Topic > The Pros and Cons of Video Games - 1086

Unlike the opposition who say you can't learn from them because it's a waste of time, video games can be cognitively useful. Claimed benefits include improved problem solving, mastery of scientific knowledge, and the ability to apply learned information to real-life situations (Glazer 1). James Gee, a reading professor at the University of Wisconsin and author of the 2003 book What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy, says that “Video games stress taking your knowledge and applying it. This is pretty crucial to the modern world” (Glazer 1). By playing these games you can learn skills such as memory and better navigation, which are essential when working outdoors. But that's not all that video games have to offer. Another thing that comes from video games is the concept of morality, or the feelings and emotions shown when immersed. Matthew Grizzard, a communications professor at the University of Buffalo, conducted a study in which players play a first-person shooter as a United Nations soldier or terrorist. During the study, he observed that “…those who took on the role of the villain often felt guilty for the virtual bloodshed they committed and showed greater moral sensitivity…” (Keilman 3). Players who take on the role of the villain feel that what they are doing (killing good to further an evil cause) is wrong and consequently feel guilty for playing the villain. His