Applications of Video Games:

Are they all that Bad?

Ahmad Izzeddin

Senior Project

Sr. Samar Abbasi

December 22, 2022

 Computers have become a large part of today's world and children require more

effective methods of instruction. Involving interactive, visual, and audible learning which

could be done through the use of computer games. It is important for children to learn

new thing in the early stages of their life. As defined by the “Handbook of Clinical

Neurology; Vol. 173” learning is “the biologicalprocess of acquiring knowledge and

skills”. This means that anything you do that's new is considered learning. Since young

children are the least experienced, they are always seeing and doing new things,.

Therefore, they are constantly learning. Just as interacting with the real world is one of

the best ways to learn new things, interacting with computer simulations such as games

has also been seen as an effective way to learn.

This young age is a critical time in people’s lives to interact and learn different

things. So teaching them the building blocks that they will be using for the rest of their

lives such as math and science is extremely important. Children typically start

kindergarten around the age of five and are exposed to different subjects such as arts

and crafts, physical education, and basic math. When students reach the 4th grade,

they already have knowledge of mathematical concepts such as addition, subtraction,

multiplication, and division. Assigning homework is a common practice to further help

the students master topics and solve problems on their own. Traditional homework that

is assigned on paper is not exactly the most exciting part of the day for these

elementary school children. According to EdCircut.com “Most students enjoy hearing

stories to which they can relate, and tend to remember the lessons associated with an

experience”. Homework is not exactly a “relatable experience”. Sitting there and solving
problem after problem is a good example and implementation of repetition learning, but

some students may find it boring and not do it altogether, defeating the purpose.

Replacing this dull style of homework with a more fun learning experience will prove to

be much more effective, especially at this young age. It’s a lot easier to engage and

entertain students in the classroom rather than at home. For example, teachers could

use relatable questions and fun activities in the classroom whereas that may be more

difficult for homework. In the classroom, the teacher can also adapt to the situation and

mood of the students at that given time. That is impossible for traditional paper

homework since the teacher is not there. According to a study done by J. Zaragoza and

B. Fraser in 2017, students between the ages of 9 and 13 exposed to more interactive

and enjoyable classroom activities, tended to do much better than the rest of the

students who partook in homeschooling classes. This study, along with many others,

show the impotence of an enjoyable method of learning for younger students.

One controversial method of enjoyable learning is video games. There are many

misconceptions about video games. The biggest misconception is that video games are

responsible for escalating youth violence. This is false. It is true that video games have

been gaining popularity since the ‘70s but according to federal statistics, juvenile crime

rate have been decreasing. Add a quote as evidence for this fact. Although there

have been no connections between video games and increased violence, it is

recommended that screen time, especially in younger children, is kept limited by

parents. The Mayo Clinic points out how excessive time on video games affect

children's sleep patterns negatively as well as lead to obesity. That being said, there

have been some proven benefits of playing video games. Playing video games could
increase problem solving skills, critical thinking, and creativity. Playing video games

could also improve manual dexterity, since hand-eye coordination is a very large part of

almost every game. Some games are even trying to eliminate obesity as a side effect by

creating sports games that require you to get up and move so that you may move your

character. By putting a sensor in the room you are using, the game tracks your

movements and implements them into the game. This is also a large part of many new

virtual reality games. Of course all of these benefits are only true if the amount of time

played is reasonable. In the end, it all comes down to the amount of time spent on video

games. Too much of anything will end up being bad for you, no matter how good it is for

you normally.

Another major benefit of video games is that they are enjoyable and can be

programmed to do almost anything. It can be anywhere from a little pixel, bouncing

between two player controlled platforms to a vast open world game with infinite

possibilities and creations for the player to explore. Of course, educational games are

no exception. Video games have been a topic of interest for education since the 1980s.

Educators wanted to use the potential of video games in different learning

environments. Since then, video games have drastically changed and technology has

improved but the use of this new technology in education has all but disappeared. There

are many ways that video games could be implemented into an educational setting. It

could be in the classroom or at home. First off, educational video games could be a

substitute for homework. Since many students loathe going home just to sit down for

another hour and finish their homework, replacing it with a fun alternative such as video

games would make this task much more bearable. If students enjoyed their homework,
not only would they look forward to it and actually do it, improving their grades, but they

would also be further solidifying their understanding of the subject. This would be helpful

toward everyone involved, the student who now does their work and learns a lot doing

so, the teacher who doesn’t need to worry about assigning homework, and for the

parent who does not need to beg their child to do their homework. This would improve

overall grades, knowledge, and mood of the students. On the contrary, traditional

homework could be very boring at times, and if the student is having a bad day, the last

thing they want to do is go home, sit down, and finish a worksheet. This gives video

games a clear advantage over traditional homework in this aspect.

Unfortunately, there are still drawbacks to this alternative. Not every student may

have access to a computer at home to play the game on. Schools could give their

students take home laptops to play the game on days that the teacher assigns

homework. This would also mean that schools would need to invest money into these

take-home laptops as well as invest money into the game so that the students could

play it. Schools could also assign the games as an in school activity rather than a game

to play at home. This could allow for multiplayer games so that students may play and

learn with their friends. This would be the more cost effective method for the school, and

you would not need to worry about who has access to a computer at home, but it would

still leave the traditional style of paper homework.

Video games are not the only option when it comes to enjoyable learning.

Another popular option is in class activities. From small ice breakers to labs in science

class, there are activities that are engaging and help the students learn in a different

way. These class activities could also include video games. One of the most popular
games played in classrooms is Kahoot!. Kahoot! is a trivia based game that allows the

teacher to choose a topic that the students will compete in. It creates a fun and

competitive game for the students to play in the classroom. The downside to these

activities is that they are not played very often and cannot serve as a main teaching

tool. Another popular form of enjoyable learning is field trips. Schools could take their

students to many places ranging from museums to parks to zoo’s. Usually they go to

learn about different things such as history, biology, and other sciences. The downside

to this is that field trips usually require a lot of planning and money from the school and

usually can only happen once or twice a year. Another common thing that schools do

are school events. They are sort of a mixture between classroom activities and field

trips. This could range from field days to science fairs. These activities engage the

students in different aspects of learning and allow them to compete between eachother

for bragging rights. The downside is that usually a whole school day would have to be

sacrificed for these events and can also only happen a couple of times a year. These

are all good methods of making learning fun and are all implemented in current school

systems., However, video games prove to be the most beneficial.

Video games can be programmed to do whatever the creator wants. Instead of

going to a zoo or museum, modern games could take you to places that could not be

easily reached normally. For example, you can relive historical events or virtually

explore another galaxy. All of these impossibilities suddenly become possible. Of course

nothing can actually replace the thrill of being there in person, and actual field trips

should not be abandoned, but virtual simulations are the next best thing. You can

explore the deepest parts of the ocean one period then help build the pyramids the next.
The possibilities are endless. Implementing video games into the education system will

allow students to really learn and experience things that are normally not possible. By

replacing boring, mind numbing lectures with exciting, educational adventures, the

mood of the classroom will overall increase, and the knowledge retained by the students

will also increase.

Ultimately, creating one game that will allow students to do all of these wonderful

things is the end goal. Putting this game out for free for schools and organizations to

use for math and science will allow for drastic increases in the effectiveness of early

education. Allowing students to spend a controlled amount of time playing video games

to better themselves each day is the best solution. Playing alone or with friends will both

be options so that you can learn alone or you can go on adventures with friends.

Creating the game is the easy part. To implement this game into the current education

system will prove to be the more difficult part of this task.

Learning at a young age is very important, but no matter how old you are, you

should continue to learn. Islam teaches us that learning is one of the most important

things that one can do. No matter your age, you should always seek to learn

Learningdoes not only benefit us, but also benefits others by spreading knowledge and

use it for the betterment of humanity. The prophet (PBUH) said in a hadith sahih “The

best of you are those who learned the Quran and taught it” (Sahih Al-Bukhari: 5027).

This shows us the importance of learning and teaching. “The best of you” the people

who are regarded as the best in our religion are those who learn and teach. The first

word of the Quran revealed to the prophet (PBUH) was “read”. Reading is the basis of

learning, and it is literally the beginning of islam. “There is no god but He: That is the
witness of Allah, His angels, and those endued with knowledge, standing firm on justice.

There is no god but He, the Exalted in Power, the Wise” [The Holy Quran; 3:18]. Allah

says that He, His angels and the people of knowledge are those who are just and on the

path of justice. Being just requires someone to be wise. This shows that being

knowledgeable and having knowledge allows someone to make wiser decisions thus

being able to pass just judgment on people, whether as a judge or a leader. Another

Sahih narration from the prophet (PBUH): Anas ibn Malik reports the prophet saying:

“Seeking knowledge is an obligation on every Muslim”. If something is an obligation in

Islam, it also makes it a form of worship. This hadith tells us that seeking knowledge is a

worship and that every single Muslim should be seeking knowledge. According to M.

Abuarqub in “Islamic Perspectives on Education”: “Hence, Muslims believe that Allah

created humanity and commanded that they seek knowledge in order to become

stronger in their faith”. Seeking and gaining knowledge allows us to maintain and build

upon our relationship with Allah, proving the significance of knowledge in Islam.

In conclusion, education at an early age allows for better retainment of

knowledge and is a very important part of the learning process. Learning something

while enjoying it also allows for better understanding and retainment of knowledge.

Implementing video games into early education combines those two statements and will

allow young students to learn and understand core subjects such as math and science

more effectively than traditional homework. On top of that, Allah and his messenger

have ordered us to seek knowledge and improve ourselves so we should strive to do so

regardless of age.
 Bibliography

● Ahmed, I. (2019, December 30). Ten hadith on knowledge. The Siasat Daily.

Retrieved December 24, 2022, from

https://www.siasat.com/ten-hadith-knowledge-1777309/

● Ball, C. (1994). Start right: The importance of early learning. Royal Soc. of Arts.

● cms_app. (2022, February 1). Benefits of video games for Kids & Adults. GEICO

Living. Retrieved December 24, 2022, from

 https://www.geico.com/living/home/technology/9-reasons-to-give-video-games-a-

try/

● Daastol, E. (n.d.). ProQuest | Databases, EBooks and Technology for Research.

ProQuest. Retrieved December 24, 2022, from https://about.proquest.com/

● DH;, M. M. H. C. A. U. (n.d.). Promoting children's learning and transfer across

informal science, technology, engineering, and Mathematics learning

experiences. Journal of experimental child psychology. Retrieved December 24,

2022, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30025257/

● Edward Luker, L. P. C. (2022, August 25). Video games and screen addiction.

Mayo Clinic Health System. Retrieved December 24, 2022, from

https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/are

-video-games-and-screens-another-addiction

● Iberdrola. (2021, April 22). Why your children really should play videogames.

Iberdrola. Retrieved December 24, 2022, from

https://www.iberdrola.com/talent/benefits-video-games-learning#:~:text=However

%2C%20the%20benefits%20of%20videogames,contents%20and%20develop%2

0cognitive%20skills

● Smith, D. (n.d.). Revealing the truth about video game myths & their affect on

children. horizon. Retrieved December 24, 2022, from

https://www.horizoneducationcenters.org/blog/bid/202986/revealing-the-truth-abo

ut-video-game-myths-their-affect-on-children

● Squire, K. (n.d.). Video games in education - skatekidsonline.com.

skatekidsonline. Retrieved December 24, 2022, from

 http://www.skatekidsonline.com/parents_teachers/Video_games_in_education_U

pdated.pdf

● Staff, E. C. (2019, November 21). Why learning should be fun. edCircuit.

Retrieved December 24, 2022, from https://edcircuit.com/learning-should-be-fun/

● TEDxTalks. (2018, May 31). The Super Mario Effect - tricking your brain into

learning more | Mark Rober | tedxpenn. YouTube. Retrieved December 24, 2022,

from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vJRopau0g0

● Zaragoza, J. M., & Fraser, B. J. (2016, October 25). Field-study science

classrooms as positive and enjoyable learning environments - learning

environments research. SpringerLink. Retrieved December 24, 2022, from

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10984-016-9219-4