Learn and Play: Computer games and the development of children imagination

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the relationship between the following trio: computer games, cognitive processes, and motivation for learning of younger students. This topic has been chosen for the research because nowadays computers are deeply integrated into all areas of our life, and now it is difficult to imagine life without these machines. Children grow up in a world where computers are “obvious” parts of the surrounding world and social landscape. What quite recently seemed like a miracle of technology to adults, is not a miracle at all for them – it is just an object that gives them great options for spending time. Now we live in a digital era, and technologies have been introduced into the life of society and every family, not only for work or entertainment but also in the educational sphere. The main goal of including a computer into the educational process of a primary school student is the formation of readiness for life in the modern information society, and in the same time the formation of a comprehensively developed personality. For children, there are also many educational computer programs that help in learning to read and count. However, I decided to look at learning from a different angle. After all, learning can be completely different, and art is a new part of the gaming space. Children have a good visual memory and can learn the material much better in a playful way. One of the important tasks for modern adults is the creation of such conditions that would contribute to the complex development of the child, building the environment that would help to disclose his / her creative potential. From the other side, it is important to develop children’s cognitive abilities and logical thinking. One of the most effective ways to build these skills in an accessible way is a game. A learning game is a complex educational system that allows different ways of presentation. It can act as an activity, as a process connected with other activities, and as a special form of learning activity. Each of these concepts has its own scope of application. I want to convey to the player that learning and development, even at a young age, can be interesting and useful with the help of the game. I also support the theory that in the future, only creative and quickly learn specialists will be appreciated, so games will be based on learning art pieces and logical strategies.