Can playing World of Warcraft make you smarter? – latimes.com

World of Warcraft

Anne McLaughlin and Jason Allaire, psychology professors at North Carolina University “run the Gains Through Gaming Lab, which examines how the playing of video games improves cognitive ability in older adults.  To test their theory, the researchers asked 39 adults ages 60 to 77 to play World of Warcraft for roughly two hours a day over a two-week period. They gave the test group a cognitive exam before the two-week period began, and again after the two weeks were up. They also had a control group of adults who did not play the game. The researchers found that two weeks of playing World of Warcraft … there was significant improvement in both spatial ability and focus for the participants who scored low on the initial test… The results of the study were published in the peer reviewed journal Computers in Human Behavior.” Can playing World of Warcraft make you smarter? – latimes.com.

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About Gaming and Education

Through my research, I have found that games are a powerful tool for learning for players of all ages. Last year I earned my doctorate in Educational Leadership at Azusa Pacific University. My dissertation was entitled - Higher Order Thinking Skills in Digital Games. I have presented my research at the annual convention of the California Educational Research Association. In addition to teaching, I assist other researchers who are working in the field of games and Learning.

Posted on February 23, 2012, in Uncategorized and tagged , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink. Leave a comment.

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