Part 1 :
It has become conventional wisdom that spending too much time playing video games
has a detrimental effect on children’s studies and their social development. However,
some educationalists are now questioning this theory and are using video games as
effective educational tools thus bridging the gap between recreational and educational
activities.
Due to the sophisticated nature of today’s games, teachers are able to justify the inclusion
of video and online games for many pedagogical reasons. Harvey Edwards, who teaches
IT classes in London, was one such educator who decided to use video games in his
lessons. He chose Minecraft, an online game in which players create and develop
imaginary worlds. He was somewhat uneasy about attempting such an unconventional
approach, due to students not being able to make sense of what he was trying to do with
it and possible diversion of attention. However, he couldn’t have been more surprised by
the results.
Minecraft is an example of a ‘sandbox game’, in which gamers roam around and change
a virtual world at will. The original version can be adapted to control which characters
and content are left in. Each student can then be allocated tasks – such as house-building,
locating items or problem solving – which they must complete within the game. Elements
of more general skills can be subtly incorporated into the lessons, such as online
politeness and safety, teamwork and resolving differences. Edwards feels that presenting
such lessons in the context of a game students probably already know and enjoy enables
him to connect with them in more meaningful and motivational ways.
Bolstered by his success, Edwards introduced his approach to another school nearby. He
recalls that the first couple of sessions didn’t live up to his expectations. Unsurprisingly,
differences in opinions between beginners and experienced players as to how the game
should proceed were far from harmonious. However, the sessions rapidly transformed
into something more cohesive, with the learners driving the change. With minimal
teacher input, they set about choosing leaders and established several teams, each with
its own clearly-defined role. These teams, now party to clear common goals, willingly
cooperated to ensure that their newborn world flourished, even when faced with the
toughest of challenges.
But not everyone is convinced by video games’ potential academic value. While many
cite extensive evidence to maintain that video games encourage collaboration and build
problem-solving skills, traditional factions continue to insist they are a distraction that do
not merit inclusion in any curriculum. However, the accusation most often leveled at
video games is that they detract from the social aspect of the classroom, particularly from
taking part in discussions.
Part 3: Scientific innovations ought to be publicly accessible rather than being protected
by patents for commercial gain. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this
statement?
Opinion seems to diverge when it comes to proper use of scientific innovations. While
some people are in favour of these advancements being protected by patents for financial
profit, others advocate their public accessibility. Although both sides are valid, I lean
towards the latter.
