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Scientists Ask for Gaming Research Funding

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the learning-through-pwning dept.

Ars Technica reports on a request by the Federation of American Scientists to support videogaming in education through government grants. The request comes via a report stating that gaming promotes higher-level thinking, and may eventually give students an edge in the modern global workplace. From the article: "The panel determined that there are, in fact, skills learned by video games that are of value to today's employers, including 'strategic and analytical thinking, problem solving, planning and execution, decision-making, and adaptation to rapid change.' Additionally, they found that video games foster goal-setting, practice in patience, and even team building. Carefully noting that there is a difference between video games developed for entertainment versus education, the FAS's report says that an emphasis in learning in video games could greatly benefit future generations of workers."

25 comments

  1. Computers/Internet can assist learning... by Fysiks+Wurks · · Score: 3, Funny

    I mean, if it wasn't for internet pron I would never have learned to type/mouse with my feet.

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    P226
    1. Re:Computers/Internet can assist learning... by FuzzyDaddy · · Score: 1

      During many long nights of pacing up and down with a fussing newborn, I often thought about a mouse I could operate with my feet, so I could at least surf the web. Of course, by the time I had the mental acuity to do anything about it, the need passed.

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      It's not wasting time, I'm educating myself.
  2. They just want money for the casino by Joe+The+Dragon · · Score: 1

    They just want money for the casino so they can hit big and never have to work again

  3. Proofreaders needed at Ars Technica by smbarbour · · Score: 1

    The panel determined that there are, in fact, skills learned by video games that are of value to today's employers, including 'strategic and analytical thinking, problem solving, planning and execution, decision-making, and adaptation to rapid change.

    Am I to understand that video games are learning skills, or does someone need to learn the skill of writing coherent sentences?

    1. Re:Proofreaders needed at Ars Technica by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Skills learned by video games" could mean learned by playing video games. It still reads right that way. I'm not sure if that sentance is grammatically correct though. They may also have meant gamers instead of games.

    2. Re:Proofreaders needed at Ars Technica by smbarbour · · Score: 2, Informative

      If they had meant "skills learned by playing video games" they should have phrased it that way or by either phrasing it as "skills taught by playing video games" or "skills learned from video games" It is incorrect to use it as "skills learned by video games" except in the case that the video games are actually learning skills (or you happen to be Yoda, which judging by how the rest of the article is phrase, Jacqui Cheng is obviously not Yoda).

      Obviously we are going into an area where normal grammar rules are not enough. Grammatically, the past tense verb "learned" can be modified by any noun (such as "games", which in this case is modified as well by the word "video" which, while normally a noun itself, is used as an adjective). You could just as easily say "skills learned by lawnmowers" and it would be grammatically correct, but it would still be intellectually wrong (except as noted above which would make for a very scary group of garden equipment)

      Also of note is that learn and teach are unusual verbs in that you can be taught and you can learn, but as you may have learned, you cannot "be" learned (as a verb (affecting a living creature. Other nouns can be learned by living creatures). As a multi-syllable adjective, you can.)

      * Please note that have taken the liberty of using comedic effect to both further the education of some, while providing a good laugh to others.

  4. war games by chris_mahan · · Score: 2, Insightful

    There's a reason the military conducts wargames.

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    "Piter, too, is dead."

    1. Re:war games by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ummm, do you have the slightest idea what a wargame -- sorry, wargame -- is?

    2. Re:war games by chris_mahan · · Score: 2, Informative

      Wargame - A simulation, by whatever means, of a military operation involving two or more opposing forces, using rules, data, and procedures designed to depict an actual or assumed real life situation." - Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory

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      "Piter, too, is dead."

  5. Your tax dollars by eclectro · · Score: 2, Funny

    are needed to buy gold for WoW.

    It would be better if they just said that.

    --
    Take the cheese to sickbay, the doctor should see it as soon as possible - B'Elanna Torres, "Learning Curve"
  6. Heh by Kelbear · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I'm a gamer, I play lots! I've definitely learned things in games that I've applied in the outside world. Gaming can train you in the application of the Art of War, a study of general conflict, not necessarily restricted to military clashes. And through gaming, these ideas are not just learned, but applied.) And if it weren't for gaming, I wouldn't know jack diddly about computers since I wouldn't need that knowledge to address bugs, keep windows clean, and keep my hardware updated.

    But really, these are fairly small things that can be learned through many other channels that bring more to the table.

    If gaming is to be used as an educational avenue it will need serious modification in order to add the lessons while still maintaining the addictive qualities that keep us playing. And thus far, I don't think I've seen any educational games that have really held to this. If you want me to learn when I'm trying to have fun, it better be damn fun. Otherwise, I'll save my learning for when I want to learn(or in the case of kids, for when I have to learn).

  7. Ah ha! by mgabrys_sf · · Score: 2, Funny

    Most brilliant scheme to afford a PS3 - EVER!

  8. Workers? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Is it me or does being refered to as a worker seem somehow cold and controlling?

    Oh well, back to killing mobs in WoW.

  9. Thank Goodness! by XxtraLarGe · · Score: 2, Funny

    I don't know how we'd ever get any educational benefit from video games without the government getting involved!

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    Taking guns away from the 99% gives the 1% 100% of the power.
    1. Re:Thank Goodness! by dubiousmike · · Score: 1

      Perhaps the government can afford the PS3 when buying $200 hammers...

  10. research requires funding by Xiph · · Score: 1
    If gaming is to be used as an educational avenue it will need serious modification
    The need for serious modification is what creates serious funding, most researchers i know spend as much time getting grants as doing actual research.
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    Blah blah sig blah blah blah irony blah blah
  11. Has it come to this? by r_jensen11 · · Score: 1

    Is it just me, or are kids able to develop team building, goal setting, practice in patience, et al without video games? Call me crazy, but I would imagine that video games can further hinder children's attention spans and patience much like TV can. What happened to things like sports, such as football, the other football, baseball, cricket, basketball, and all of that? What happened to activities like snowball fights, snow fort contests, and backyard games? Not to be a troll, but honestly, I'm failing to see how video games would be better for children than hands-on activities, especially when we're concerned about the growing rate of Type 2 diabetes and obesity. And no, I don't think DDR is the solution to that.

    1. Re:Has it come to this? by 7Prime · · Score: 1

      But video games ARE Hands-On activities. For the past 50 years, Children have been simply watching TV, instead of becoming actively involved in their entertainment. Video Games may well be the key to getting people to actually enjoy DOING THINGS again, instead of simply being spoon-fed mindless entertainment. The thought process that you go through when bettering youself in a video game is extremely complicated, and very similar to that of practicing an instrument, which development experts have known for decades increases mental awareness. The only difference is that practicing an instrument is rewarding for people other than the one doing the practicing, where-as videogames are not... but this makes no difference when discussing the more over-arching issue of developing general mental capability. People have a problem thinking one-step removed of what is going on. Most parents sit their kid in front of a piano because they dream of them one day being a sophisticated concert pianist, but then they'll boast to their friends that their kid is ALSO learning mental functionality. No parent dreams of their child becoming a video game prodegy, so there-for practicing video games is a "waste of time". It's all extremely biased.

      And this is coming from someone who's a conservatory-trained musician and composer.

      --
      Multiplayer Gaming (defined): Sitting around, discussing single-player games with my friends, at the bar.
    2. Re:Has it come to this? by n00854180t · · Score: 1

      I think any benefit gained from playing games is inherent to the way that the brain improves itself. So, it's more a consequence of the fact that any time you're forced to think logically/critically about a situation and do so repeatedly over a long period of time in an adaptive situation, you're going to have an increase in mental faculty (even if small for some simple puzzles). The key though, I'm guessing, is enforcement (repetition) and the logic/critical process in reacting to a situation(obviously, the more information the player's brain need take into account, the more involved the critical thinking process, and the more improvement). At least, that's my guess, since I don't actually have anything to back me up (other than anecdotal evidence that critical thinking in general increases mental acuity).

  12. Damnit by Hillgiant · · Score: 1

    I knew I should have stayed in college.

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  13. remember? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    There was a slashdot article a couple weeks ago that said there is no "upper class" in video games. Maybe in the near future games played in school will be it!

  14. Scientists begging for grant money by Scott7477 · · Score: 1

    This is one story where Slashdot editors got the title right. The FAS report is nothing more than a request for government funding. There are some good points in the report but one blinding flash of the obvious that caught my eye was this conclusion: "There are differences between games for education and games for entertainment." Whoa, knock me over with a feather:)..

    The report also states that "Poor markets, the exploratory nature of research on educational games, and uncertain returns on developing generic tools inhibit private sector investment." Private sector investment in educational games may be small relative to the amount of money being poured into console games, but there are plenty of educational games out there. I have been impressed by games produced by the Living Books division of Broderbund.

    --
    "Lack of technical competence coupled with the arrogance of power, as usual, leads to no good end."
  15. Zombie Defense by arrrrrpirates · · Score: 0

    This idea really isn't new. I've been training employees for zombie attacks with video games for years.

  16. educational gaming by Holy+Gamer · · Score: 1

    though the combination of words can cause the average gamer to shudder, if you think about it, a plethora of educational games exist in the world today, and many of us would not be who we are without them. Sure, there are the obvious examples of increased hand eye coordination and creative problem solving, and of course, the old time Lemonade stand, Number Munchers, Mario Teaches Typing, Oregon Trail, etc. But many games have taught me valuable life lessons rangig from personal behavior to morals and ethics to conversative abilities. I'd even go as far to say that I have learned more about being a better human being through video games than actualy dealing with people. I mean, have you seen the crap people do to each other these days? It's no surprise that video games are on the verge of being re-utilized for educational purposes.

    Now, here comes the interesting part (at least for me) I am a teacher at a private school. This was not my intended field, I went to school for creative writing as it pertains to video games (being sick of horrible and redundant plots, poor dialogue, and insufficient character growth and reactions) and I would love to have the opportunity to either help with this campaign or utilize it during the testing phase. If anyone out there knows how to contact those responsible for this so I can speak with them, please let me know. I believe my e-mail address will post with this, but if it does not, reach me at my work e-mail 'j.ginsberg@wfha.org'

    The sooner we can bring video games into the mainstream through education, the sooner we can prove to all the older generations (no offense meant) that video games are not the problem with society but that society is the problem with society (and society is the problem with video games)

    Thanks for listening

    --
    J. Ginsberg Wholly Gamer The Path Leads Upwards
  17. While they're at it... by John+Pfeiffer · · Score: 1

    ...I could use some money to build a new machine... ^^;

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    Friend: "The NIC is misconfigured..." Me: "No prob, I'll just telnet in and fix it." *Silence*