Can video games teach?

While many parents may believe that their children are wasting their time sitting in front of a computer screen or television playing some of the newest video games on the market, it seems to be the exact opposite. According to Elisabeth Hayes from Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, “Game players often develop sophisticated technical and language skills that can lead to STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) careers. It’s a hidden opportunity for literacy that we could take advantage of as educators and parents.” Hays believes that video games are an undervalued tool that educators should take advantage of, and the benefits are more valuable than many people are lead to believe. It seems that not only do video games help develop certain skills in children, but it can also help bring families together and help develop a child’s social skills as well. “Video gaming can actually lead to rich, valuable communication between parents and children, and between peers," she says. Parents alike should also learn to take advantage of this new form of education. Instead of making young Jimmy go outside and play, why not help him problem solve through the levels in a puzzle solving game. Such as Portal, Portal 2, Trials, Limbo, or even Tetris. These are games that could possibly get the entire family involved and develop stronger ties within the family. Video games also help teach the users many life lessons that are else wise acquired from only learning from their mistakes in real life. In video games however, it allows the user to make those mistakes in game instead of in the real world, where it would cost them far more to recover than it would to recover in a game. These life lessons transfer to the real world and can help the player with real choices. For instance every gamer, wither they know it or not, know that perseverance is key to achieving anything. "It can have an effect on a child’s choices of classes, the interests they pursue and their choice of careers.” concludes Hays. She also goes on to state how “Games are not played in isolation. They’re often a hub for social interactions, and young people go to fan sites and create artwork and tutorials for each other. They talk and write about the games, modify the games and learn to problem-solve.” So to conclude I would say that video games do in fact teach.