The Effect of Stimulating Children’s Brains Using Digital Games on Their Information Retention

Abstract

Children of the “Digital Age” are very attached to smart devices. It is not easy for parents and educators to resist this “smart” wave; therefore, the challenge is to make use of it. The researchers believe that the children are in their optimum time of mental activity when they play games. While playing, they race, jump, and make many critical decisions; their minds become stimulated and ready to receive knowledge. At this optimum time, if they study or review their school lessons, they will show improved information retention because they reviewed their lessons when they were in their optimized and receptive mental condition. In this study, the researchers investigated the effect of digital games on student information retention. The research question was: Would stimulating children’s brains using digital games enhance their information retention? An experimental design was used. Ninety five children ages 7 to 14 were divided into six groups. All groups went through three scenarios where they were asked to memorize information. In the first scenario, children were stimulated using digital games while they were not in the other two scenarios. After each scenario, the children sat for a 5-minute test composed of 10 questions. At the end, scores of the three scenarios were compared. Results of the scenario that incorporated playing digital game were the highest among the three different scenarios. This was the only scenario where children played digital games. This showed that children’s attention, working memory, and information retention improved while they were playing digital games.

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Author Information
Ahmad Hammoud, Global University, Lebanon
Ahmad Shatila, Global University, Lebanon
Nisrine Adada, Global University, Lebanon

• Category: ECE2017, Virtual Presentation
• Tag: Educational change through technologies,

Posted by James Alexander Gordon

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