Editorial: Hate Math? Start Playing Video Games

Like a vast majority of people, I hated math in high school. It is not that I did not try to like it, because I really did “try”, mathematical concepts were just boring and frustrating to me. Once I got past Algebra II, I was in way over my head and bored beyond belief – which lead my wonderful High School counselor to suggest putting me in “general” math when all my other classes were in “advanced”. Nothing looks better on a high school transcript when you are trying to get into a great veterinary college. Have low grades in math or cannot comprehend Trig and Calculus? Then you cannot be a vet. The jerkasses. Our vet at the farm never uses math when he shoves his arm up our mares to see if they are ovulating or not – his main concern is not getting his arm ripped off, kicked, or pooped on before he can collect his $100 fee per horse.

Anyway, where was I going with this – oh yeah I remember now. If back then, I had high school teachers who taught courses in video game and computer design it not only would have helped me understand mathematical concepts better; but would have possibly pushed me to try other avenues that would ultimately have led me to comprehend these scary numbers and letters in fashion that I could eventually understand and have fun with. Thanks to teacher Paul Akerman at Edgewater High School in Florida, enjoying math via video game design may lead students to not only getting better grades in that department, but also in comprehension, physics, problem solving, and reading. According to Mr. Ackerman, his students “come to class early, and I have to kick them out when the bell rings”.

Over at the Ohio Supercomputer Center in Columbus, officials have suggested that high schools need to seriously consider offering courses in video game design so that the younger generations will have a more entertaining source to help them get “hooked on math and science and on the path to a career in computer design”. So far, hundreds of high schools have purchased software for teaching this trend, but the problem lies in finding teachers who are able to teach it and are comfortable with it, according to a Supercomputer Center official. The Labor Department has estimated that over 82,000 new positions in the computer and mathematical science field will be opening over the next decade, so getting children interested in these fields will be integral to the economy.

This could be a wonderful opportunity for schools to not only get kids interested in these fields, but it would be a fantastic tool to help students who despise math to take an interest in it. It is much easier to learn something you originally despised when you are actually having fun learning it, and with more than 90% of the teenage population playing video games this could be the next great learning tool that schools have been looking for. Maybe if they had programs such as these back when I was in high school, I may be an equine vet at this very moment and all of you would never have had to read the nonsensical ravings of my lunatic mind. Of course, I would be loaded with cash and rolling in it every night while the rest of my coworkers here continue to eat Ramen noodles for dinner. Mwha ha ha ha.

*Sigh* It is nice to live in pretend-land sometimes.

Thanks for the inspiration: The Morning Journal