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Examples of Positive Effect on Children from Gaming (renamed)
Kittkin
Registered User new member
Registered User new member
I am not in the habit of asking for help on forums, since I've lurked on the internet long enough to realize that rarely works. However, I've got a problem that I think everyone here can help me with. I'll preface it with a bit of a story, and hopefully you can find it in your hearts to give me a hand.
I attended PAX East in Boston just this past month. It was my first PAX convention, and I was suitably wowed by the Expo and the panels and all the other cool stuff that filled up with weekend. Most of all, though, I was amazed by the sense of community at the con. Even in the midst of the ungodly lines, people were friendly and approachable. By far the best example was at the last of Mike and Jerry's panels, where there was a standing ovation for a girl who stood up to speak on Child's Play and how important it was to her. I have to say, when Mike walked down the aisle to hug her, I teared up a bit.
Fast forward to the present day, in the midst of another quarter at university. I'm taking a persuasive speaking class, and our first assignment was to do a presentation on some charity or organization that we thought was worth attention. My friends immediately suggested Child's Play, and I agreed wholeheartedly. But here is where the problem comes in. We were required to pitch a number of topics to the class, submitting our ideas for commentary and a vote. When I stood up and began talking about Child's Play, I explained how the charity gives money, toys, books, and video games to hospitals around the world so that sick children would have something to focus on besides their illness. My professor stared at me, and then said 'There is an organization that does that?! Gives video games to children?" Disgust was evident in her voice.
I was horrified. She went on to explain that she hated video games, for all the usual reasons. Violent time wasters, etc. I tried to counter her argument, saying that the charity was started in part to prove that the gaming community was made up of decent people. Games, I said, do not turn people into sociopaths. Her response? "But they do!"
So, there's the back story. Now, here's my plea. I need to make this the best speech I've ever given. I find it offensive that my professor would turn her back on money and entertainment for chronically ill children because video games happen to be involved, and I imagine you do to. So I'm asking everyone for all the information they can give me. I'm already gathering my research on the effects of video games, and I'm contacting the Children's Hospital in the area (one that Child's Play gives to directly) to get the opinions of doctors and nurses on whether playing the video games helps the children. But I would greatly appreciate anything else you can find for me. Anything you think is relevant. Especially personal stories, if these issues have touched your life in any way.
I know that the gaming community is strong. I've seen it for myself. If you can, please help me to prove that in my speech.
I attended PAX East in Boston just this past month. It was my first PAX convention, and I was suitably wowed by the Expo and the panels and all the other cool stuff that filled up with weekend. Most of all, though, I was amazed by the sense of community at the con. Even in the midst of the ungodly lines, people were friendly and approachable. By far the best example was at the last of Mike and Jerry's panels, where there was a standing ovation for a girl who stood up to speak on Child's Play and how important it was to her. I have to say, when Mike walked down the aisle to hug her, I teared up a bit.
Fast forward to the present day, in the midst of another quarter at university. I'm taking a persuasive speaking class, and our first assignment was to do a presentation on some charity or organization that we thought was worth attention. My friends immediately suggested Child's Play, and I agreed wholeheartedly. But here is where the problem comes in. We were required to pitch a number of topics to the class, submitting our ideas for commentary and a vote. When I stood up and began talking about Child's Play, I explained how the charity gives money, toys, books, and video games to hospitals around the world so that sick children would have something to focus on besides their illness. My professor stared at me, and then said 'There is an organization that does that?! Gives video games to children?" Disgust was evident in her voice.
I was horrified. She went on to explain that she hated video games, for all the usual reasons. Violent time wasters, etc. I tried to counter her argument, saying that the charity was started in part to prove that the gaming community was made up of decent people. Games, I said, do not turn people into sociopaths. Her response? "But they do!"
So, there's the back story. Now, here's my plea. I need to make this the best speech I've ever given. I find it offensive that my professor would turn her back on money and entertainment for chronically ill children because video games happen to be involved, and I imagine you do to. So I'm asking everyone for all the information they can give me. I'm already gathering my research on the effects of video games, and I'm contacting the Children's Hospital in the area (one that Child's Play gives to directly) to get the opinions of doctors and nurses on whether playing the video games helps the children. But I would greatly appreciate anything else you can find for me. Anything you think is relevant. Especially personal stories, if these issues have touched your life in any way.
I know that the gaming community is strong. I've seen it for myself. If you can, please help me to prove that in my speech.
Kittkin on
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Posts
2. This sounds very much like a "do my homework for me, Forums!" type post.
That said, here's some advice: Pick your battles. While I commend your commitment to spreading the "good word", an in-class presentation for marks is not the best venue. It sucks to have your hobby maligned, but you have to realize that it doesn't matter what you say; her mind is made up. Just pick something easy, get yourself a good grade, and don't worry about your prof's prejudices.
oh and check out a book called Grand Theft Childhood(http://www.amazon.com/Grand-Theft-Childhood-Surprising-Violent/dp/0743299515) its a study on violent video games and children.
2. It sounds like the OP has done and is already doing a lot of work and is just asking for more sources and resources to apply said work to.
To the OP. Ask yourself this: Is your professor the type of prof who while completely disagreeing with your speech will grade you on the merits of the work you did and the arguments you present? or by whether she was persuaded (she sounds like she will not be) or on the fact that she hates your subject matter?
If yes to the first question, go ahead. If no, follow previous posters advice and find a different topic.
Are you allowed multimedia? you might be able to ask for snippets of video from the testimonials given by people in the PATV episode about Child's Play. Or at least quote from them (with proper attribution of course)
Everything said here is gospel truth. Pick a nice, non-offensive topic, grit your teeth, and get through it.
Some people actually care about the work they do for classes. If the professor gives it a bad grade because of a personal problem with video games, the OP can appeal it to a superior.
That way, when you get a bad grade there will be a track record of you reporting your teacher's prejudice beforehand and they're less likely to write you off as 'some kid whining about how he got a bad grade'
On a side note, if you ask your teacher if books are better for kids (arguing violence is a tool taught by video games), then bring up the Catcher in the Rye and why it's tied to so many assassinations.
I wrote a paper about how the old environmentalist "anti-nuke" lobby has contributed significantly to the problems of today, and is partially why the country is littered with destructive coal plants instead because they apparently expected people to just stop using electricity.
Turned out my teacher was a huge part of that movement in the 1970s and gave me the lowest possible passing grade despite it being a reasonably well written paper. Took much complaining, but another teacher who does the same subject took a second look and gave me (the equivilent of) an A
If there's an issue that's sticking in your craw and you know you can write a detailed, passionate paper about - don't hold back just because your teacher might not like the topic (assuming the topic you pick is one that isn't forbidden, eg: "write a paper about fruit" and you make a poem about spaceships)
This game may help you
"What should this child do while he's in the hospital (*shows picture of child in pain due to some horrible thing*), think of *horrible thing* all day, OR (*shows picture of super mario level*), try to figure out how to get every star in New Super Mario Bros? But yeah, you're right, video games will turn him into a sociopath."
Then, when you're done and she's sitting their with her jaw dropped to the floor because you pwned her so bad you must strike.... ZING! IN YOUR FACE! I'M OUT, PEACE!!!! Then walk out. Make sure you walk out or that would be lame.
Moving...
...
...
...move complete.
The best argument would be "look around your classroom. How many sociopaths do you think are in here? Cause, we all played videogames."
that's why we call it the struggle, you're supposed to sweat
But I definitely agree with Pagoon: don't get defensive. Stick to your topic. Toss in some benefits of playing video games as it pertains to the topic. If you think you did well on it and you get a bad grade, take it to the professor's superior. Possibly talk to the superior beforehand in case you think it will be a problem. Consider having someone else in the class record the presentation.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080319152744.htm
video games help autistic kids
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070622183516.htm
and so on. there are a lot of examples of modified video games being used to help the disabled and mentally challenged. You may want to talk with some computer science professors/students for more examples, I'm sure they would be happy to point you in the right direction.
As for child's play, explain the situation fully. My understanding is that they are giving wii's and child-friendly games to sick, sick children that are pretty much stuck in the hospital. You may want to try shooting Khoo or Jerry or Mike an email to get some testimonials about Child's Play. Keep in mind that these are kids that NEED time wasters. Don't get self righteous, just lay out evidence, facts, and testimonials. You may be able to find a study that shows that kids in hospitals that are entertained by video games have less instances of depression or have better overall mental health. If you can include a picture of a grinning, cancer ridden child playing a video game you'll be all the better for it.
Also the state of washington honored jerry and mike for child's play didn't they?
OP, I think your best bet isn't to argue about the issue of whether games turn kids into sociopaths. Your assignment is to demonstrate why this charity deserves attention. Keep your focus on Child's Play and demonstrate the positive nature of the toys and games they donate as part of your presentation. Give examples like Nintendogs, and talk about how it teaches kids to be responsible pet owners and encourages social interaction through its multiplayer options. Have a slide showing the categories of age-appropriate items that are requested by the hospitals themselves. Demonstrate Child's Play's nature as a charity that has strong relationships with the hospitals and use the testimonials to show how it has helped sick kids.
I disagree with the other posters that you should complain to the prof's higher-ups before you receive your grade. If she does grade you poorly, go talk to her. Have the criteria of the assignment as she provided them to you with you. Focus solely on the stated criteria of the assignment, not on your disagreement over the merits of video games. Ask her why she didn't believe you met each assignment criterion satisfactorily, and write down her answers. If you think she's BSing you and you can prove that you did complete the assignment satisfactorily, then you have a good case to take to a higher up and will be taken more seriously.
This will also make it clear to you whether you deserved the grade you received. Maybe she thought your content was good, but you mumbled the entire time and failed to properly scan the class, in which case, you get to take your B- with a smile.
If it was me, I would do it on Child's Play, it has nothing to hide it is something everyone who is a gamer and has donated should be proud about. The object of your report isnt to definate video games, its to talk about the charity.
There is restrictions on what sort of games/toys go to childs play anyways, its not like we are filling hospitals with copies of GTA and God of War.
There's some great letters on the Child's Play site.
Symbolic play is not just fundamental to human psychology. It is fundamental to life. People who have trouble understanding that a playful representation of something is different from the real thing -- that heroic shooting rampages with bulletproof protagonists don't happen in real life -- are broken people.
XBL Michael Spencer || Wii 6007 6812 1605 7315 || PSN MichaelSpencerJr || Steam Michael_Spencer || Ham NOØK
QRZ || My last known GPS coordinates: FindU or APRS.fi (Car antenna feed line busted -- no ham radio for me X__X )
I think, realistically, your strongest argument here is going to be an appeal to emotion. Maybe talk about how difficult x illness/treatment is on a child and how having video games as an escape helps her get through it.
Honestly, there's probably some generational divide that simply prevents her from seeing video games as a valid form of entertainment and it's unlikely that she'll come around. If it was me, I'd probably tell her that in my argument. If she advocates reading as a better use of time, there is a lot more trash literature out there than there are crap video games. Medium and quality of content are two different issues.
Maybe the way to do it is start off with the premise that the beneficiaries of child's play are children who are truly suffering -> entertainment allows children an escape from their misery, which is good -> here you can either say (1) video games are just as valid as any other form of entertainment, or (2) video games are better than other forms of entertainment.
Better person to email would be Kristin Lindsay. klindsay@childsplaycharity.org Although there are some testimonials here.
Same thing happened to on an Ayn Rand essay on the Fountainhead during High School. My teacher liked Ayn Rand a lot so my contrary(well-written) view gained me a C on it after I spent over a week working on the paper and actually getting it proofread and critiqued by my cousin who is an English professor at a pretty good university.
Or, of course, go over the kid friendly, socially responsible games the charity provides to kids who truly need some form of entertainment. If you must address her prejudice, mention the moral panics over D&D, comics, the television, electricity and vaccinations in their early years. Try to also mention that these games provide an interactive element that isn't present in other forms of media, as well as the fact that these games allows them to stay connected to friends outside the hospital (via Xbox live, PSN, etc.) and helps them to maintain a sense of normalcy during their otherwise painful time there. If you really wanna stick it to her, mention educational games like Age of Empires or, if you must, Brain Age.**
Good luck on the project. SIC SEMPER TYRANUS!
*This is a joke, obviously.
** Seriously, I'm kicking ass in history classes today because I read about empiricism in Empire: Total War.
BAH to anyone saying he should back down and choose another topic. It's one mark in one university class - in the grand scheme of things the mark means far, far, less than his integrity. Integrity matters. This will be a great answer to a question at a job interview.
Good luck, let us know how it goes.