Video Games Impact Learning

Research shows that computer and video games need to be used with care. They need to become part of standard curriculum but not at the expense of traditional learning methods.

The point is that we have evolved biologically to work in a certain way and there are no short cuts to learning, especially in examining deeper, challenging problems except by putting pen to paper.

There are hidden dangers in over-use of games in teaching, especially for young children, in that they become conditioned to the thrill and fun of immediate results and action at the expense of basic numeracy and reading skills.

Like all things, if games are used in balance with traditional methods then there are benefits. Using them to substitute for parental effort is not a good idea.

Computer Games and Learning

Computer Games are now common place to teach young people. So the important question is how much should we use such games to encourage young children to study and how much educational value do they have in nurturing good learning habits.

We should focus on questions such as why such games are being used and their impact on young people. What games do young people prefer and how do they feel about using such games? What is their experience and how do such games impact on their learning behaviour?

The answers to these questions affect how games are designed for educational purposes for children of different ages. The younger children enjoy the thrill and fun of games that involve singing and human element.

Older children prefer the thrill and drama of fast action.

So before choosing any game, make sure that it is something suited to the needs of your child, they show interest in what you are buying and it is something that will be used to learn something of value.

Trachtenberg Speed System

The Trachtenberg Speed System is not known or practiced in schools as much as it should be...
Although it is basically a sysem for rapidly carrying mental arithmetic calculations, such as multiplying numbers by 11, 12 etc. the story behind it is absorbing and one full of tragedic circumstances. The system itself was first developed by an engineer of Jewish origin called Jakow Trachtenberg in a concentration camp. He did this to occupy his mind during a period of terrible suffering in a Nazi camp. Reality was too hard to bear, so he chose to focus on numbers. The Trachtenberg System requires that you learn a sequence of operations that enable you to perform computations in arithmetic rapidly. There are several methods devised for checking, mulitiplying, adding different numbers and it is something that kids should learn early before they arrive at the more serious GCSE and A Level Exams. The method is very effective and proficient if applied correctly.