It has actually been proven countless of times before that certain games improve education.
It's really heavily depending on which games though. So both sides will always be right in a way.
I read an article a few years ago that certain games can create a longer concentration span and finger tip accuracy.
A group of surgeons was given these kind of games and told to play it a few hours a day.
Their accuracy with the tools became much better and felt less tired afterwards.
Games like Braid, Portal 1 and 2, FTL: Faster than Light, any strategy game, brain trainers, most puzzle games, Simulators (even just on a console or handheld) all have elements that you can say are educational. There are tons of games out there that are based on facts, giving you information on things like history and culture.
For example: Dante's Inferno's story is talking about [img=http://img.waggish.org/wp-content/uploa ... ferno1.gif]"The layers of Hell"[/img].
Shooters only give focus and reaction time. Unless you really team up and go all strategic, which I haven't seen in the past 2 years.
However, some of them are based on historical facts and tell you about wars.
I don't think either sides can win this debate because they'll both be right to a certain degree and you can tell your teacher she's stupid for setting this up.
Games come in too many kinds. It's truly depending on the game whether or not it has advantages to education.
I don't know how the girls team is approaching this, but I have a hunch they are throwing stereotypical facts around. So I can't really help you with it if you don't give any examples of what they are telling you.
Good Luck with it though.
computer games
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HAPPYFACES
- Posts: 524
- Joined: 02 Jun 2012, 03:40
Drop "games" and you have your argument.
Keep "games"? Use this as an example;
I, [Anonymous], have grown up playing a game called Jazz Jackrabbit. It was/is a sidescrolling shoot'em up ala Metroid for the NES. Because of this game, I was reading second grade level at the age of three, I'm an avid gamer and find the inner workings of video games very intriguing despite my frustration with the level of work and knowledge you must put in to creating a video game. The social stigma that comes with having such an affinity for this form of entertainment surrounds me every day, I get disapproving looks from my mother and step-dad, and always feel pressure or this feeling of "I shouldn't be doing this" While I'm playing a game. But I've never faltered in the belief that one day video games can become a viable source of knowledge and a strong rooted and positive influence in our daily lives, just like Shakespeare, just like Beethoven, just like Alfred Hitchcock. To look down upon video games, to see them as child's play, would be juvenile in the action itself. It is a form of entertainment, it is created to serve your needs as a human being to play or enjoy something, and you learn something from it as well. Don't you? Haven't you seen something in a video game that you've never known before? Don't you feel emotion or feel changed by a Romance novel or movie? Can't video games do the same, but with a more involved, interactive, immersive push in it? It's not just the character that you play that learns and evolves as you progress through the game. It's you. Because you are the one driving the story on its one-track path, instead of following along with it in a movie or novel. Gamers, despite all of the bad things, all of the stigmas, stereotypes of the past, are no different than a movie goer, or a Romance novel enthusiast. Our drive to learn what happens next with our beloved characters, help them on their long and dangerous road, subject us to the trials and tribulations they experience in the confines of the technology. Grand Theft Auto. This was the game that taught me right from wrong, because I could do all the wrong I wanted, with no real life consequences, suffer the fake ones, what not... And still feel guilty. Because I knew what I did was wrong, going on a massacre in the game. I learned from that, I learned by being subjected to it. Anybody that tells you that those games poison the mind and make killers, are wrong. Killers are sociopaths and psychotic, and couldn't learn right from wrong if they tried. That or their parents were pretty shitty.
I digress. There's no shortage of the possibilities, all of the paths we can follow with videogames. Every other form of entertainment has proven to be helpful to education, so by reason of default, why shouldn't videogames? They immerse you in the experience if you let them, they put you in the position to do what's right and reap the virtual rewards, or to do what's wrong and suffer the virtual consequences. Don't shun something simply because of the stereotypes, "Games make you violent" or "People who game have no life". It's simply disgusting to think that something must be ignored or frowned upon because it is new. Trust me, games are still pretty new, if you think about it. it took a long time for movies to get a foothold as a viable form of entertainment for everyone.
Alright, I wrote your speech for ya. If you get anything less than a B, tell me right away. I'd also like to have your teacher's email at that point, because I'd love to have a little chat with her if she does give you a shitty grade.
Oh, I'm also going to go out on a limb here and say that the girl's speech will most likely start with;
"Video games make you violent."
"Do you know anyone who got shot?"
"The reason we think Video Games don't have any advantages to education is..."
Also, plenty of girl gamers. in fact, based on some third-party surveys, girls make up ~65% of gamers, so, fuck your teacher. Not literally of course, but she should probably not be such a bitch because your team is full of MEN.
EDIT: Also, go with Jorichi's explanation for a less Biased point of view. I mean, if you really want to. It just seems this thing was set up to be pretty biased from the beginning.
Keep "games"? Use this as an example;
I, [Anonymous], have grown up playing a game called Jazz Jackrabbit. It was/is a sidescrolling shoot'em up ala Metroid for the NES. Because of this game, I was reading second grade level at the age of three, I'm an avid gamer and find the inner workings of video games very intriguing despite my frustration with the level of work and knowledge you must put in to creating a video game. The social stigma that comes with having such an affinity for this form of entertainment surrounds me every day, I get disapproving looks from my mother and step-dad, and always feel pressure or this feeling of "I shouldn't be doing this" While I'm playing a game. But I've never faltered in the belief that one day video games can become a viable source of knowledge and a strong rooted and positive influence in our daily lives, just like Shakespeare, just like Beethoven, just like Alfred Hitchcock. To look down upon video games, to see them as child's play, would be juvenile in the action itself. It is a form of entertainment, it is created to serve your needs as a human being to play or enjoy something, and you learn something from it as well. Don't you? Haven't you seen something in a video game that you've never known before? Don't you feel emotion or feel changed by a Romance novel or movie? Can't video games do the same, but with a more involved, interactive, immersive push in it? It's not just the character that you play that learns and evolves as you progress through the game. It's you. Because you are the one driving the story on its one-track path, instead of following along with it in a movie or novel. Gamers, despite all of the bad things, all of the stigmas, stereotypes of the past, are no different than a movie goer, or a Romance novel enthusiast. Our drive to learn what happens next with our beloved characters, help them on their long and dangerous road, subject us to the trials and tribulations they experience in the confines of the technology. Grand Theft Auto. This was the game that taught me right from wrong, because I could do all the wrong I wanted, with no real life consequences, suffer the fake ones, what not... And still feel guilty. Because I knew what I did was wrong, going on a massacre in the game. I learned from that, I learned by being subjected to it. Anybody that tells you that those games poison the mind and make killers, are wrong. Killers are sociopaths and psychotic, and couldn't learn right from wrong if they tried. That or their parents were pretty shitty.
I digress. There's no shortage of the possibilities, all of the paths we can follow with videogames. Every other form of entertainment has proven to be helpful to education, so by reason of default, why shouldn't videogames? They immerse you in the experience if you let them, they put you in the position to do what's right and reap the virtual rewards, or to do what's wrong and suffer the virtual consequences. Don't shun something simply because of the stereotypes, "Games make you violent" or "People who game have no life". It's simply disgusting to think that something must be ignored or frowned upon because it is new. Trust me, games are still pretty new, if you think about it. it took a long time for movies to get a foothold as a viable form of entertainment for everyone.
Alright, I wrote your speech for ya. If you get anything less than a B, tell me right away. I'd also like to have your teacher's email at that point, because I'd love to have a little chat with her if she does give you a shitty grade.
Oh, I'm also going to go out on a limb here and say that the girl's speech will most likely start with;
"Video games make you violent."
"Do you know anyone who got shot?"
"The reason we think Video Games don't have any advantages to education is..."
Also, plenty of girl gamers. in fact, based on some third-party surveys, girls make up ~65% of gamers, so, fuck your teacher. Not literally of course, but she should probably not be such a bitch because your team is full of MEN.
EDIT: Also, go with Jorichi's explanation for a less Biased point of view. I mean, if you really want to. It just seems this thing was set up to be pretty biased from the beginning.
Nice speech Happyfaces. Very nice.
The third sentence actually made me realize that I learned English at a very young age through games.
I never put my language options or screen text options to Dutch either. Not then, not now.
And that actually helped me skip two years of following the English class later in high school (giving me more time of to play games, HA!).
The third sentence actually made me realize that I learned English at a very young age through games.
I never put my language options or screen text options to Dutch either. Not then, not now.
And that actually helped me skip two years of following the English class later in high school (giving me more time of to play games, HA!).
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HAPPYFACES
- Posts: 524
- Joined: 02 Jun 2012, 03:40
Wins all around. Those who haven't grown up with video games won't understand unfortunately.
Thank you vurry much Jorichi :3
Thank you vurry much Jorichi :3
Wow awesome one, both of you.
It's funny, 80% of the English I know it's from games too.
I could say that some multiplayer games also help socializing. Actually even Local Multiplayer helps that.
Games like LittleBigPlanet make us meet new people and play with them, socializing, interacting with them.
Other games make communities which bring people togheter, for example, Mari0. You have this lovely forum where I, for one, met lots of amazing people.
Get Happyfaces' post, Jorichi's post and if you want, mine too and I don't think you'll fail.
Except if your teacher is a bitch like Happyfaces said.. I've seen teachers opposing games because of stereotypical facts and when I was younger I always heard "Violent games poison your mind" but I've never actually seen something alike what they said. I've played alot of non-violent or violent games, but I never got the need or feel to kill someone or hurt someone in any way. I must say like those two here, I grew up with videogames and I'm a normal person, like everybody else. Not a killer, not a sociopath, not a bully. I don't even like having fights.
It's funny, 80% of the English I know it's from games too.
I could say that some multiplayer games also help socializing. Actually even Local Multiplayer helps that.
Games like LittleBigPlanet make us meet new people and play with them, socializing, interacting with them.
Other games make communities which bring people togheter, for example, Mari0. You have this lovely forum where I, for one, met lots of amazing people.
Get Happyfaces' post, Jorichi's post and if you want, mine too and I don't think you'll fail.
Except if your teacher is a bitch like Happyfaces said.. I've seen teachers opposing games because of stereotypical facts and when I was younger I always heard "Violent games poison your mind" but I've never actually seen something alike what they said. I've played alot of non-violent or violent games, but I never got the need or feel to kill someone or hurt someone in any way. I must say like those two here, I grew up with videogames and I'm a normal person, like everybody else. Not a killer, not a sociopath, not a bully. I don't even like having fights.
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BobTheLawyer
- Posts: 2232
- Joined: 01 May 2012, 21:00
I'm gonna have to disagree with y'all on violent video games because there are many studies that show the opposite of what you suggest, but if someone brings that up, point out that this debate has nothing about violent video games, so I won't make that debate now.
This is about the educational value of video games.
There are plenty of educational video games.
When I was young, I started playing educational games like Put-put and Sly Fox that were meant to build your mind. And they do a good job.
Games are like books, as stated above. They really put you in a setting.
Also, if you want to give information, video games are a great way to do that. They are very engaging, so it will keep people's attention easier than a book would.
Video games can vary on types, that may work your mind in different ways.
There are spelling games, typing games, math games, thinking games, and so on.
They all build your mind in different ways.
They can also be used to adjust to different age groups.
Different games appeal to different people, so you can make the information appealing based on the game.
Good luck.
Also, who cares about a team?
You only need one person to win a debate.
This is about the educational value of video games.
There are plenty of educational video games.
When I was young, I started playing educational games like Put-put and Sly Fox that were meant to build your mind. And they do a good job.
Games are like books, as stated above. They really put you in a setting.
Also, if you want to give information, video games are a great way to do that. They are very engaging, so it will keep people's attention easier than a book would.
Video games can vary on types, that may work your mind in different ways.
There are spelling games, typing games, math games, thinking games, and so on.
They all build your mind in different ways.
They can also be used to adjust to different age groups.
Different games appeal to different people, so you can make the information appealing based on the game.
Good luck.
Also, who cares about a team?
You only need one person to win a debate.
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HAPPYFACES
- Posts: 524
- Joined: 02 Jun 2012, 03:40
Can I have links to the studies? Because if I'm missing something in the Violence department, I'd like to know. Just links, no speech pl0x.
I don't understand people who condemn video games as "mindless", "lazy" and "you just stare at a screen" and go on, while feeling smugly superior, to watch 10 hours of TV.
I don't understand people who try to ban video games because "they make you violent" then go down to the pub for some lovely alcohol.
People are really silly sometimes.
I don't understand people who try to ban video games because "they make you violent" then go down to the pub for some lovely alcohol.
People are really silly sometimes.