What role do computer games play in our society and what do parents need to consider when dealing with their children?The current JIM ( = Youth, Information, Multimedia ) study 2010 states, among other things, that computer games for children and adolescents are one of the most popular forms of computer use.
The Ratio for You
55% of boys and 14% of girls between the ages of 12 and 19 say they use computer games several times a day. In contrast, there are many worried parents. Frequently mentioned problem in education advice centers, schools etc. is the long (play) time in front of the computer.
- There are only a few families who actively engage with this computer world, which is a big part of children’s and youth culture. Thus, many parents and educators exclude themselves from the habitats of their children. Only a few use the potential and use computer games positively. Be it as a common learning or teaching method, as a shared leisure experience. So far, there are only a few families who experience computer games as a joint activity. Surveys within these families have shown that the sense of community has been strengthened and fears about this medium have been put into perspective.
- In principle, children are not left alone with the medium of computer games and these should be used as supplementary offers. Good children’s or learning software can be recognized by the fact that it also animates activities without the computer. For example, painting pictures of works of art designed on a PC, which can be painted together with pen and paper, objects that are planned on the PC and later made real or built, recipes that are later baked or cooked, or the like.
The eSports games are suitable for animating sports and computer game enthusiastic players to move. After a real common football game you can compete as a reward on the game console with the Bundesliga.
The Medium Game
The medium computer game is already omnipresent. It must be incorporated into current educational offers. Learning is only most effective when it’s fun – so playful. The interactivity of the Internet and the computer game requires more modern learning ( and also teaching ). Knowledge can now be developed and supplemented.
For this, the generation of media literacy with its four sub-competences must be taught: the processing competence ( = the socially acceptable processing of media experiences ), the selection competence ( = self-determined purpose and experience-oriented use of media offerings ), the design competence ( = creative action with the media ) and the Judgmental competence ( = the ability to judge the function and meaning of the media in society ).
Parents, educators, do not leave the kids and teenagers alone with the media! Instead of pronouncing prohibitions, one should rather engage with the “new” youth world, which is synonymous with a media world – engage constructively with it. These are the essential details for the proper egames for you and you should keep that in mind.
