Video games are not my forte. In high school I would occasionally play games on my friend’s Atari, and when I went to the arcade, Ms. Pacman was my game, but this was the extent of my foray into the world of video games. Video games have progressed from the single mammoth Pacman game sitting in the corner of the arcade, and the Space Invaders game I played on my friend’s Atari system. They have come a long way, having “…evolved from confined arcade activities into a mature media. Video games have deeply infiltrated our daily life and our society” (Chen, 2006), but video games continue to portray women in negative and often lurid ways, which begs to question if the gaming industry will undergo another evolutionary journey, or will the proliferation of stereotypical images continue?
In today’s world, the video game is used not only for entertainment purposes, but in the world of business, military, health care and education. Gone are the pixilated graphics, we now get to experience a range of graphics—many of which display spectacularly realistic scenes and characters. In the educational domain, video game design is viewed as a definitive learning experience—one that empowers learners, create deep understanding, and works to solve sophisticated problems. In educational gaming there are a number of serious and COTS games that “require good adaptive skills and problem solving” (How Video Games are Changing Education. N.d.), and games are being touted as serious media. However, the stigma of aggression and misogyny is ever-present in the gaming world, and I wonder if educators will inadvertently reinforce these existing values by allowing such video games into the classroom?
With so many demands placed on educators to create exciting and interesting learning spaces, the video game appears to fit the demand for stimulating and motivating the learner-like no other. In general, our students are gamers; this is their zone, and where they interact socially. Gaming has been found to improve problem solving skills and negotiation, strategic thinking, communication skills and networking, narrative skills, non-linear thinking, improved attention, as well as vision and cognition (Infographic, How Video Games are Changing Education. N.d.), However, video games are still recognized by many as shallow and gender-biased or misogynist material, “Gender bias and stereotyping is still very much alive, and is perhaps nowhere more evident than in the world of video gaming” (Miller, 2013).
Anita Sarkeesian created a series of thought-provoking videos exploring the way women are represented in the gaming world, “It is no secret that the video game industry boasts some of the most sexually objectified, stereotyped and downright oppressive portrayals of women in any medium," (Sarkeesian, A, 2012). Many women and girls are active gamers, but the industry continues to portray women in a negative or sexist manner. In light of this, I believe that the only video games that should be used in school are those that are sensitive to this issue and those made specifically for learning purposes—educational games. Teachers do not need to propagate the negative and misogynist thinking that permeates current media.
In today’s world, the video game is used not only for entertainment purposes, but in the world of business, military, health care and education. Gone are the pixilated graphics, we now get to experience a range of graphics—many of which display spectacularly realistic scenes and characters. In the educational domain, video game design is viewed as a definitive learning experience—one that empowers learners, create deep understanding, and works to solve sophisticated problems. In educational gaming there are a number of serious and COTS games that “require good adaptive skills and problem solving” (How Video Games are Changing Education. N.d.), and games are being touted as serious media. However, the stigma of aggression and misogyny is ever-present in the gaming world, and I wonder if educators will inadvertently reinforce these existing values by allowing such video games into the classroom?
With so many demands placed on educators to create exciting and interesting learning spaces, the video game appears to fit the demand for stimulating and motivating the learner-like no other. In general, our students are gamers; this is their zone, and where they interact socially. Gaming has been found to improve problem solving skills and negotiation, strategic thinking, communication skills and networking, narrative skills, non-linear thinking, improved attention, as well as vision and cognition (Infographic, How Video Games are Changing Education. N.d.), However, video games are still recognized by many as shallow and gender-biased or misogynist material, “Gender bias and stereotyping is still very much alive, and is perhaps nowhere more evident than in the world of video gaming” (Miller, 2013).
Anita Sarkeesian created a series of thought-provoking videos exploring the way women are represented in the gaming world, “It is no secret that the video game industry boasts some of the most sexually objectified, stereotyped and downright oppressive portrayals of women in any medium," (Sarkeesian, A, 2012). Many women and girls are active gamers, but the industry continues to portray women in a negative or sexist manner. In light of this, I believe that the only video games that should be used in school are those that are sensitive to this issue and those made specifically for learning purposes—educational games. Teachers do not need to propagate the negative and misogynist thinking that permeates current media.
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INFOGRAPHIC: How Video Games are Changing Education
Works Cited
Chen, J. (2006). Flow in Games. Retrieved from jenovachen.com: http://www.jenovachen.com/flowingames/Flow_in_games_final.pdf
Lucas, K., & Sherry, J. L. (2004). Sex Differences in Video Game Play: A Communication Based Explanation. Communication Research 31, no. 5.
Miller, S. (2013). Gender Bias in American Video Gaming. Retrieved from EM Journal: http://em-journal.com/2013/10/gender-bias-in-american-video-gaming.html
Sarkeesian, A. (2012). Anita Sarkeesian at TEDxWomen 2012. Retrieved from YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZAxwsg9J9Q
Image:
Pacman: http://paperspaceships.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/ms_pacman.jpg
Chen, J. (2006). Flow in Games. Retrieved from jenovachen.com: http://www.jenovachen.com/flowingames/Flow_in_games_final.pdf
Lucas, K., & Sherry, J. L. (2004). Sex Differences in Video Game Play: A Communication Based Explanation. Communication Research 31, no. 5.
Miller, S. (2013). Gender Bias in American Video Gaming. Retrieved from EM Journal: http://em-journal.com/2013/10/gender-bias-in-american-video-gaming.html
Sarkeesian, A. (2012). Anita Sarkeesian at TEDxWomen 2012. Retrieved from YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZAxwsg9J9Q
Image:
Pacman: http://paperspaceships.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/ms_pacman.jpg