SCHOOL BASED ACTION RESEARCH

Title: The Negative Effects of Computer Games in Elementary School

I.Situation

Computer games are always blamed by parents as time wasters, and worse,
some education experts think that these games corrupt the brain. Playing violent games are
easily blamed by the media and some as the reason why the youth become violent or commit
extreme anti-social behavior. But many scientist and psychologists said that video games can
actually have many benefits – the main one is making kids smart. Computer games may
actually teach kids high-level thinking skills that they will need in the future.

Computer games changes your brain’s physical structure the same ways as
learning to read, playing the piano, or navigating using the map. Much like exercise can make
your muscles strong. The powerful combination of concentration and rewarding surges of
neutrotransmitters strengthen neutral circuits that make the brain strong.

II.Problem

The effects of computer game violence in kids is worsened by the games interactive nature. In
many games, kids are rewarded for being more violent. The act of violence is done repeatedly.
The child is in control on the violence and experiences the violence in his own eyes.

2. Limit your child’s computer game playing when you observe him having a
sedentary lifestyle, and not engaging sports and exercise.
4. Limit your child’ computer game playing if he displays sign of addiction and
experience “video game withdrawal”
5. Let him play good computer games. Some games encourage kids to be moderately
active, and some also exercise kids’ cognitive skills. According to Dr. Penny Sweetser,
such games “ can improve academic performance, social skills and self esteem”. He
recommends, though, to let your kid play with parental interaction and supervision

V.Evaluation and Follow-Up

The home environment also contributes - or reduces – the negative effects that computer
games have. Talking to your child about the video game’s content, helping him/her choose games that
aren’t sedentary or don’t promote violence and setting rules for how much time he/she can spend in
front of the screen can all help to mediate the negative impact.
 The educational program and the entire school environment should adopt a modern and
applicable strategies to catch pupils’ attention in studying more than playing computer games during
and after class hours.