Video Games and Schools - Is Banning Necessary?

Is the Banning of Video Games Necessary?

Video games have been the crux of many a school-goer's teachers or parents. Many people hold hostile and negative feelings towards our teenage population playing excessive amounts of video gaming, and, glancing at the content of many of the more popular games today, it is not difficult to discern why. The supposed effects of video gaming on our students have often been described as an adequate reason for the banning of them within school and education settings.


As with the introduction of any new technology into a pre-existing system, there will always be conflict and contention. We as human beings rarely want to embrace change, especially if it involves the unknown. With video gaming, school settings are seeing more and more students deciding to bring their form of leisure to their education environment and attempting to enjoy video games during the times when they are not required at classes.


Considering that many people bring other forms of entertainment to their school recesses, such as cards, balls, books, etc., wouldn't it seem that bringing video games should be a simple affair? If you've attended a high school where you've tried doing that, the answer is most likely a resounding no. But why? I believe there are two (and a half) main reasons behind the conflict between video games and schools:

- The idea that the authority figures in charge do not understand, embrace or wish to understand/embrace something as unknown and seemingly dangerous as video games.


- The notion that the content within, and the playing of video games will have adverse and undesirable effects on the player.


- The notion that since a school is an education setting and things not pertaining to education should be banned.


Let me tackle the first idea. An accepted truth about human nature is the notion that we don't like to change our opinions often. Our egos are often tied to our opinions - when we defend our opinions, we are defending our egos. Also consider that many people commonly form opinions about things they know little about. Have you ever had a friend constantly criticize something that they don't understand or have never tried? If we don't understand something, it is often easy to form misconceptions about the particular thing, and in turn making it easier to dislike it immensely.


Couple this with the common criticism that video games are linked to increased violence, and although an authority figure may not have personally experienced a violent video game, he/she will likely form a preconceived notion about such games. Most likely, this notion is one of a negative nature, which then results in a dislike for video games and, in my experience, a ban on them. 


But is this ban really one that is warranted? The banning of something such as video game use will, without a doubt, prevent users from experience the negative effects that such use may or may not incur, but at the same time, it will completely prevent any positive benefits that playing these games may provide. Do the negatives really outweigh the positives in this matter? 


The content in some video games can be considered objectionable, with many games involving aspects of crime and violence. There have been countless studies performed on the link between playing violent video games and a person's susceptibility to performing violent acts in the future. The interesting thing is that the results of many of the studies constantly contradict each other. David Grossman, a former psychology professor, suggests that First Person Shooters are 'murder simulators', and that such games harden children emotionally to the act of killing. Another study suggests that violent video games are associated with increased aggressive behaviour. However, literary scholars criticize these studies fail to cite results that differed from their views, and that they employ highly selective and misleading information.


Other studies suggest that video games don't have drastic effects on aggression and violence in teenagers. An Australian study finds that only people who are already predisposed to violence will be affected by violent video games; other studies find that although violent video games may have an affect on players, that impact is incredibly small compared to other things. It should also be noted that the crime rate in America has dropped drastically since the 1990s, but the sales of M-Rated video games has skyrocketed.


Those against video games suggest that playing and experiencing violent video games will somehow create the desire in the player's mind to re-enact the scenes they have just virtually experienced. Do we really believe that somehow, a violent video game will drastically alter the mental state of an otherwise normal person and cause them to become a murderous killer? I'd like to suggest that although violent video games may have an effect on people, other factors such as mental stability and the quality of a person's home life would have a stronger effect on someone's likelihood of shooting people at a school. 


Video games are a major part of teen culture today. According to one study, 90% of all teenage boys and 40% of teenage girls play video games. When playing team-based or social video games, studies (yeah, I've used that word six times already!) suggest that players increase their mental health, social and interpersonal skills. Completing objectives in video games can increase the patience, focus and concentration of players. What I find most important is that video games help relieve stress.


The third idea that I've come across for the banning of video games in schools is that video games aren't educational, and because of that they have no place in an educational setting. Many video games aren't educational, but at the same time, the vast majority of activities that students participate in during their recesses aren't of an academic nature. The excuse that video games are not of an educational nature and should be banned is like saying that playing soccer, basketball, cards, pool, or even conversation is not of an educational nature and should be banned. It's absurd.


Video games are an integral part of many teenagers' lives. I would suggest that their ability to increase aggression and antisocial tendencies in players would be minimal compared to the effects of say, a disastrous upbringing. Video games provide many benefits, one of these being the ability to relieve stress. In a school setting, stress-relief can be a liberation of the greatest caliber, but it is something that is often denied.


If some of the people in the education sector looked past initial biases and really analysed their perspective on video gaming, perhaps video games will take a greater hold within our education system.


This is not to say that all of those in the education sector are against video gaming - in many areas video games are being increasingly noted for their educational qualities, and in some situations are being embraced. What I hope is that in the future, more and more schools which traditionally frowned upon video gaming will look to embrace it.