The Wikipedia problem, which means children are turning to the Internet for ready-made answers, is a new age phenomenon that is baffling teachers and educators around the world. An almost equal number of teachers see technology as a solution to more than just a problem. While there is a common perception that technology is preventing students from thinking and analyzing, there is also strong opinion in favor of the ability of video games and digital gadgets to engage students and enhance learning through the use of more than one sensory stimulator. Despite growing concern about the deterioration of student concentration, schools include them in the classroom learning process.
Children are naturally inquisitive beings. They have a curiosity to discover new things and learn through discovery and experimentation even before they are exposed to formal education methods such as reading or writing. Science is the discipline of experimentation and discovery. The National Science Education Standards emphasizes that “science education should provide students with three kinds of scientific skills and understanding. Students must learn the principles and concepts of science, acquire the logical and procedural skills of scientists, and understand the nature of science as such. Therefore, students must be able to design and conduct research that tests their ideas, and they must understand why such research has unique power.
Digital games are more capable of engaging and capturing students’ attention than other traditional classroom media. However, some educators also blame them for the exponential decline in concentration in children. The following sections of this article discuss children’s participation in games in the age of technology, the types of games available in the market, and the impact of digital games as teaching aids in the classroom.
Games and children of the new age
Digital technologies have expanded the horizons of video games in the modern world. Children are in a much more complex and complex technological environment than their peers were more than half a century ago. The involvement of children in digital games is the result of many significant changes in the lifestyle and culture of modern society. The easy availability of technology, unnecessary income due to double income families, and the lack of outdoor recreation infrastructure in many cities are some of the main factors influencing screen gaming as an important part of children’s lives. A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2010) found that only 20 percent of census blocks are within half a mile of a block boundary. Also, in this age of social media, the influence of peer pressure cannot be undermined.
The digital gaming market is one of the fastest growing segments of the global entertainment industry. The U.S. is seeing an unprecedented penetration of digital gaming among young people. In the US, 97% of teenagers regularly play some kind of game. In India, the gaming market has grown exponentially over the past few years. Therefore, it is critical that educators continually consider using digital games as a learning tool in the classroom. Educational institutions are also using innovative ways to use digital advantages to improve the quality of learning in schools.
What are digital games?
There is no specific definition of games as it can vary depending on the preference and profession of the individual. Games can be defined as “a system in which players participate in an artificial conflict defined by rules that results in a quantitative outcome.” Technology and digitization are adding new dimensions to games where simulations, interactivity, augmented reality, alternate reality, collective intelligence and sensory stimulants such as sound and visual effects. Digital games are also distinguished by their mobility and unlimited accessibility.
Role-playing games, simulations and puzzles are some of the most popular digital games. In role-playing games, the player plays the role of a certain character in a virtual world, moving from one level to another depending on the result of the previous level. RPGs can be single-player games like the dungeons and dragons from earlier gaming days, or multiplayer games like Diablo III, Xenoblade, Final Fantasy XIII-2, or Mass Effect 3. MMORPGs or Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games are an extension of RPGs. in which a large number of players interact in a virtual online world. Simulation games create realistic situations in virtual worlds. The result will depend on the player’s decision making and reaction and will be very similar to what can happen in the real world in the same situation. Widely used in training and analysis, simulation games are also popular because of their unpredictable and personalized results. Flight Simulator X, Live for Speed (LFS), and Need for Speed have been hugely popular simulation games for a long time. The puzzle genre in digital games involves solving and analyzing problems with varying degrees of difficulty depending on the nature of the game. Crosswords and treasure hunting games are the main forms of puzzles in both physical and digital form. The puzzle genre in digital games involves solving and analyzing problems with varying degrees of difficulty depending on the nature of the game. Crosswords and treasure hunting games are the main forms of puzzles in both physical and digital form. The puzzle genre in digital games involves solving and analyzing problems with varying degrees of difficulty depending on the nature of the game. Crosswords and treasure hunting games are the main forms of puzzles in both physical and digital form.
All types of digital games involve the social involvement of players. Some need a collaborative effort to play, while others can be discussed or analyzed in the community. While some games have been accused of overtly violent visuals, a well-designed game can speed up the thought process by motivating, engaging, engaging creativity, and developing a meta-game, i.e., social interactions inspired and enhanced inside or outside of the game. Incorporating digital games into basic education can lead to increased competitiveness and all-round growth in children.
Digital games in science education – why and why not?
The 21st century requires mentors and students to integrate technology into the curriculum. While the ultimate goal is to benefit learners in terms of learning and experience, unsupervised, disorganized, or inappropriate application can lead to complete failure or have negative consequences. Some of the negative effects of digital games in general and in the context of education are listed below:
Digital games are constantly reproached for allegedly increasing aggression among children and developing a propensity for violence at an early stage. In a study by Anderson and Bushman (2001), children involved in violent video games were more likely to have more aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and less prosocial help. The use of weapons and rewards for violent acts are of general concern.
Digital games can be addictive for children and make them physically inactive. It is believed that digital games, in addition to social networks, reduce physical activity, which leads to obesity in children, postural and skeletal disorders.
It is also known that addiction to games makes children socially isolated. Impulsive behavior, depression and increased levels of anxiety are strongly associated with excessive play in children. Some studies also suggest that children who play games are unable to concentrate for long periods of time and have a reduced attention span.
Children tend to internalize socially unacceptable behavior through some digital games such as profanity and gender abuse. Lack of adequate knowledge about viewing materials available on the Internet is a growing concern for parents.
Digital games are considered an obstacle to better academic performance. Students often skip homework to play games, which results in poor school performance. However, despite their reputation for promoting violence and mayhem, digital games actually help children learn skills, content, and life skills of the 21st century. Through digital games, children can learn: content (from rich vocabulary to science and history), skills (from literacy to math and problem solving), artifact creation (from video to code), and systems thinking (how changing one element affects on the relationship as a whole). Strong arguments for using digital games as teaching aids in secondary education are given below:
Digital games involve extreme hand-eye coordination and improve motor and sensory skills. The Sensory Stimulation Theory proposed by Academician Laird (1985) confirms that effective learning occurs when the sense organs are stimulated. Although some studies show that digital games shorten attention spans, there is strong evidence for improvements in concentration over short periods of time. Digital games involve attention to every detail, compliance with the rules and active response to the current situation. Complex digital games help develop problem-solving and decision-making skills. Some games also include logical analysis of the situation and pattern recognition and improve memory, thereby contributing to the cognitive process.
Multiplayer digital games develop a sense of constructive competition. Joint games also contribute to team building. They develop time management skills in a team and teach players to cooperate to achieve a mutually desired goal. They teach players to accept defeat as well as strive for better results. Digital games enable hyperactive children to direct energy into a constructive systemic game. They also provide an outlet for releasing aggression and frustration, thereby helping to dissipate stress. Some games also involve physical activity, such as boxing on the Nintendo Wii, helping children interact mentally and physically with children. Complex digital games involve a high level of multitasking, which enhances the brain’s natural learning process. Brain-based learning theory suggests, that multitasking is an inherent activity of the brain, and learning is enhanced by tasks at different levels. Digital games develop effective situational analysis and strategy development in children. Because games have specific goals in each level and the ultimate goal of the game, it teaches players to develop short and long term strategies such as scoring, conserving energy, and reaching the ultimate goal of the game. Simulation games and digital role-playing games help players gain experience or learn by participating in replicas of real situations. Theories of experiential learning and action learning are based on the premise that people learn faster when they gain experience and actually participate in an action. Digital games develop effective situational analysis and strategy development in children. Because games have specific goals in each level and the ultimate goal of the game, it teaches players to develop short and long term strategies such as scoring, conserving energy, and reaching the ultimate goal of the game. Simulation games and digital role-playing games help players gain experience or learn by participating in replicas of real situations. Theories of experiential learning and action learning are based on the premise that people learn faster when they gain experience and actually participate in an action. Digital games develop effective situational analysis and strategy development in children. Because games have specific goals in each level and the ultimate goal of the game, it teaches players to develop short and long term strategies such as scoring, conserving energy, and reaching the ultimate goal of the game. Simulation games and digital role-playing games help players gain experience or learn by participating in replicas of real situations. Theories of experiential learning and action learning are based on the premise that people learn faster when they gain experience and actually participate in an action. it teaches players to develop short and long term strategies such as scoring, conserving energy, and reaching the end goal of the game. Simulation games and digital role-playing games help players gain experience or learn by participating in replicas of real situations. Theories of experiential learning and action learning are based on the premise that people learn faster when they gain experience and actually participate in an action. it teaches players to develop short and long term strategies such as scoring, saving energy and achieving the ultimate goal of the game. Simulation games and digital role-playing games help players gain experience or learn by participating in replicas of real situations. Theories of experiential learning and action learning are based on the premise that people learn faster when they gain experience and actually participate in an action.