is a long way from other inhabited places

8. 
   People travel to Easter Island ...
   

1. 
   by boat.
   
2. 
   to work.
   
3. 
   to see the statues.
   
4. 
   to see the palm trees
   

Computer Games and Children

Scientists have looked at the relationship between violent films and children’s behaviour for years. They are now studying the effect of computer games on children. Lyn Hender, senior lecturer in educational psychology, focuses on how these games influence the way teenagers think. She looked at thirteen and fourteen-year-old students playing fantasy games on computers.

She found that both weak and strong students clearly used complex thinking skills. “I think we never really see the advantages of such games in education. Parents and teachers do not think of these as being educationally useful,” Dr Hender said.

“I think we only see the aggression and violence in them. Of course, some games are like that. But the majority are non-violent games that are good for developing the mind." The students played a game called “Get The Money," in which a group have to make money in various ways. For this game you need to think in almost the same way that you would in a sports game. “This is not an easy game, ... actually, you have to use logic as well as changing how you think.” Dr Hender stated.

Teachers were surprised to see that teenagers whom they thought were weak students were as successful as their stronger classmates. Sometimes they were even better. “One weaker student completed a complex card game in which you had about nine different things to remember,” Dr Hender said. “I discovered she did it very easily, but some of the students I thought were strong had problems. I found that none of the students had any problems concentrating for a long time. They were determined to understand the game and get it right.

Dr Hender concluded that the games used the same sort of strategies that were very valuable in classrooms. Teachers could try to make use of these games and design tasks based on them for students in class. ‘Computers are not just a home leisure thing,’ she said.

1. 
   Dr Lyn Hender is mainly interested in how...
   

1. 
   films cause children to be violent.
   
2. 
   
   
   жүктеу/скачать 242.33 Kb.
   
   Достарыңызбен бөлісу: