Video gaming is good therapy
 

Ofcourse we knew that all along, with Skybird having experienced the most remarkable recovery ;)

http://news.com.com/Video+game+thera...l?tag=nefd.pop

Not sure what to make of that one may be more research is needed, as for normal children the evidence of playing video games looks like that’s gone the other way. Signs of violent behaviour and bad langue, but I would say that come from kids who rack up hours of game play, something like five hours upwards everyday and in any case the research is still not complete.

Video games good therapy?

Counterexample:

http://www.break.com/movies/patiencechild.html

On a more serious note, it is been known for quite some years that computer games have a positive effect for some groups. Allegedly, kids suffering from ADHD can develop methods to maintain concentration in order to improve at some computer games. (Although, with the video above, one has to wonder if this is true.)

I do not doubt that some video games are good therapy, but some are the exact opposite.

EDIT: replaced the link, it needed login.

It depends entirely on the game we're talking about.

Barbie's Magic Poney might show little girls how nicely Barbie treats her bizzare pink Poneys and not much else.

But a game that demands logic, strategic planning and has consequences for the player's decisions/actions, will work the brain like Mathematical equation exercises. Not to mention the action games that require additional motor-coordination, reflex and tactical thinking.

The best experience I've seen was with Sim City (the last edition) on public school's computer labs. I don't know if any of you ever played Sim City, but it's a wonderfull strategic game. Play smart, and plan well, and you'll have a fantastic successful city. Plan poorly and in 50 years you'll have to quit the game because your city is beyond repair. It's a real pitty Will Wright has been so busy with The Sims, we could really use another version of Sim City, especially if it had an "expert", more complex in-deph mode for older kids or adults to enjoy. Unfortunately, he chose the other direction, and designed a Kool-Aid addon to let you drive Sims around the city and what not. An AAR-Replay feature would really help too, so you could return back in time and see how the city developed, or is developing. History can have some value.

Now, some games are just pass-time, empty entertainment or button mashing. Need to be sure to differentiate the types and recognize what each genre can offer, if anything, to each age.

STEED, I don't agree with that line of thought, it is actually one of the most terrible pedagogic problems we face today. "Normal" children are underestimated and treated like retards. If you do have an empty shell and fill it with nothing but 5 hours of trash everyday, the vacuum effect will absorb a certain amount through osmoses, that, however, shouldn't even be a problem. The empty shell is the real issue, had this child have an essence, anything contradictory to it would remain outside.

A recent BusinessWeek article discussed something similarly beneficial:
Class, Take Out Your Games: How teachers are using computer games to pique the interest of tech-savvy kids.

Snippet:

These days, computer games are usually pilloried for excessive violence and sex. Yet teachers across the country are bringing certain games into their schools as a way to pique students' interest in everything from history and politics to physical fitness and music theory. Among the most popular are Firaxis Games Inc.'s Civilization games, Take2's Railroad Tycoon, and Carte's new favorite, Dance Dance Revolution from Konami Corp. (KNM ). "We have to embrace the technology, because that's the future," says Tim Meegan, a Chicago history teacher who uses Civilization. "You have to either get on board or get out of the way."

I was always more of a fan of their Alpha Centauri game. It really teaches you that Poison Gas dispensing jet fighters, brain eating worms used as biological weapons and the good old fashion Nuclear ballistic missile are the most efficient way of dealing with religious zealots. :rock:

lmao :up:

Two games that I really can chill out and relax with: Deer hunter 2005, and Sim City. If there ever was a computer game having charm, than it is the latter.

That's research conducted here in the UK. I feel it is the duty of the parent to insure they give their children a full and enriched life and to control the hours the child is on a video game. It's sad to say this some parent's see video games as a way of control and that is wrong. To add to the case TV is also is a problem sitting there in front of that goggle box hour after hour is not going to develop the child’s mind.

umm...that vid is at least 2 weeks old :damn:

Sim city is great! :up: :up:

Age of Empires 3 is being used in some of our schools here in NZ also the role playing game NeverwinterNights created by Bioware has been modified (the campaign) for quests being pointed at education and team work, apparently it is been trialed in the UK and so far is a success.

But it all comes down to the parents, who buys the games?