Video Game Educational Benefits

While we oftentimes only notice the entertainment aspect, there are actually many video game educational benefits. Learning new things and expanding your knowledge need not be restricted to the classroom. Video games can complement the educational experience.

With proponents like Jack Thompson constantly decrying the violent and sometimes unsavory aspects of many games on the market today, we also have to take note of the positive effects as well. Video games can very much be a positive influence in the lives of children, teens, adults, and seniors alike.

Perhaps one of the single greatest strengths of video games is their inherent appeal to younger audiences. Given the choice, many children would rather play games than read a book, so why not capitalize on that enthusiasm and take advantage of the available video game educational benefits?

Video games, like anything else, are tools. It's all about how you use them.

The genre of educational video games is far from new, but many games in this genre have not been particularly interesting or well-designed. That is really starting to change in recent years, however, merging the great divide between what it means to be a learning game and an entertaining game.

Based on your particular areas of interest, there is a good chance that you can find a game with great educational value. For example, Brain Age on the Nintendo DS is great for logic and reasoning. Alternatively, some of the hidden object games on the PC provide great stories that are based on real life events. In fact, there are even some free online games that can be quite educational.

Even if the precise content of the game isn't inherently educational, the actions that you take in playing the games can be very beneficial. Hand-eye coordination is one area of great interest, particularly in active games like Wii Sports and Dance Dance Revolution.

By improving dexterity, flexibility, and coordination, players can then adapt those skills into real-world situations. This improves their ability to play "real" sports, participate in active events, and so forth.

Similarly, playing sports games like NHL or Madden from Electronic Arts can teach gamers about the specific rules, regulations, strategies, and more about their respective sports. One of the easiest ways to learn about a sport is to play it and video games offer a far less expensive option than investing in all the necessary equipment and training in the real world.

By enjoying sports video games, players gain more hand-eye coordination, learn about strategy, and practice cooperating with others. Then, they can expand on these virtual experiences by trying the real thing.

As described above, video games are inherently attractive because they are instruments of entertainment. In this way, they can provide an excellent avenue for educating gamers about a variety of subjects, including history and geography.

For instance, you could consider a title from the Medal of Honor franchise to learn a little not only about the art of war, but also about specific historical events. These are far from comprehensive, of course, but they could get people interested in things that they may not have otherwise explored.

Another fantastic example of video game educational benefits, related to the last point about introductory history lessons, is the increased interest in music thanks to games like Guitar Hero. Some players have gained an interest in learning how to play a guitar for real, while others were introduced to artists that they may not have known or appreciated before.

Video games can be a great educational resources if you know how to look for their advantages.

• Video Game Violence Statistics
• History of Video Games Timeline
• Top Strategy Games

• Street Fighter Characters
• Free Online Horse Games
• Nintendogs Cheat Codes: Unlockable Breeds
• Street Fighter Characters 2
• Play Zuma Online for Free

• Positive Effects of Video Games
• Category:Video Game Editorials