Gaming, Kids and Education

Is there a place for gaming in education? Yes, I believe there is. Games in education can/should be used as a complement to classroom lessons, and as way for students to practice necessary skills to understand and grasp those concepts. Students have been playing games in classrooms for years, the only difference is the medium on which they play them now - the internet.

Advantages:

• Facilitate learning/Discover own failures
  
• Provide job market skills
• Motivate students
• Help students create goals
  

Disadvantages:

• Addiction
• Connection between video games and violence
• Lack of peer interaction
  

Statistics (According to David Perry):

• 43% of Gamers are female
• Average age of gamers is 30, Target audience is 37
  
• 83% of games have no mature content what-so-ever

I believe that gaming can have a place in K-12 education. I would not want to see students/children become so involved with technology, that they no longer understand how to
interact face to face with their peers. While on the other hand, the need to understand technology, including gaming, is necessary for digital immigrants, and must continue to be explored. Today’s students need to interact in both mediums to succeed.