The cause of the association between game playing and academic success is not clear from the research.
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If there was ever a reason to let your teen play more video games, this may be it. According to Posso, students who are active users of social media websites i.e. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. are likely to score 4 points below average – the score continues to decline with increased social media usage.
Scientists at RMIT University in Melbourne found that students who play online games nearly every day actually score significantly better in tests.
The data was compiled from over 12,000 Australian high schoolers that took the 2012 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA).
“The analysis shows that those students who play online video games obtain higher scores on Pisa tests, all other things being equal”.
It has been a theory among many psychologists that there are characteristics in games that can improve the cognitive ability of players, but there hasn’t been much empirical evidence to point towards whether there is an affect on not.
PISA is an internationally-recognized test that is used in over 70 countries worldwide, and assesses the academic competency of 15-year-olds in reading, mathematics and science.
“Students who play online games nearly every day score 15 points above the average in maths and 17 points above the average in science”, Posso said in the release.
Posso believes that online games actually help to reinforce what was taught in school thanks to their puzzle-solving nature, drawing upon general knowledge, maths, reading and science skills.
Moving forward, Posso recommends that teachers consider blending both Facebook and online games into their lesson plans.
“Students who play online games nearly every day score 15 points above the average in maths and 17 points above the average in science”, said Posso. “But it may also indicate that they are struggling with math, reading and science and are going online to socialize instead”.
Dr Posso said it was important to recognise that other factors could have a major impact on teenagers’ progress.
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Students who spent hours on social media sites such as Facebook were more likely to fall behind, the study warned. The study found that skipping classes can be even worse for scores and that indigenous students or those from minority ethnic or linguistic groups are also at greater risk of falling behind.
