KANSAS UNIVERSITY

JULIA MARTÍNEZ

YANITZA SERRACÍN

YAZMIN AVILA

KRISTIN ABBEY

MIKE HEARSO

N

What is a video game? A video game is an electronic game that involves interaction

with a user interface to generate visual feedback

on a video device.

Most video games can be viewed as simulations of some form. Realism-based simulations

include contemporary car racing games, business simulations, sports,

combat and civilization development games. More abstract simulations involve adventure,

fantasy, and space battle games, although realistic graphics and physics-based effects

are used

in many of these games. Other simulations include puzzle games such as Tetris, and of

traditional games such as Scrabble, Monopoly and crosswords.

VIDEO GAMES HISTORYEarly games used interactive electronic devices with various display formats.The earliest example is from 1947—a "Cathode ray tube Amusement Device“was filed for a patent on January 25, 1947 by Thomas T. Goldsmith Jr. andEstle Ray Mann, and issued on December 14, 1948 as U.S. Patent 2455992.Inspired by radar display tech, it consisted of an analog device that allowed a user to control a vector-drawn dot on the screen to simulate a missile beingfired at targets, which were drawings fixed to the screen.Other early examples include:• The NIMROD computer at the 1951 Festival of Britain• OXO a tic-tac-toe Computer game by Alexander S. Douglas for the EDSAC

in 1952• Tennis for Two, an interactive game engineered by • William Higinbotham in 1958• Spacewar!, written by MIT students Martin Graetz, Steve • Russell, and Wayne Wiitanen's on a DEC PDP-1 computer in

1961.

Tennis for Two taken in 1958.

Games, consoles and game-based PCs as learning

technology1. Games and education: Games are increasingly used to support teaching and learning e.g., using text adventures to assist in teaching English as a second languageConclusions as to the effectiveness of games for educational purposes differ; one particular review of relevant research indicated that mathematics was a subject where the use of games was usually superior to traditional classroom instruction.

However this, and several other reviews, were carried out when games were relatively primitive:

fewer studies have been undertaken over the last five years, during which games have significantly increased in complexity.

often demand much greater interaction from the user. One recent study involved using components of six

games in school settings.

2. Consoles, PCs and education : Games consoles are not yet a common fixture in academic and public libraries, though a few are starting to appear as an addition to existing entertainment media such as CDs, videos and the fiction (book) section. A more common occurrence is the provision of educational games for use on library PCs.

In school classrooms, games consoles are even less common. The principle reason for this is a lack of educational or learning software of relevance, or of acceptable quality, with the PC being the main beneficiary of any such software. Throughout the last two decades, games consoles have rarely hosted more than a handful of educational titles each.

PROS AND CONS

The only benefits that come from video games are high reflexes, strong and flexible fingers and joints, and a higher processing brain with advanced eye and hand coordination.

• A controversial new research has proved that excessive playing of games can actually stunt the growth of a human brain.

Possitive Effects

Playing video games involves problem solving, planning, estimation and analysis of the moves or actions of both you and your opponent. This affects the player positively by developing in him/her problem-solving skills, analytical and estimation skills and quick decision-making

Evolution of Educational Video Games!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t85jG3ky6xI

Conclusion

As everything, video games is not the exception in having advantages and disadvantages, but in this case is important to highlight that the main issue depends on every one who makes use of video games.