A bit of a counter to my post a couple weeks ago - this week, a study showed that playing "brain training" computer games could actually have positive effects on a child's academic performance. These games are designed to exercise the child's "working memory," but led to improvement in multiple areas, from reasoning to problem solving.
In fact, Nintendo has begun using their new genre of brain training games as a marketing strategy for the new 3ds platform. As this review reflects, these games appeal to a widely varied audience, opening up new markets for video game makers - brain training games have proved useful in many populations, from toddlers to Alzheimer's patients.
In fact, Nintendo has begun using their new genre of brain training games as a marketing strategy for the new 3ds platform. As this review reflects, these games appeal to a widely varied audience, opening up new markets for video game makers - brain training games have proved useful in many populations, from toddlers to Alzheimer's patients.
I have actually played a Nintendo Brain Training game myself, and I agree that they do help with certain skills including memory and fast thinking in a range of areas. The games also help to promote logical thinking, in the same way that sudoku puzzles and chess games encourage focus from their players.
ReplyDeleteOne of the articles I wrote about in my own blog covered the possibility of technology and games taking away from the more traditional ways of thinking in classrooms and in youth learning. Although brain training games do help with certain kinds of thinking, I also believe that they can only be used as a supplement, instead of a substitute for more traditional forms of education. Brain training games can augment a child's learning, but I do not think they can serve as a replacement for current methods of practicing reasoning and problem solving (e.g. more traditional areas of arithmetic). -Lauryn