This report confirms what moms of so-called “shy” kids have known for years: there’s a niche for every child, and for some of them, that includes a controller or keyboard and mouse.

Contrary to common education wisdom, computer games and other technologies can foster community-building, a strong sense of identity and higher-level planning, even in very young students, UC Davis researchers report.

“Technology can facilitate creativity and social awareness, even when we don’t design the use of it to do so. And when we do design technology activities with these things in mind, the possibilities are endless,” said Cynthia Carter Ching, associate professor of education at the University of California, Davis.

In their first study, Ching and Wang observed children who chose to play a computer game during their free time. Though only one child could play at a time, the children negotiated turns and gave each other advice about how to play the game. In the second study, children were given digital cameras and told to create digital photo journals. The students displayed creativity and engaged in complex planning at every stage of the assignment, from how they framed their shots to how they chose to organize them to tell a story, Ching found.

“This study shows that rather than technology being something children merely use, it can be a creative tool for increased reflection on social networks, friendships, relationships with teachers and a sense of self within the world of school,” Ching said.

Source: UC Davis