There is an ongoing debate about which games are better for us, traditional or digital. Today we’ll take a closer look at both types of games to see if there’s any middle ground to be found.
Traditional games were always perceived as the ones that are healthy and important for one’s growth by improving a variety of abilities, including teamwork, sportsmanship, and problem-solving.
Video games, on the other hand, still tend to be demonized and ridiculed by certain groups of people. However, the positive effects of such games on our lives and abilities can’t be neglected. With that being said, it’s worth noting that some video games come with much greater learning benefits than others.
All in all, it’s not a matter of what medium you’re using to play, but what you’re playing – and this applies to both digital and traditional.
Historical Context
Games are an integral part of human civilization. They were always here in one form or another, serving the purpose of free time fillers even in the most ancient times.
Games such as Backgammon and Go have been here for thousands of years and they’re still relatively popular today. Competitive sports should also be mentioned here; the Olympic Games became a thing in Greece almost 3 thousand years ago.
Although games are usually thought of as nothing more than a source of entertainment, there are countless real-life benefits of playing games you may not be even aware of.
Advantages of Video Games in Learning
With video games, you could write an essay on the benefits of playing but we’ll point out just a few.
First of all, it’s no use denying that times change and will keep changing. As such, it would be only natural to let youth play video games, allowing them to familiarize themselves with the ever-expanding world of modern technology.
Secondly, strategy games can improve various problem-solving abilities, as players are often required to observe how the game goes and adjust their strategy in real-time to respond to threats and events in the most efficient way possible and learn from mistakes.
Coordination skills are also being improved, as well as reaction times, especially in fast-paced titles or shooters.
Games can teach one about the importance of achieving goals and reaching milestones, taking one small step at a time toward something bigger; this may come in the form of rewarding players with new skills, character levels, cool achievements, or unlockables.
Video games benefits also include improvements in areas related to memory and recall; certain games tend to be quite complex, requiring one to memorize a lot of information and utilize it during play.
Finally, contrary to popular beliefs, certain games may also contribute to developing teamwork and social skills. Online communication can’t replace real-life conversations and won’t teach you how to read body language or emotions, but can certainly improve the efficiency of communication to achieve the common goal quicker and in a more efficient way.
This especially may come in handy these days, as more and more people start working remotely and communicating with the team with the use of e-mails or online communicators.
Benefits of Traditional Games in Learning
When it comes to traditional games, there are numerous pros of playing as well.
Traditional games improve social interactions and help one learn to read body language and subtle hints sent by the other participants. In various card games you don’t know what cards your opponents have but observing their behavior may give you a clue if they’re stressed or confident in their hand.
An important benefit of traditional games is how they can improve one’s creativity and imagination, especially in various fantasy board role-playing games, where most of the things need to be imagined and made up on the spot as the game progresses.
Traditional games can be more accessible, as they require fewer resources. There is also a factor of timeless classics; there are numerous board games played by all generations together.
A traditional approach can also be better at teaching patience and persistence, as there’s no save and load in real life. You can’t replay the sequence after a failure, forcing you to make careful decisions and deal with the consequences.
Integrating Both for Optimal Learning
Both types of games, traditional and digital, come with certain learning benefits. A lot of these benefits are shared but some are exclusive to one or the other. As such, it’s important to find ways to encourage people to engage with all kinds of games and find a healthy balance.
There are things you can’t learn if you follow only one path, so don’t be afraid of leaving your comfort zone to try new things.
Conclusion
There is no point arguing which type of game is better in terms of learning benefits, as both can help you train valuable yet vastly different abilities.
Keep in mind, however, that the most important thing is what you’re playing. Not all games are created equal and some come with much larger learning benefits; a careful and thoughtful selection is crucial for the best results.