Negative Effects of Games



 Negative Effects of Games   Common Criticism of Games  Videogames are often cited in the media as being a negative influnece in society. They are linked with everything from mass murder shootings in US schools to the worldwide prevalence of Obesity and Diabetes in Adolescents.

Typically videogames are blamed for being "addictive" and emersing the gamer to many negative contexts such as:




 * Crime and violence


 * Sexual themes


 * Things you learn.jpg and nudity


 * Portrayal of gender

Critics also point out that gamers suffer physiologically (from just sitting around) and the social isolation of spending long periods of time in virtual environments.
 * Minority Stereotypes

Specific Criticism of DGBL
Critics also object to the use of educational games or DGBL. They are concerned again with the addictive nature of computer games and the violence that children are exposed to while playing games. Educational videogames normalise the media and there fore can act as a "gateway drug" to hardcore violence.

Okan (2003) suggests that computer games are not culturally neutral. Some educators fear that technology is advancing rapidly through all levels of education without adequate design inputs or consideration to cultural sensitivity

There is a deep seated fear that if students are playing or being entertained they are not learning. Parents and educators fear that technology can actually undermine learning processes, while at the same time absorbing resources and funding for education.

Other concerns are that DGBL can dilute learning discipline and teaches students that learning does not require perseverance, critical reading, simiotic connections and collaborative peer learning maybe redundant. In other words, "in addition to teaching the curriculum, technology has an unintended effect of discouraging serious learning" (Okan, 2003).

Skeptics also insist that technology is being rushed into the classroom for the sake of technological advancement rather than for any learning outcomes.

Research

 * McDonald and Hannafin (2003)- researched the impact of technology on learning outcomes and found mixed results.
 * Salamon (2002) suggests that while technology may be eventually beneficial, teachers are trying to faciliitate new media into old systems purpose built for traditional learning methods.
 * Okan (2003), finds that learning through technology results in passive rather than critical thinking process in the form of entertainment rather than though the more challenging critical thinking process. It is argued that, when used effectively, digital games develop critical thinking skills through the process of active problem solving (Hostetter, 2002).

  