Video games have social, economic, and cultural significance. This can be seen by the e-sport realm that is constantly growing. E-sports, electronic sports, is a field for competitive video gaming. For example, League of Legends, a multiplayer video game, consists of two teams that compete to destroy the enemy bases. When competing professionally, players are sponsored and receive prize money similar to professional athletes. The League of Legends World Championships are broadcasted live for the public to view. See image below. It is clear that these games have an influence on players and viewers within this established community. Many teachers claim that video games are important for their students, yet do not apply them properly in the classroom.
At this point in time, many teachers do not know as much about the technology their students use as their students do. This has caused push back from many teachers as they struggle to challenge themselves to learn about new educational games. With this, most teachers, 83.4%, tend to use video games as a motivational tool. This incentive neglects the role video games have in a child’s education. When playing video games, there have been increases in problem solving, goal related behavior, engagement, motivation, and virtual social networks. Using video games as a reward devalues student’s perception of all of the other benefits students receive when playing video games.
Students do not fully understand the social and cultural significance video games have which needs to be changed. Having teachers receive training on the importance and application of video games is the ideal way to have older teachers make more of an attempt to integrate video games into regular class time. It is important to note that teachers should not let their students play games like League of Legends during class time every day, but there are some educational-based games that can still provide problem solving, goal related behavior, engagement, motivation, and virtual social networks that should be used in the classroom during appropriate times in the curriculum. I strongly recommend that teacher’s become self-advocates and research the ways in which games can be used in their own class. Video games are part of a larger picture as they are part of a global culture for those within the community. Valuing these the benefits students can receive in the classroom from games allows them to be empowered by the large community of problem-solvers. As a teacher, do not make video games feel like an excluded part of your students’ lives, when they are contributing to a positive global community.
SOURCE: “Teachers' Perceptions of Video Games: MMOGs and the Future of Preservice Teacher Education” by P.G. Schrader, Dongping Zheng, and Michael Young, 2006. Nova Southeastern University.
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