Scholars eSports Club

A position paper in English for Academic and Professionwl Purposes EAPP

Submitted by:
Wendell Matos

Grade and Section:

Grade 12 Pagoda

Date of Submission
December 13, 2022

Submitted to:
Mrs. Sarah Jane Atun
 Did you know that there are roughly 3.09 billion active video gamers worldwide? That is
according to the most recent statistics (Howarth, 2022). “eSports is the direct competition
between human players using suitable video and computer games on various devices and on
digital platforms under defined rules.” (Block & Haack, 2021). eSports in the Philippines has
been rising in popularity over the last decade. As of 2021, there are more than 43 million active
gamers in the country, with a 12.9% yearly increase from 2017. The widespread availability of
smartphones and mobile internet contributes to this steady growth. The Scholar’s eSports Club
believes that student engaging in video gaming is not destructive at all despite of its negative
reputation. Students should not hesistate to join The Scholars’ eSports Club as video gaming will
help students to improve their communication skills, develop their strategic skills, as well as it is
a great way to unwind from stressful work in school.

Some people may say that encouraging students to play video games run the risk of
getting addicted on gaming and thus neglect their school works and activities for the sake if
gaming. In a US study, first-year male students were examined for their video game addiction
and academic performance. It discovered a negative correlation between video game addiction
and anticipated college engagement and grade point average (Schmitt & Livingston, 2015). To
some extent, it may be true. However, as an organization advocating videogaming participation
on students, it is our obligation to teach out players on how to balance their gaming usage and
teach them proper ways how to manage their time and attention to become a responsible student
gamer. Additionally, contradicting evidence suggests that video games support students as they
pursue higher education. Video games can help students develop the abilities they need to
succeed in higher education, including resourcefulness, communication, and mental flexibility
(Barr, 2017). It suggests that videogaming is not completely destructive for students, depending
on their usage, it can actually help students to build skills which is necessary for academic
success.

Despite of the negative reputation of videogaming on social skills’ development, it can

actually improved students’communication skills. For a while now, gameplay in video games has
heavily emphasized communication. Previously, the majority of in-game communication took
the form of in-game chat features, which were well-liked because they allowed players to
collaborate on strategies to defeat their foes or accomplish their objectives. According to a study
done by Barr (2017), it was discovered that after two months of consistent video game playing,
students’ communication skills improved by 69 percent compared to non-gamer students. Games
have always been a great way for people who are not very social in real life to communicate with
others. In games, they don’t experience judgment, they develop their own distinct personalities,
and everyone is treated equally regardless of age or skin color. They can speak their minds
without having to worry about the typical social phobias thanks to this.

Joining the Scholar eSports Club can improve students’ strategic thinking skills. As one
may expect, gamers are often making risky decision in order to win the game. 27 experimental
and literature reviews were examined by Reynaldo et al. (2021). The review’s findings
demonstrated that playing video games does enhance cognitive abilities and judgment. When
subjects received video game training, their cognitive abilities, including perception, attentional
control, and decision-making, improved. It suggests that video games can help the brain to
become more agile and improve strategic thinking of students.

Gaming is a fun way to relieve stress. After a long, hard day’s work for students. A study
by Porter and Goolkasian (2019) demonstrated that video games reduced negative emotions,
such as frustration in stressed individuals. The participants reported playing video games for
stress relief purposes. But it is important to note that there is a fine line between gaming as a way
to unwind after a long hard day and playing video games as a form of escapism. Students need to
be mindful of how many hours a day we spend gaming, and why we play games. And our
organization will teach proper ways to manage and control their videogaming usage.

In conclusion, Scholar eSports Club is promoting the participation of studenta in gaming.

this paper discussed the benefits of playing videogames on students despite of its negative
reputation. It includes videogaming improves one’s communication skills, develop strategic
thinking abilities, and a great way to unwind after a long day of hard work.
 References

Barr, M. (2017). Video games can develop graduate skills in higher education students: A randomised
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Beldad, K. (2022, August 3). The Rising Popularity of eSports in the Philippines. Bria Homes.
https://www.bria.com.ph/articles/the-rising-popularity-of-esports-in-the-philippines/

Block, S., & Haack, F. (2021). eSports: a new industry. SHS Web of Conferences, 92, 04002.
https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/20219204002

Hemphill, D. (2005). Cybersport. Journal of the Philosophy of Sport, 32(2), 195–207.

https://doi.org/10.1080/00948705.2005.9714682

Howarth, J. (2022, October 7). How Many Gamers Are There? (New 2022 Statistics). Exploding Topics.
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