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Scientists Ask for Gaming Research Funding 25

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."
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Scientists Ask for Gaming Research Funding

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  • by Fysiks Wurks ( 949375 ) on Wednesday October 18, 2006 @04:21PM (#16491559)
    I mean, if it wasn't for internet pron I would never have learned to type/mouse with my feet.
    • 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.
  • They just want money for the casino so they can hit big and never have to work again
  • 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?
  • war games (Score:2, Insightful)

    by chris_mahan ( 256577 )
    There's a reason the military conducts wargames.
  • by eclectro ( 227083 ) on Wednesday October 18, 2006 @04:37PM (#16491835)
    are needed to buy gold for WoW.

    It would be better if they just said that.
  • Heh (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Kelbear ( 870538 ) on Wednesday October 18, 2006 @04:39PM (#16491869)
    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).
    • 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.
  • Ah ha! (Score:3, Funny)

    by mgabrys_sf ( 951552 ) on Wednesday October 18, 2006 @05:01PM (#16492171) Journal
    Most brilliant scheme to afford a PS3 - EVER!
  • by XxtraLarGe ( 551297 ) on Wednesday October 18, 2006 @05:07PM (#16492257) Journal
    I don't know how we'd ever get any educational benefit from video games without the government getting involved!
  • 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
    • by 7Prime ( 871679 )

      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 d

      • 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,
  • I knew I should have stayed in college.
  • 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 gen
  • 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
  • ...I could use some money to build a new machine... ^^;

No amount of careful planning will ever replace dumb luck.

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