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Games As A Multitasking Aid?

Posted by simoniker on from the do-this-and-this-while-doing-this dept.

Thanks to the MIT Technology Review for their article discussing the value of videogames in teaching multitasking skills. The opening paragraph posits: "Playing computer games doesn't shorten kids' attention spans - it helps them to manage competing demands in the new era of 'continuous partial attention.'", and goes on to suggest that "...much as earlier civilizations used play to sharpen their hunting skills, we use computer games to exercise and enhance our information processing capabilities", although the article's author, Dr.Henry Jenkins, warns that these new skills "...should not come at the expense of older forms of literacy."

1 of 21 comments (clear)

  1. depends by Tirel · · Score: 2, Insightful

    .. which games you are playing. Sure, quake might be good for reflexes, but you don't exactly learn anything else. Baldur's gate 2 has great learning potential, especially if you play a solo mage. Simulations are great for teaching physics, etc.. I think most can be learnt from RPGs where you have enough freedom for bad choices to reflect in the game, fallout 2 was excellent in this.

    But think about it for a second? What about other software? If a windows user installs unix, doesn't he (eventually) learn a shitload of beneficial things? Things not only intellectually stimulating, but also great if you're looking for a job, and it's fun too. My opinion is that for instance, learning linux (or any unix really) has more good effects than playing games, combined with todays internet information services (bookwarez;), who needs school?