Argumentative Essay

Video Game Use In Education

Argumentative Essay

Submitted as a part of the requirement to pass High Intermediate 4

By :

Gusty Aditya Arrazaq

BD 10020234

Mon-Wed/16.00-18.00/301/Mr. Marwito Wihadi

LEMBAGA BAHASA DAN PENDIDIKAN PROFESIONAL

LIA BANDUNG

2012

Benefits of Video Game use in Education

I.         Intoduction

A.  Background

a.1 Video games

a.2 Students’ favotite

B.  Thesis Statement

Since video games can be helpful in Education, students should picked the games carefully.

II.       Body

A. Brain Development

a.1 Ability Level

a.2 Improving Brain Function

B. Career Opportunities

b.1 Game Designer

b.2 Game Distribution

C. Social Behavior

c.1 Follow Suit

c.2 Game Rulse

D. Numerous Shortage

d.1 Personal Touch

d.2 Distinguish Play From Work

Refutation: However...

·    Personal Awareness

·    Emotional Balance

E. Game Filter

e.1 Time Management

e.2 Social Attachment

III.      Conclusion

Video games can be challenging, encouraging students to use problem solving skills, provide a foundation for a career in video game design and can encourage positive social behaviors.

        Video game is an electronic game involving human interaction with users’ interfere to generate visual feedback on a video device. The inventors of video game are Thomas T. Goldsmith, Jr. and Estle Ray Mann. On January 25^th, 1947, they filed a United State patent request for an invention. Today is the eight generation consoles of video game. Students can play video games without joy-stick, but they just use their mind to controll the video games. This is the highest technology to play video games. Nowadays, video game is popular because of two kinds: educational video-games and non-educational ones. In fact, video-games are known to have a bad reputation. Because more than a half of students in this world use this video games just for spent their leisure-time, non-educational video games are more popular. Students can not distinguish leisure time and working time. They play video games without learning anything about education from the video games. So, parents are worried that their kids waste their time on such a silly activity. Actually,  video games teach users (students) to stimulate high-level thinking skills that they need in the future. Therefore, since playing video-games is educationally helpful, students should pick the games carefully.

          First of all, playing video games developes the brain (The Boston Globe). Klopfer said that, because of hard video games to play, this encourages students to try to solve the puzzle. In fact, they have levels  increasing harder, pushing students to get to next level of ability. This adaptive process is “stunningly poweful” for learning (John Gabrieli). The beauty of video games  is the limitless ways in which it can teach students. Some games focus on mental tasks, forcing students  themselves to read to get instruction, follow storylines of games, and get information from the game texts. Also, using math skills is important to win in many games involving quantitative analysis, like resource management. Fast, action games boost different skills, such as visual acuity and spatial perception. Strategy games improve memory and reasoning. The research of MIT scientist conducted on video games improving brain function is so compelling that scientists are no longer asking if students learn anything from them. In brief, evidence shows that is for brain growth and development. As a result, students will have high-level thinking skills as one of brain funcions.        


           Subsequently, the best way to learn is when student is having fun at the same time. Having fun gives students motivation to keep on practicing, which is the only way to learn skills. After students play an educational video games, they get career opportunities. Video games intoduce students to computer technology and the online world. Teacher should recognize that all of people in this world are now living in a high-tech, sophisticated world. Video games make students adapt and be comfortable with the concepts of computing. They are learning how to create their own video games, and while doing so, are often encourage to make them socially conscious. When educators teach students how to make their own video games, this is requires math and science (CNN Money). While this may be a lofty and complicated goal, more educators are sharing it (Idit Harel Caperton). This is particularly important for girls who typically are not as interested in high technology as much as boys. Some examples are a game that explained what it was like to live through Hurricane Katrina, while another focused on the troubles jailed African Americans had in receiving medical treatment. Taking this a step further, teaching the students how to distribute their games teaches them marketing and the Internet culture. In conclusion, This type of instruction can lead to future careers in the computer science, marketing or in the video game design.

          Thirdly, video games can be a safe place for decreasing aggression and minimizing frustration. When student vents his frustration and anger in his/her game, it will diffuses his stress. It means video game could influence student’s behavior, both positive and negative. In the Japanese study, the students played games where they were helping others. They later acted on the positive behavior they just experienced through the video games. The same outcome occured with college students who played another positive social video game when they were “kinder” to fellow students (The Boston Globe). Video games are also tight on rules, rewarding player who follow them and punishing player who don’t, which is powerful way to teach students morals and ethics. In other word, student who following the rules of video games can learn positive social behavior if they are understand about the experienced through the video games.

          Video game not only has many advantages, but also has numerous shortage. Such as lake the personal touch and distinguish play from work. Generally, personal attention is very important but sometimes lack the personal touch that helps to promote learning and retentation in students. Moreover, when student plays educational video games or non-educational video games, he/she sometimes can not distinguishing play from work. This can cut the ability down to manage time well between work time and leisure time. Then, too much play video game can make student gets social-isolated. Also, he/she may spend less time in other activities such as doing homework, reading, doing sports, and interacting with the family and friends. Nevertheless, the numerous shortage are meanless compared on the beneficials. Because first, teachers and parents can make students aware of negative effects of play video games, so student will not play video games after they feel the negative sides. Then, by monitoring the effect of video games and observing student activities, parents can see student’s behavior. If it appears that student becomes more aggressive or expands his/her frustration, stop student from playing the games. Furthermore, video games will be challenging, encouraging students to use problem solving skills and provide a foundation for a career in video design.

        Teachers recommend that students should not spend their time more than one until two hours per day in front of all electronic screens, including TV, DVDs, videos, video games, and computers. This means seven to fourteen hours per week total. Parents should limit the time when student could play. Video games generally do not help to promote the same attachment with learning in the way that traditional learning would. It  is not uncommon for students to only see educational games as just “games” without giving attention for the learning potential. Teacher should give students a variety of entertaining modes to learn from, so students will not be addicted for one thing.   They should ensure to make them read books, play sports, interact with other kids, and watch good TV programs.  Everything should be taken in moderation.  In short, parent should filter every game that students pick by managing their time and attaching social behavior.

        To summarize, playing video-games is educationally helpful but students should pick the games carefully. First of all, level thingking skills as one of brain functions will be improved. Secondly, it can promote to future careers. Thirdly, the rules of video games are the most important thing for students because they will be have positive social behavior. Although video game has numerous shortage, yet if students aware and make their emotional balancely, it will be solved. Furthermore, filtering every game that students pick by parent will make them be adhere to schedule and behavior. Overall, video game is the most populer electronic game in the world, so it will be good for every people use this media to enhance the quality of life, especially for students as our next generation.

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