The Curse of the media and potential future attitudes

Lauren Hughes 0904193

How Media Wise are we!?

TVinternet

Magazines

Virtual Worlds

Video Games Newspapers

Parents : do they know what game their son or daughter is playing upstairs locked away in their room?

The top 5 purchased games

1 Wii Fit (1)

2 Call Of Duty (2)

3 Assassin’s Creed (1)

4 Need for speed : most wanted (1)

5 Xbox Kinect (1)

(Gentile) argues that “Students who play violent video games are more likely to develop aggressive cognitions and behaviours then students who play less regularly even if they play for equal amounts of time.”

“Parents need to share some of the responsibility for making decisions about what is appropriate for their children. The news on this front is not all bad. The Federal Trade Commission has found that 83 percent of game purchases for underage consumers are made by parents or by parents and children together.” (Jenkins)

Does this really lead to violence? Anderson thinks so…

"We can now say with utmost confidence that regardless of research method -- that is experimental, correlational, or longitudinal -- and regardless of the cultures tested in this study [East and West], you get the same effects," (Anderson)

"And the effects are that exposure to violent video games increases the likelihood of aggressive behavior in both short-term and long-term contexts. Such exposure also increases aggressive thinking and aggressive affect, and decreases prosocial behavior." (Anderson)

The debate begins• If there is a consensus emerging around this research, it is

that violent video games may be one risk factor - when coupled with other more immediate, real-world influences — which can contribute to anti-social behavior. But no research has found that video games are a primary factor or that violent video game play could turn an otherwise normal person into a killer. (Jenkins, h)

“Much video game play is social. Almost 60 percent of frequent gamers play with friends.” (Jenkins h )

Virtual worlds

Can virtual worlds be a positive experience for kids?

Do Virtual worlds cause addiction?

Can Virtual worlds be beneficial with education?

Is there always a downfall to gaming?

YES

So who’s right?

Jenkins –

Video games don’t cause aggression anymore than tv and other media outlets

Gentile –

Violence is promoted

through video games

Virtual Worlds –

keeps gaming qualities and proves Educational

V

And then we have…..

Why Use Virtual Worlds?

Supporting distance learning Changing learner dynamics Delivering better learning &

retention Gaining a subjective view Reducing costs Doing the impossible

What about gaming- offline

Nintendo Wii - Fit X BOX – Kinnect

What the future holds…

“In the near future we are interested in continuing the development of our virtual reality system with the help of game technology.” (Rönkkö, J)

Reference slide• Gentile, D. & Gentile, J. (2008) 'Violent Video Games as Exemplary

Teachers: A Conceptual Analysis', Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 37 (2) pp. 127-141, Springerlink [online]. Available at: http://www.springerlink.com/content/7706114365625653/fulltext.pdf (Accessed: 1 September 2011).

• Jenkins, H. (no date) Reality Bytes: Eight Myths About Video Games Debunked. Available at: http://www.pbs.org/kcts/videogamerevolution/impact/myths.html (Accessed: 1 September 2011).

• Anderson, C. (2010) violent video games' effects with ISU researchers, available at http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100301111405.htm (accessed 1 September)

• Calongne, C (2008) ‘Educational Frontiers: Learning in a Virtual World ‘ Available at: http://www.educause.edu/EDUCAUSE+Review/EDUCAUSEReviewMagazineVolume43/EducationalFrontiersLearningin/163163 (Accessed on 1 September 2011)

• de Freitas, S. & Neumann, T. (2009) 'The use of exploratory learning for supporting immersive learning in virtual environments', Computers and Education, 52 (2): 343-352 (Accessed on 1 September 2011)

• Rönkkö, j, 2004 ‘Game technology in Game design development’ Available

at :http://www.ercim.eu/publication/Ercim_News/enw57/ronkko.html (accessed on 1 september 2011)