Angry Birds is, by far, one of the most, if not the most, successful computer game ever to have been released, and has been enjoyed by people young and old for many years.
But a recent academic goes one step further and claims that games like Angry Birds aren’t just fun games to give kids when they need entertaining or to whittle away time when bored at work.
According to Professor Angela Mcfarlane, an education expert who will become head of training body the College of Teachers next month, Angry Birds actually teaches children important life skills including concentration, resilience and problem solving.
The Professor herself said she became hooked on Angry Birds, but holds that such games do have a valuable place in the classroom as long as they are controlled and supervised.
Speaking about her views on A ngry Birds, Mcfarlane said:
“There are many computer games that require quite deep learning to master the games. Some of that learning applies beyond games to wider life, such as concentration, problem solving, and resilience – important life skills. Anyone who has tried to play complex video games will know they are difficult.”
Mcfarlane told the British newspaper, The Times , that she had developed an addiction to Angry Birds, and to a similar Lemmings game, because they made her think clearly and strategize.
She contends, in her capacity as an advisor to the government on educational technology, that computers can and should be used in classrooms to get the best from students.
Games such as Angry Birds , she said, could help children with learning difficulties and help to improve fine motor control, assist with vocabulary or simple math, and teach skills such as resilience that could be applicable to real life.
Do you think encouraging kids to play computer games like Angry Birds is a good thing or a bad thing? Share your thoughts on the matter in the comments feed below.
