| Is it possible that computer and video games | | | | end of the day, it is not the computers which run |
| have something positive and constructive to | | | | society, but a combination of the people who |
| offer, and that rather than being a social menace | | | | design and program them, and the people who |
| which parents should be afraid of, they are in fact | | | | use them in their lives. Computers are, always |
| contributing a good deal to the development of | | | | have been, and will continue to be machines, tools, |
| the next generation? | | | | used by real people doing real jobs. |
| Certainly there is no doubt whatever that the | | | | So what do computer and video games have to |
| children of today will be living in a technological | | | | do with this brave new world? If you examine |
| society, with computers and technical equipment | | | | carefully the range of games available, you may |
| part of everyday lifestyle. Although we're pretty | | | | simple assume that the games industry is owned |
| much at that stage now, many of us have either | | | | by the US military or some other armed force, |
| witnessed the introduction and steady | | | | since so many games seem to involve military |
| development and integration of computer | | | | tactics, and the conquering or annihilation of the |
| technology into our lives, or have experienced a | | | | opposing force. Whilst this is an unfair |
| world before computers came along, and have | | | | generalisation, there certainly are many games |
| seen the world and our lives slowly taken over by | | | | which take the idea of battles and wars as their |
| electronic gadgets that seem to be far cleverer | | | | basis. One could argue that old games such as |
| than we are. Children of today will grow up never | | | | Battleships, even Chess, are about battles and |
| knowing a world without mobile phones, satellite | | | | armed forces - just a little simpler and easier to |
| technology, worldwide file and information sharing | | | | grasp. |
| and exchange, instant video communications with | | | | But the point is that many of the games available |
| anyone, anywhere anytime, and although this idea | | | | necessarily require players to understand, learn |
| might seem surreal to us, almost as though | | | | and develop skills which have a great deal of |
| something from a science fiction novel, for our | | | | value in the real world. Skill such as teamwork, |
| children it will be their reality. | | | | coordination, planning, devising and implementing |
| In which case it is important for us to accept this | | | | strategies, logistics, problem solving and even |
| change, and try to see a way in which our | | | | budgeting all come in to play - life skills which, |
| children can be adjusted to, and deal effectively | | | | whilst they can be taught in other ways, are not |
| with not only the technology around them, but | | | | the main focus of any educational curriculum. Yet |
| also each other. Social skills, people skills and | | | | no one would deny the value of those skills. |
| personal characteristics are always going to be | | | | Perhaps gaming can become part of the |
| important, and no one can live on an island with | | | | curriculum at school in the future, allowing children |
| oinly a computer to keep them company. At the | | | | to develop life skills through video games? |