Learning Entry Blog - Games for Teaching and Learning

There are games that are used for teaching and in ways can be helpful and also hurtful. Many parents think that video games are not helpful to a child's brain functions. However there are many articles that show that games actually improve a child's thinking process and critical thinking skills. According to Discover Magazine, video games are mentally enriching. It also says that there are "cognitive benefits of playing video games: pattern recognition, system thinking, even patience." In my personal experience not all games are beneficial to cognitive advancements nor are they mind enriching, but many games give a person a challenging outlet that often times becomes addictive because of the challenge.An example of one of these games that is beneficial is Tetris, the classic game of organizing falling blocks to eliminate rows. This is an example of a game that helps develop patience, organization, and the ability to think quickly. The Discover Magazine explains the results of a test of Tetris, that as a person's skills got better their cognitive thinking process during the game got easier and easier despite the fact that the thinking levels were very high when first beginning to play the game.
Despite the idea that games help develop cognitive skills, they have also been proven to help with depression and loneliness. As stated by Washington Post People who deal with depression and loneliness have said that playing games helps them get from night to day. There has been research done by one of the games manufacturers showing that mental health can be improved by playing challenging and thought provoking games.

Games for teaching and learning I don't believe would have much use in the sport management field. There are games that are used for marketing, like Dr. Pepper Speedway Rush, but it isn't teaching anything and you don't learn anything except for developing cognitive skills. Games like these are not used for teaching and there is not really an option of a game that can be used in the sport management field for learning.

The above article mentioned are published by reputable sources and have hard evidence and science to show that their information is correct and reliable. The Discover Magazine gives a story and follows a professors research to prove that video games help improve many aspects of the brain and varying aspects of a daily successful life.
The Washington Post article explains how game can improve mental health with a emotional story and research and evidence to support their findings and initial hypothesis.

To View the Discover Magazine Article Titled: Your Brain on Video Games click here
To View the Washington Post Article Titled: Rx:Xbox? click here