Video Games Enhance Strategic Thinking

A recent study found that computer games have a significant impact on the strategic thinking and planning skills of children, which could lead to the games being added to the school curriculum. The study in the UK examined simulation and adventure games, such as Sim City and RollerCoaster Tycoon. Parents and teachers also noticed an improvement in their childrens mathematics, reading, and spelling. The researchers examined the habits of 700 children from 7 to 16 years of age and discovered that children actually prefer to play games in pairs or small groups. The Teachers Evaluating Educational Multimedia (Teem) performed the research. Professor Angela McFarlane, the Teem director, said we have a great deal to learn from the games industry in terms of developing scenarios that really challenged and engaged children, rather than reproducing text books on the screen.
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