The “Wikipedia problem”, which means that children turn to the Internet for ready answers, is the new age phenomenon that baffles teachers and mentors around the world. There are an almost equal number of teachers who consider technology a solution and a problem. While a common belief is that technology is undermining students’ ability to think and analyze, there is also a strong opinion in favor of the ability of video games and digital devices to engage students and enhance learning using more than one sensory stimulator. Despite growing concern about the deterioration of attention, institutions are incorporating them into the classroom learning process.
Children are inherently curious creatures. They have a curiosity to discover new things and learn to discover and experiment even before undergoing formal education methods such as reading or writing. Science is a discipline of experimentation and discovery. The National Standards of Science Education emphasize that “science education needs to provide students with three types of scientific skills and understandings. Students need to learn the principles and concepts of science, acquire the reasoning and procedure skills of scientists, and understand the nature of science. As One Students therefore need to be able to design and conduct investigations that test their ideas, and they need to understand why these investigations are powerfully unique. Studies show that students are much more likely to understand and retain the concepts they have learned in this way. ” Therefore, it is imperative to involve children in science education at an early stage.
Digital games are better able to gain students’ interest and attention than other conventional means of imparting classroom education. However, some educators also find them guilty of exponential decline in children’s attention span. The following sections of this article discuss the involvement of children in technology-age games, the types of games available on the market, and the impact of digital games as learning aids in classrooms.
Games and the children of the new age
Digital technology has expanded the horizons of video games in the modern world. Children are subject to a much more complex and challenging technological environment than their peers over half a century ago. Children’s involvement in digital games is the result of many significant changes in the lifestyle and culture of modern society. The easy accessibility of technology, the disposable income due to dual-income families and the lack of outdoor infrastructure in many cities are some of the main contributors to making screen games an important part of children’s lives. A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2010) found that only 20% of census blocks are 800 meters from the boundary of a block. Moreover, the effect of peer pressure cannot be harmed in these times of social networking.
The digital gaming market is one of the fastest growing segments in the global entertainment industry. The US is witnessing an unprecedented penetration of digital gaming among young people. In the US, 97% of teens play some kind of game regularly. In India, the gaming market has grown a lot in recent years. Therefore, it is imperative that educators continually contemplate the use of digital games as a learning tool in the classroom. Institutions are also employing innovative ways to leverage the digital advantage to enhance the learning experience in schools.