Study Recommends Online Gaming, Social Networking For Kids

Blue's News pointed out a report about a study sponsored by the MacArthur Foundation which found that online gaming and social networking are beneficial to children, teaching them basic technical skills and how to communicate in the Information Age. The study was conducted over a period of three years, with researchers interviewing hundreds of children and monitoring thousands of hours of online time. The full white paper (PDF) is also available. "For a minority of children, the casual use of social media served as a springboard to them gaining technological expertise — labeled in the study as 'geeking out,' the researchers said. By asking friends or getting help from people met through online groups, some children learned to adjust the software code underpinning some of the video games they played, edit videos and fix computer hardware. Given that the use of social media serves as inspiration to learning, schools should abandon their hostility and support children when they want to learn some skills more sophisticated than simply designing their Facebook page, the study said."

I've got to get my glasses fixed. I read...

[starglider29a]

Online Gambling

Re:I've got to get my glasses fixed. I read...

[gnick]

Hey, it would teach them statistics pretty quickly, right?

Re:Quick!

[genner]

Yes but it reduces the amount of abductions in parks.

Think positively ;)

[Moraelin]

Well, think positively: if someone abducts your child in an online game and takes them into the depths of some dungeon, chances are your kid will only need to use his hearthstone to teleport back to the inn ;)

Plus, if it's a raid dungeon, they'll probably argue about loot and split up sooner or later anyway ;)

Additional Social Benefits...

[TheNecromancer]

1. Better/more productive interaction with trolls and orcs
2. Able to dual wield weapons years earlier than other kids
3. Greater self-esteem when leveling

and most importantly...

4. Able to talk to virtual characters of the female (elf, dwarf, whatever) persuasion!!

Re:Sounds About Right

[Anonymous Coward]

I can certainly see how online gaming or social networking might help these kids develop a better understanding of technology. However, we probably don't want them to become obsessed with these kinds of interactions and become completely inadequate in conventional social situations.

N000B! FUCK YOU!

Re:Gaming is great for my son.

[dyingtolive]

Its far better than dressing in tight clothes, playing with dolls and being sensitive.

Re:Sounds About Right

[osfancy]

A good example to illustrate my point. I imagine that the only real world social interaction that you experience is rubbing up against people in line waiting to buy a new role playing game.

Re:I've got to get my glasses fixed. I read...

[Anonymous Coward]

If by "statistics" you mean lies and damn lies, then yes, since they comprise 90% of online interaction.

Uhhh... no. ::WHOOSH::
If you don't get the relationship between gambling and statistics,
I've got a card game I'd like to introduce you to.

Unintended side effects

[GMonkeyLouie]

In other news today, Jenny Tildwell and Brock Johnson, both sixth-graders, broke up on Facebook in the late afternoon, between seventh and eight period. A rampaging horde of schoolchildren across the country, composed of Jenny and Brock's entire extended networks, clogged the tubes to post, twitter, stream, or otherwise network their personal reactions to this saucy development. The internet promptly refused to put up with that shit and died. "We accidentally the whole internet," said one fifth grader, showcasing what was either a working knowledge of internet memes or the total and utter failure of the public school system's English language instruction. Neither Jenny nor Brock could be reached for comment, but the sharp increase in the amount of Facebook wall posts made by Brock on the profile of one Pearl Jaysberg, eighth-grader, seems to indicate that the drama is only beginning to come to a boil. We have been assured that the entire goddamn school will keep us updated.

Re:Additional Social Benefits...

[D Ninja]

4. Able to talk to virtual characters of the female (elf, dwarf, whatever) persuasion!!

A Female Dwarf? A FEMALE DWARF?! Have you SEEN what they look like?!

Dude...I was with you on that list until you said this. Then you just blew all your credibility.

O rly?

[Trevin]

... teaching them basic technical skills and how to communicate in the Information Age.

Is socl netwkng goin to teach them essntl comm skls lik speling and crct gramar?

IDTS