Video Games in Education: Pros and Cons

We all learn by playing games. It begins in our early childhood and continues until we graduate from school. Various forms of a game develop various skills and abilities. They enhance our experience and knowledge. Accordingly, learning via games is a popular method in education. Today, many educators claim that the use of video games is also beneficial for learners.

Of course, you may find many people who oppose this opinion. They claim it’s nothing but a waste of time. Lauren Bradshaw, a famous blogger, and academic essay writer from a professional custom writing company Custom Writings, has expressed a reasonable opinion about this matter. “Video games can be helpful for students if they are solely educational. They make the learning process ingraining and give some room for creativity. However, even educational games may potentially induce certain negative outcomes.  They should be used with great caution.” We agree with Lauren and propose to review the pros and cons of video games in education.

Advantages

Educational video games have a high potential that cannot be denied. Therefore, we recommend beginning with a review of positive outcomes. These are as follows:

Engagement in the Process of Learning

Students, especially the youngest of them, need a diversity of learning methods and techniques to get interested in learning. The use of technology is one of the most effective ways to reach that outcome. It is a nonstandard approach and so it draws the attention of learners automatically. As students like this approach, they are eager to study well.

Enhanced Creativity

Video games have a positive impact on creativity skills. Students receive additional and non-standard ways to develop their learning abilities. It automatically boosts creative thinking. Youngsters review their common tasks from a different view. They try to fulfill them differently every next time, and it helps them in the long run.

Improved Cognition

Many studies prove that video games can boost our cognition. Some show that even non-educational games can help to reach that effect. Cognitive functions are developed during childhood. However, they can be improved and strengthened while youngsters still learn at school. It’s possible to:

  • Increase memory capacity;
  • Reinforce concentration;
  • Improve thinking;
  • Boost analytical skills;
  • Improve speaking, etc.

These functions are of enormous importance. If they are properly developed, students perform better and have high academic rates.

Faster Results

If a student is interested in learning through video games, he or she will reach improvements faster in comparison with standard methods. They are enthusiastic about learning, want to complete tasks creatively and originally. Thus, students improve various skills:

  • Writing and rewriting;
  • Proofreading and editing;
  • Creative;
  • Problem-solving;
  • Analytical;
  • Researching and others.

Disadvantages

Unfortunately, even educational video games have certain cons. We don’t claim they will surely develop. However, the possible risks are pretty high. Make allowances for the next issues:

Possible Addiction

Video games may develop anyone a strong addiction. Children are very vulnerable and get prone to being addicted compared to adults for many a time. Their inexperienced minds cannot be always logical. They don’t understand that they pay too much time for gaming. Many of them begin to play non-educational games, which seem to be even more attractive than the educational ones.

Distraction

Playing video games may affect the ability to focus on tasks. As their addiction deepens, youngsters pay less attention to their academic tasks and duties. They may be interested in playing other video games or even educational video games become their main activity. They reject other learning methods, and it decreases their learning potential.

Problems with Health

Health issues should be taken into account as well. Students can suffer from frequent gaming. First, they hardly move because they are tied to the screen. They also tend to eat junk food like chips, coca-cola, hamburgers, and similar unhealthy products. It leads to problems with weight and many schoolers suffer from obesity.

Poor eyesight is another typical and highly probable health issue. Youngsters look at the blue screen for too long every day. It leads to such severe problems as eye degradation, which can end with blindness. So, the typical health complications are:

  • Low energy levels;
  • Problems with muscles;
  • Headaches;
  • Obesity;
  • Poor sight, etc.

Parents should keep an eye on their children and limit the use of tablets and laptops to a reasonable extent.

Possible Behavioral Issues

Many people are afraid of negatively behavioral changes that may be potentially induced by video games. If children access the Internet, they can download and play any video game. Many of them are cruel with all that blood and murdering. It may provoke violent behavior in children.

There are no direct links to behavioral changes in children because of playing violent games. No studies have proved it yet. Nonetheless, many experts agree that it may be one of the potential triggers. If a child is predisposed to being aggressive, a violent video game may give the last push.

Social Isolation

Video games bring children into virtual reality, and it may negatively affect their social skills. Children get torn off society and do not go out to interact with their peers and other people. They are bound to the screens of their gadgets. It makes them socially isolated. They either forget or don’t even develop their social skills. It has hazardous consequences in the long run for anyone.

Wrapping Up

As you can see, the use of video games in education has pros and cons. They are important and help, as well as negatively reflect on the student performance. It’s necessary to keep in mind all the risks before any video game is offered to students. Only if educational video games are implemented carefully, youngsters will reap all the possible benefits without any harm to their health or skills. Therefore, parents and teachers ought to keep an eye on children. They should not overuse video games.

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