Wednesday, April 3, 2013

The Potential of Exergames for kids...

This article found that when kids consistently play exergames, like DDR max, their physical health AND academic achievement improve. I have a theory as to why playing DDR improved math, what do you think?

http://www.bitescience.com/Knowledgedatabase/Article/tabid/81/ArticleID/158/ArticleName/ThePotentialofExergames/ChannelID/12/ChannelName/Homepagerotator/Access/Anonymous/Default.aspx?utm_source=Labnotes+Newsletter&utm_campaign=17b78e6740-Labnotes&utm_medium=email


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8 comments:

  1. UnknownApril 4, 2013 at 10:42 AM

    It seems clear as to why physical health would improve when kids play this game, simply because of the amount of movement involved. While it does surprise me that academic achievement increases, I can see how that may be so. We see in the video that the young man is interested in achieving a maximum score which requires a perfect combo score. This involves math as he would need to know how many arrows hit in a row would equal that high score. Also, while he is doing the combinations, if he know that number he may be mentally calculating just how much more he has left to hit.

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  2. UnknownApril 4, 2013 at 11:06 AM

    Exergames are becoming more and more popular among todays kids. DDR was very popular when I was younger and we used to play all the time. Today, whenever I babysit the kids are always playing Wii sports games, which include, tennis, swimming, running boxing and more. During these games the kids are really working hard and moving. This is the same as in the video of the person playing DDR. It does not surprise me that during the first year the childrens physical activity improved. It did surprise me that the results were not the same in the second year. Maybe it would be better to provide more of a variety of exergames. With a variety of exergames maybe they will experience an increase in physical activity in more than just the first year. I also agree with Danielle about being surprised with the increase in academic achievement. I agree that it could have been a result of using math during the DDR game. However, I also think this could be because students are using a lot of energy while playing this game and are then better able to concentrate on their homework and during school.

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  3. KirstieApril 4, 2013 at 11:08 AM

    I think you both make good points...gaining high scores requires some knowledge of math and strategy. I also think that kids who get to expend their energy do better in school and gain focus.

    I suspect, however, that the gain in math scores comes from an increase in pattern recognition. Just a guess, though.

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  4. Jessie LyonsApril 4, 2013 at 8:31 PM

    This is an interesting video in my opinion. I think that an increase in health and academic skills is important for children. A possible explanation that I can think of for the improvement of academics is that children who play DDR and other "exergames" are more likely to play other exergames and less of violent video games, which involve killing. Since DDR requires thinking and coordination to get the movement timed right with the arrows, a lot of cognition is needed. However in fighting and violent games children do virtually no thinking and play for the "fun" of killing to get points.

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  5. UnknownApril 7, 2013 at 4:49 PM

    A game of this nature takes persistence and practice to master a certain song. This was one of my favorite games as a kid and I remember practicing specific songs until I got them perfect. This can help to build a good work ethic for younger children. The exercise aspect of this game makes it great because it can help to improve an individual’s cardio vascular health. This can have benefits for all age groups and is prevalent in current times due to the sedentary nature of our culture. Combining exercise with video games is an excellent way to get people exercising that would not be doing so without this particular technology.

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  6. Brittany DzialoApril 8, 2013 at 9:27 AM

    It is really great to see the continued rising popularity of exergames. Video games can be good for children in terms of being strategic and thinking quick. However, games that involve physical activities can help children in many different areas. In the study, it stated that children who participated in this study had greater scores in the mile run and better mathematical skills. One thing that was surprising was that these scores went down in the second year. One reason for this may be that in the first year in got some of these kids to get physically active but once their bodies got used to this they plateaued. Exergames that get children to simulate many sports, from tennis, skiing, boxing, or bike riding can be a good starting point to actually get kids involved in these activities and increase their physical activity.

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  7. Melissa FanelliApril 8, 2013 at 12:23 PM

    I think that exergames are fun and effective ways to show children how important exercise and fitness are. By physically and mentally engaging children in exergames, they learn that there are fun and effective ways to staying fit and maintaining healthy lifestyles. I am a huge advocate of teaching children the important of health at a young age so that it carries into their adulthoods. I hope that this trend continues so that we can fight against the rising number of obese and overweight children in the U.S.

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  8. Tom BertrandApril 10, 2013 at 8:16 AM

    Exergames seem like a fun and effective way to increase exercise and fitness levels but they should not be used in place of outdoor play. While these games are healthier than traditional video games, the exercise they provide does not compare to the exercise involved in youth sports and simple backyard play. Additionally, while exergames can certainly be played with friends in person or online, they are often played against a computer. Playing against a computer does not teach the same sportsmanship, teamwork, and social skills that outdoor play can.

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