Video games offer a fluid and literary-like engagement with ethically- and morally-complicated situations. Teaching empathy is both extremely important and extremely difficult. A team of researchers at UC Berkeley found that empathy and compassion are cornerstones of a happy, meaningful life. Empathy is also a building block of morality, breeds courage and reduces prejudice and racism. But it is not something that can be instilled from a book or verbal repetition. It emerges in emotional situations, which video games can simulate.
Games such as Pixelberry’s own High School Story allow players to explore complex ethical and moral problems that can be otherwise difficult to simulate. These games allow players to grapple with sensitive issues in an environment free from social pressure or fear of consequences. Then when put in similar situations in the real world, they are better equipped to figure things out for themselves and make good choices.
Games are helping create an educational future where kids are deeply engaged and excited by what they’re learning, receive the personal attention and feedback that they need and are able to develop important skills on their own. Implementing digital games in the classroom has already yielded “amazing gains,” and we’re just beginning to explore their potential. It’s time for educators and game developers alike to build a new paradigm for education.
Next time you finish playing a game, or your children finishes a game, reflect on how well situations were handled during game play. While the opportunity to do so depends on the type of game, it is a routine that can be a difference maker in the long term if implemented early.
Interested in learning more on the effects video games can have on you? Visit our benefits section to learn more!
