can further lead to destructive anger issues.
• In many cases, behavioral changes are often noticed especially in students. Gamers that prefer violence-oriented games like wars, shooting, or crime are often prone to have aggression issues that may turn very destructive in no time.
• Poor academic performance is also a very well-known risk for students that play a lot of video games. Due to the gaming addiction, the time contributed towards academics is comparably lesser than the time contributed to gaming.
• Last but not least, students that are addicted to video games may feel disconnected from the social world. The social world we live in requires us to give it time, relationships, and conversations. Of course, hard gamers do not prioritize all the above-mentioned more than they prioritize gaming.
How to Make Games Productive for Students?
As mentioned in the above segment, online gaming can simply be worth playing if played only for 60-90 minutes a day. The type of game a student chooses to play matters the most here. For instance, parents often suggest their children not to watch a particular movie or a show as it is age-restricted and may put a bad impact. Parents should always keep an eye on the game collection of their little ones.
This segment of the blog suggests some tips to make gaming worth playing and fruitful.
1. When To Play
Positive reinforcement should be the right strategy to use here. This simply refers to set gaming as a reward for the completion of all-day-long activities of the student. For instance, parents can simply make a condition where children need to complete their homework first.
2. What To Play
Parents must make sure that their children are downloading or buying games that are good to play. Other than the age aspect, students should avoid playing games that promote violence, bloodshed, nudity, or inappropriate language.
3. How To Play
A wrong body position while gaming may cause serious health issues like cervical, slip disc, or weakening of the eye. Therefore, there should be enough eye-to-screen distance to minimize the strain and the sitting position must be taken care of.
Types of Online Games Students Should Play
Choosing among the vast portfolio of numerous games is the toughest job of all. There are various types of games from different genres, themes, and developers. It is suggested that parents should inform their children about the types of games they are not allowed to play. For instance, guardians should keep their children away from games that may mess up their behavior. In the final segment of the blog, we will discuss the types of games that students should play and how will they benefit.
- Brainstorming is the most important process to be followed for improving the intellect of students. Make sure your little gamers include games that support constant learning. Games that involve puzzling and problem-solving levels are often very good for the students.
- Believe it or not, children are in love with bikes and cars. Racing games are nowadays on a boom and are being downloaded by millions of users. They teach students about the important concepts of speed, force, and distance.
- Stimulation games are generally developed for giving the user a real-life experience. Not only this, these are one of the most preferred games on the web. For instance, airplane simulators are available on the internet that teaches its players to about the basic concepts of flying.
- Sports should not only be followed by watching but also by playing. Some of the most famous sports games of football, cricket, and hockey are leading the charts. These games increase the focus span and aiming skills of the students.
Summing Up the Blog, Gaming Can Be Beneficial and Advantageous for the Students If Playing Doesn’t Turn Into an Addiction.
Parents have noticed positive changes in their children that support learning and development. Again, the most essential aspect is the gameplay time and types of games that are being chosen by the students.
Some of the well-researched benefits are mentioned below:
• In younger children, it has been seen that the right games help them to expand their mental capability pretty faster than children who either do not play or play inappropriate games. It also benefits them during the early reading stage.
• It also adds up to the memory capacity of the students. Playing a game regularly for a couple of minutes supports increasing the effectiveness of the cognitive activities. Therefore, it may help increase brain speed and improve the thinking process.
• Undoubtedly, a game requires the gamer to keep an eye on multiple elements of the game. Due to this, children engage in multi-tasking that further improves the skill. It has also been noticed that gaming the right way can increase concentration power too!
