Computer and Video Games in the Classroom Laura Fabian, Taylor Toellner, Ashley Ellis, Kelly Maloney Introduction In today’s world, technology use is continually growing in the classroom. Teachers are integrating video and computer games into their lesson plans in order to add variety to their teaching techniques. There are many benefits to the teachers as well as the students. By using computer and video games in the classroom, teachers can make concepts easier to grasp by creating a more hands on and interactive way of learning. With the use of computers, students are introduced to the basic skills of technology that they can use for the rest of their lives. With the use of games, students develop a sense of motivation and competition amongst their peers which produces a drive for learning. If schools use these entertaining games as rewards in class, they will not be taken for granted and students will view them as a privilege rather than a right. Video and computer games can be viewed as beneficial to education, but can also be seen as harmful. Some critics think that video and computer games can cause a distraction and end up encouraging these students to use these games on a daily basis. These games could cause a decline in school accomplishments by replacing the important skills like basic math, reading, and also their physical activity because students could become too dependent on technology. Also, if teachers are not properly trained in the use of this new technology, students do not gain the knowledge intended by the games. Other major concerns of games in the classroom are the distractions on the computers (i.e. non-educational websites and games). Technology in education is advancing and continually growing in the schools. Even though there are positive and negatives aspects, will this always be a controversial issue? Method We created our survey to answer these two questions: 1.) How has technology, computers, video games etc. benefitted you in your educational career? 2.) How have your teachers used technology in the past to enhance your learning? We created our ten question survey on Survey Monkey using a variety of question types. We sent this survey to various Winona State college students, and collected forty completed surveys. Survey Items: 1.) Do you think video / computer games in the schools are helping or hurting student’s education? Why/why not? 2.) Yes/ No: Have you used video/computer games for educational purposes? 3.) Yes/ No: Do you think video / computer games should be used in schools in the future? 4.) Which school subjects (or classes) benefit most from technology use in the classroom? Why? 5.) True/ False: There should be an age requirement for video/ computer game use. 6.) Which age group do you think benefits the most from video/ computer games in the classroom? a.) Elementary School b.) Middle School c.) High School d.) College 7.) How much time a day do you think a student should spend playing educational video / computer games? a.) 0-30 minutes b.) 30 minutes to 1 hour c.) 1 hour or more 8.) Which aspect(s) of life do you think is (are) most hindered by overuse of technology? a.) Social life b.) Academics c.) Physical health d.) All of the above 9.) What do you think are the negative effects of technology use in a classroom setting? 10.) Would you have preferred to use technology during class time or after school? Findings Our results showed that 35% of students interviewed would rather be able to use technology during class compared to after school. Also, in close second, 32.5% said that they would like to use video or computer games both in class and after school. For this graph, our results displayed that 40% of students surveyed believe that Elementary aged children would benefit the most from video/computer games in the classroom setting. We also believe this is true because it is a prime age to gain the basic skills of technology and enjoy the entertainment while also engaging in educational activities. The data collected from this question proved that 50% of the students interviewed believed physical health, academics, and social life would all be the most hindered from the overuse of technology. To narrow the results down, 42.5% of those interviewed said that physical health is the most anticipated harm. The rest of the research collected indicated that math and science would be the two subjects that would excel the most with the use of technological games. The majority of the students interviewed have used computers and video games in the classroom in the past and also agreed that they should definitely be used in the future. We also found that many people strongly believed that these games should be used in moderation and that there should also be a time limit on the use of these games for each student. Conclusion After conducting our research and survey, we found that most of the college students surveyed believed that video and computer games in the classroom setting were overall a beneficial idea. The Winona State students implied from the survey that there should be a zero to thirty- minute time restraint. Having an age requirement on the use of these games would also be beneficiary to the younger students who may not be at the correct maturity level for some of these games. This survey revealed many positive and negative opinions of this topic. The positives were that students will benefit is many subject areas including the basic technology skills in their futures. They may become more engaged in the subject area than they would have if they were just sitting in a classroom listening to their teacher. There are many great benefits of this topic, however, it includes drawbacks as well. The negatives consist of the students becoming too distracted in the classroom and could interfere with the social, physical, and academic areas of these student’s lives. It could also take away the bond or interaction between a teacher and a student because the lack of communication the technology may take away from the classroom. To further our research, we could also survey parents and teachers to receive a more accurate response. It is important to get the opinions of other age groups and other occupations involved. Technology in the schools can either be extremely beneficial, or crucially harmful. It is up to the schools to guard unnecessary use of technology in the classrooms and to determine when enough is enough. References Michael Zwagstraa, "Computers in the Classroom: Technology Overboard?” Backgrounder, February 2008, pp Copyright © 2008 Food First/Institute for Food and Development Policy. "High Technology and Education." Electronic America. Laurie DiMauro. 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