Terry Hargreaves
Central High School
May 14th, 2024
If ten randomly selected people were asked whether they had played games before, everyone would answer the same: yes. Yet, if the same people were to be asked whether they had played video games before, the answers may vary. Some, such as children and teenagers, may have been banned from playing it due to their parents’ beliefs that video games are harmful to their health and education. Although both are types of games, the latter has a tendency to be biased and harmful simply because it has long been believed to be so. However, recent studies have shown positive effects of video games on both the learning process in the classroom and during rehabilitation in therapy.
Video games require a number of skills, such as navigation, memory, timing, patience, communication, and a variety of others essential to excelling in them. For instance, Super Mario 64 requires the use of the hippocampus, a part of the brain used for navigation, spatial processing, and memory. Repeated usage of the hippocampus leads to an increase in gray matter, the tissues in the brain that process information (Teh, 2021). The increase in gray matter also allows gamers to better control their motor movements and increase their cognitive processing, which includes memory, decision-making, language, and attention (Wisner, 2021). Using these advantageous aspects, teachers are incorporating video games as a tool for education. For instance, the rate of students dropping out of science, technology, engineering, and math programs, also known as STEM, has been increasing. Therefore, it led to the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology recognizing the need “to create the STEM workforce of the future” (Thomas, 2021). Research has shown that one of the reasons students drop out of STEM programs is due to the difficulty of calculus (Thomas, 2021). Consequently, the University of Oklahoma developed a calculus game to help guide students through the learning process. According to a study conducted by Texas A&M, a similar calculus game called “Variant:Limits” significantly boosted students’ scores in introductory calculus, with the score corresponding with the amount of time spent playing it (Watts, 2019). Although video games are often seen as a hindrance and a distraction to education, they are becoming increasingly popular as a means to enhance the educational experience in the classroom.
Not only are video games effective in the education process, but they also enhance the patients’ engagement rate in therapy. A common issue during therapy is the demand for patients to devote time to lengthy sessions with therapists. In other words, it requires patience and endurance of repetition from patients. However, the reality of the patient's adherence to long-term rehabilitation programs has been reported to be as low as 23% (Jahed, 2015). As a means to resolve this issue, therapists have been looking to video games for a solution by incorporating “console-based therapy,” a rehabilitation process where patients engage in virtual games such as golf to improve their balance using consoles. Research has shown console-based therapy contributes to the overall improvement in patient engagement, finding an increase in compliance, playfulness, and endurance. As a result, researchers found that it allows patients to better cope with the repetitive nature of rehabilitation they often struggle with (Deutsch JE, 2008). No longer is rehabilitation frustrating and dull; rather, the use of consoles and virtual video games makes the process challenging and engaging. Console-based therapy is not a means to replace therapists but more of a tool with the “potential to improve compliance rates and thereby improve the functional outcome” of patients (Jahed, 2015).
To conclude, video games are becoming an essential tool during both learning in the classroom and rehabilitation throughout therapy. It highlights the importance of being open-minded and flexible to be able to accept innovative ideas. Perhaps one day, video games may help assist in the process and become one of the mainstream tools used during education and therapy.
Word count: 663
References
Jahed, S. (2015, 5 20). Gaming Technology in Neurological Rehabilitation. Physiopedia. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
Teh, C. (2021, August 15). Neuroplasticity and Video Games. The Scientific Teen. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
Thomas, A. (2021, September 6). 5 Reasons Video Games Should Be More Widely Used In School. Texas A&M Today. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
Watts, E. (2019, February 13). University Students Who Play Calculus Video Game Score Higher On Exams. Texas A&M Today. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
Wisner, W. (2024, January 8). What Does Grey Matter in the Brain Do? Verywell Mind. Retrieved May 7, 2024.