About me:
My name is Lora Bross. I currently live in Weston, WV. I am a full time graduate student, working towards a Master of Arts in Teaching with a specialty in English, and a full time mother of a beautiful 5 year old little girl. From this class I hope to learn more about the role of games within the educational processes, as well as gain a better understanding of the effects of gaming on the mental, emotional, and physical aspects of students formal and informal lives. Also, I hope to learn more about creating educational based games that are both exciting and resourceful. I personally am not a gamer, but I do occasionally sit down with my daughter and play on her Leapster Explorer. The Leapster Explorer is a learning game system which focuses on techniques such as reading, comprehension, spelling, colors, and counting. My position on kid's and video games is conflicted. I believe playing educational video games can be a very informative and inspiring experience; however, the video games that are filled with noneducational and violent aspects are in my opinion, especially in underage children, damaging on multiple levels.
Link:
Embedded below and also in my gadget list is a video from YouTube concerning the effect's of violent video games on children's learning and development.
I have selected this video as my resource because the subject of the effects of violence in video games on children's learning and development is a highly debatable topic. Although most violent video games are clearly rated and intended for older age groups, too often younger children are easily and readily getting their hands on them. Because there is no way to guarantee that younger children will not be influenced by the violence of the video games intended and rated for the Mature audience, it is the responsibility of the parents to ensure that their children are not being subjected to the intensity and brutality found within the adult intended video games that could impact their children's learning processes in a negative manner.
Three major world events that happened during my birth year include:
*January 1, 1981: Greece joins the European Common Market as its 10th member.
*April 12, 1981: The U.S launches the "Columbia" on the first orbital space shuttle mission STS-1 from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
*December 26, 1981: Saudi Arabia and Iraq sign an agreement in Baghdad ending their 60-year-old border dispute
I agree that video games can have positive and negative effects on children. I know there is a lot of violent and mature games out there that kids just can't wait to play. I'm sure that a parent can not keep their child away from all the violence in this ever changing world and this adds just one more thing to try to protect them from.
ReplyDeleteI think the educational games can have a positive effect on children as well. We all know that children love to play on the computer and with all other devices that are stimulating like the IPad and IPod, these games can provide a more in depth knowledge of technology at a younger age.
I was three years old in 1981, so I don't remember a lot. I do remember hearing about the Columbia space shuttle.
I could not agree with you more about the parent responsibility of making sure that their children are not coming into contact with these violent video games. After working in a child care center for almost a year, I have seen more and more children making guns, knives, and a bunch of other weapon-like materials from everyday objects that are found in the classroom. When you ask these children where they learn this stuff, some will say that their parents or older siblings play games that contain these materials, but other children will tell you that they play these games themselves. In this case, the parent obviously isn't trying to prevent their children from coming into contact with these games. ... For the events that occurred during your year of birth, I certainly wasn't alive in 1981, but I at least know something about the Columbia space shuttle... however, I know NOTHING about the other two.
ReplyDeleteMy position on video games is exactly like yours. Educational games are good and violent war games have no purpose. I was born seven years later than you, so I am not familiar with the events you listed. However, I work at NASA in Fairmont so I am familiar with the Columbia mission.
DeleteSomeone once said, "You wouldn't take your child to a busy street corner and say, "go play, meet me back here in a few hours", but parents often allow their children to go to their bedrooms hour after hour, alone.... with various games.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree that it is up to parents to monitor their children's game intake. As educators we are required to moniter the content that our students are exposed. I found it interesting that the gaming industry does not have a mandatory labeling system for age appropriateness, but most do so voluntarily. I can say that one part of the video that was interesting was the attempt by the federal government to send out "secret" shoppers to see if stores are selling inappropriate games to minors. The problem I see with that, is if it is rated mature age 17 and below are not supposed to be able to buy it anyway, and if they do get them, more often than not their parents purchase these games for them. I believe that it will take the cooperation of all parties involved to stop the sale of games to minors.
ReplyDeleteI do not enjoy violent games although I love to play video games. I have to tell you a true story that happened to me at Toy-R-Us this Christmas. There was a sale on games and I still needed a few things for my 33 year old son and while i was there to buy a board game I picked up a video game and when I went to pay for it I was carded because it was rated mature. I did not have my id on me and had to get a manager to sell it to me. He told me there is a $10,000 if they get caught selling to a minor. I had to laugh because I am over 50 and it is very evident I am not under 18. I agree it is very easy for younger children to get violent games to play from others and it is hard to make sure this does not happen.
ReplyDeleteI was born in 1981 also. Did you have a rough time turning 30? It didn't bother me too much, but a few of my friends were pretty devastated.
ReplyDeleteMy fiance plays Call of Duty at night on the weekends and I watched him play it one night. I just don't see how it is fun to play war and kill people. The effects also make me feel queasy. I think that video games should have ratings, but it doesn't seem to matter much because parents buy the violent ones and allow their children to play.