Interesting article on the Nintendo Wii Console system and the effect of motor functioning with cognition. Video games begin to enhance motor skills by connecting real life actions to digital simulations. As a result, we perform tasks better by repetition and physical motion becomes more fluid and composed.
http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0001728
The article, "Exploring Action Dynamics as an Index of Paired-Associate Learning" by Dale et al., attempts to connect the actions of real life motions with cognitive development of skill through a digital medium. The learning in this regard centers on the cognitive-motor functioning interaction with memory and recall processes. Both male and female subjects participated in the study and both demonstrated improvement with performing tasks over time using the remote. This led the team of scientists to suggest that there exists an active learning process between simple physical actions and cognition learning to develop these motions properly (Dale et al., 2008). The motion included participants using the remote to match sample shapes in random pair associations. The objects themselves did not represent the variable of study but moreover, the ability for repeated samples of motion with visual acuity to develop the correct pairing associations.
Anyhow, the experiment demonstrates that technology and learning in the context of games occurs both actively and passively between visual recognition, memory and motor-cognition development. Impressive, that a video game remote may help someone with their golf-swing as well as refine their motor functioning skills. Now, the Nintendo Company needs to find a way to simulate educational games and students may begin to perfect the cognitive recall of shapes simulations for math and logic solving equations that require meta-cognitive schema.
Dale R, Roche J, Snyder K, McCall R (2008) Exploring Action Dynamics as an Index of Paired-Associate Learning. PLoS ONE 3(3): e1728. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0001728
2 comments:
Hey Ben,
I played tennis on Wii. Though there is still space for improvement (e.g. the degree of graphic sophistication is not high compared with other video games), I think it is a revolution in gaming. It is exciting to know that the research result shows there is an activing learning result involved with physical motion and cognitive learning. This diminishes one weakness of traditiona video/computer games, which keep gamers glued to their seats. It opens up more opporutnities to use games for a positive result.
Though the research focus in this article is different from my research interest in gaming and language learning. It is always good to know more aspects about the topic of gaming. Thanks for introducing this article!
Hi Ben,
This is an interest article. I recall when I first saw the Wii commercial thinking that the idea was just silly but it is so popular.
The article, More Than Just Physical: PE and Cognitive Performance discusses the need for physical activity. Here is an interesting quote which supports the findings in your Wii article :
"Running increases the genesis and survival of new cells in the hippocampus, a region important for learning and memory."
I think any video game which encourages physical activity is a good thing for kids. Thanks for sharing that article.
Here is the link: http://www.brainconnection.com/content/13_3
:) Garnette
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