What Are the Benefits of Educational Gaming?
As video games reach more people than ever before, professionals outside the gaming industry have tapped into their potential. Educational games carry a number of core benefits, ensuring their prevalence in a world increasingly familiar with interactive technology.
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Brain Function Benefits
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Modern research has revealed links between video games and improved brain function. In an article by Steve Johnson of Discover Magazine, games are said to exercise pattern recognition, visual perception and open-ended decision making.
Enhanced Disability Treatment
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Games can enhance mental engagement. For example, the Center for Attention Deficit Disorder used the high engagement levels of "Tony Hawk Skateboarding" as part of an attention-sustaining treatment program for ADD patients.
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Interactive Training Tools
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Games can also challenge a player's ability to perform under stressful situations without exposing them to danger. According to Science Daily, scientists have created an anthrax disaster simulation to train public health workers.
Increased Political Awareness
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Educational games also have the potential to tackle political issues. The game "Darfur is Dying" puts players in the shoes of a typical Darfur citizen, while Newsgaming's "September 12th" debates the issues of civilian deaths and terrorist recruitment.
Gaming as a Motivational Tool
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Educational games don't always need to tackle serious issues to be useful. In an interview with the Chronicle of Higher Education, "Sim City" and "Spore" creator Will Wright proposed that games can motivate players to learn more about a topic on their own.
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