Video game generation

richard.shaw

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Since there is a big video gaming culture in the youth today, why not capitalize on that by implementing some of the following:

- Instead of merit badge training books, why not video game simulations which are akin to what the DoD does when they train service personel.

- A gaming merit badge perhaps. This may also include minature games like Warcraft as well as video games.

- A Nintendo Scouting Wii game. We can even call it WiiBELOS or Wii Scouting. We can have water sports like water skiing which utilze the Wii balance board. We can even have a Scouting gaming/recruiting night.

Young people may have a hard time remembering things, but they will remember gaming cheats.

Idea # 471Retention, video gaming wii

Moderator Comments

8/26/09

From: Merril Davis, Innovation Coordinator

Initial investigation of this topic will be conducted by the Innovation Team in consultation with volunteers and staff to identify how gaming may potentially integrate with and support the values and aims of the Scouting Program.

Comments

mgriffin 9 months ago

For what it is worth:

American Psychological Association:

"Teens who play violent video games for extended periods of time:

Tend to be more aggressive

Are more prone to confrontation with their teachers

May engage in fights with their peers

See a decline in school achievements. (Gentile et al, 2004).

The interactive quality of video games differs from passively viewing television or movies because it allows players to become active participants in the game's script. Players benefit from engaging in acts of violence and are then able to move to the game's next level.

Dr. Anderson and colleagues have shown that playing a lot of violent video games is related to having more aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors (Anderson & Bushman, 2001). Furthermore, playing violent games is also related to children being less willing to be caring and helpful towards their peers. Importantly, research has shown that these effects happen just as much for non-aggressive children as they do for children who already have aggressive tendencies (Anderson et al., under review; Gentile et al., 2004)."

and

The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the University Hospital Zurich

"Every hour children play video games or watch television may double their risk of obesity, a new study suggests. It's not the first study to link childhood obesity with time spent in front of the television or playing video games, but researchers say this study offers new insight into the scope of the problem.

"To our knowledge this study provides the strongest evidence for an independent association between time spent playing electronic games and childhood obesity," says Nicolas Stettler, MD, pediatric nutrition specialist at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, in a news release. "Our findings suggest that the use of electronic games should be limited to prevent childhood obesity.""

pcowan 9 months ago

When is the last time you did a boy talk? Kids WANT to get out doors and be active. the reason we have sedintary kids today is parents have allowed the games/TV to do the babysitting rather than them being active parents in their child's upbringing.

This is a very bad idea IMO

sucummin 9 months ago

I thought the whole idea of getting the youth of our nation involved in Scouting was to get them outdoors and away from mind numbing video games and television. Kids today don't know how to play unless it involves a controller. At least Scouting gets them up and moving, gets them outside for some fresh air and gets them playing (structured playing so to speak).

aberger 9 months ago

I am voting you up buddy. I am a gen X and I play video games, it's a hobby like anything else. Instead of saying don't do it we should be teaching Scouts how to make it a hobby or profession.
Just like shooting sports we teach responsability and safety. Instead of ignoring video games we should make sure we teach Scouts how to play responsably.
My 5 year old son has his own lap top and we allow him to play games on Noggen, Disney, Legos, etc.
The first comment about the American Psychological Association only focused their study on violent games. It has been proven that non-violent games teach advance logic and problemm solving.
As a side note I think Boys' Life magazine would be in deep trouble if it were not for video game ads. As an organization we are already promoting video games, the next logical step is to make sure we teach kids how to keep it from becoming a negative.

mgriffin 9 months ago

Ok, here is more (I just picked the APA reference because of the Warcraft idea, and it was an easy one).

Like anything else, responsibility, supervision, and moderation are the key. But too many of us use video as a babysitter and, or, believe there are benefits aside from fun and inproved dexterity and reaction times.

Plus, there is a significant and growing body of research that connects video gaming (any kind) to obesity, ADD, ADHD, and childhood depression. Phrases like "Primary experience is being replaced by a distorted, secondary experience"; "shorter attention spans"; "lack of creativity"; "weak relationship skills", etc. worry me.

We need to do the things that really make a positive, developmentat, difference in the life of a child. We need to build on what we do that research is again proving really, really works. And we need to work at making it really happen in packs, troops, teams, crews, and posts.

I would encourage everyone to read Last Child in the Woods (Richard Louv) and to visit the Children and Nature network web site and review the data. They are not the only a source of good information, but they gets you thinking about the possibilities we have in Scouting to make a real difference. And why we already do.

aberger 9 months ago

On the Boys' Life website there are Boy Scout video games. Good move.

cyndi.mcanear 8 months ago

i had the same idea but put it in on the other website! :)

Janel Holt 8 months ago

To not face a crisis of relevancy with boys and their parents, we need to find ways to meet the current needs of boys. I'm not saying that we should abandon the outdoor aspects of our program, but we shouldn't back ourselves into a corner by defining Scouting so narrowly. Why can't we be open minded enough to not make it an either/or choice?

As for the psychological aspects, some games are not suitable for youth, just as some movies, music, and books are not suitable. I don't think that anyone would argue that Scouting has no place offering opportunities for youth to develop interests in cinematography, singing, or reading and writing based off this suggestion. Technology is not the enemy, but uneducated and mishandled use of it can be.

I don't think we should offer things just to chase trends, but to be the largest organizations in the country for boys and not recognize video games as a part of their culture is short sighted and foolish. There is no doubt that boys get excited about fishing and camping, but there is equally no doubt that boys and men are the main consumers of video games. This is something our target audience is involved with, and we should pay attention.

richard.shaw 8 months ago

I appreciate how Janet articulated the point. The original idea was not to replace the existing outdoors program but rather to get our message across in a different format--to diversify our toolkit.

On top of the merit badge books, we can present the materials in an online format as part of a game and then test their knowledge on the merit badge skill with the game. The suggestion was never made to introduce close quarters combat skills. The suggestion was made though to follow the model put out by the DoD... and yes even Burger King and some other public and private groups who have successfully capitalized on technology.

Some inner-city kids don't have ready access to the outdoors, but an intro to the outdoors could be presented in video game format to prime them (i.e. give them the knowledge) and get them excited to go out there.

Like mgriffin says, "Like anything else, responsibility, supervision, and moderation are the key." Let's not throw the baby out with the bath water. We have proven that we area a highly adaptable organization with Futball and Scouting. Could you imagine if we didn't implement it because of the hooliganism that exists in Soccer?

Judy Sizemore 2 months ago

Status Changed from Active to In Progress.

John Whitford 2 months ago

Gamers are 'normal kids' who enjoy gaming. Some kids do become addicted to gaming but others grow and expand beyond the games to learn to troubleshoot hardware and software issues. These kids learn skills that may help them in life. They need interaction and at younger ages limits and guidance. Scouting can help make gaming a positive experience. My youngest son had a post/crew built around gaming. They used the camp training center quarterly for gaming weekends and would network up to 20 computers. They would also get out and play 'capture the flag' and on several occasions helped tear down camp or worked on buildings as service. My son now works for a major company using many of the skills that he developed in the crew. The future will belong to those that are comfortable with computers, we need to find ways to involve our membership in a meaningful way to help prepare them for their future. Gaming can be an open door to a world of positive or negative influences. Better to do it in a Scouting setting with adult leaders or advisors and positive role models. They will do it anyway, why not in Scouting!

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