REPORT FINDS MAJORITY OF PARENTS VIEW VIDEO GAMES POSITIVELY, SHOWS DIVERSITY OF PLAYERS

Sixty percent of parents say video games are a positive part of their child's life, and more than 50 percent of families with children under 18 at home believe games help them spend time together, according to the 2014 Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industry.

Some of the many statistics featured in the 2014 Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industry

The annual report provides statistics on consumer demographics, usage behaviors, the types of games played, game platforms used, and industry sales figures, in addition to parents’ views of and involvement in their children’s game play.

According to the report, 68 percent of families with children under the age of 18 at home believe game play provides mental stimulation or education, and 58 percent of parents whose children are gamers play games with their kids at least monthly. Among parents who play with their kids, 88 percent believe video games are fun for the entire family.

The report also found parents value tools, such as the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) video game rating system, which help them make informed decisions about their family’s game play. Eighty-eight percent of parents whose children play video games believe the ESRB ratings are either very or somewhat helpful in choosing games for their children. Additionally, 95 percent of parents report paying attention to the content of the games their children play, and 91 percent are present when games are purchased or rented.

In addition, more than half of U.S. households own a game console, and those that do own an average of two; the average game player is 31 years old, and 39 percent of game players – the largest age segment – are 36 or older; and consumers spent more than $21 billion on game content, hardware, and accessories in 2013. Additionally, the report found that gamers increasingly play games on-the-go. Forty-four percent of gamers play on smartphones, 33 percent play on wireless devices, and casual and social game play on mobile devices and online increased in popularity by 55 percent from 2012 to 2013.

To view the full report, go to: http://bit.ly/1iv5AQo.

GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY AND PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY PARTNER TO SUPPORT LOCAL VIDEO GAME START-UPS

George Mason University and Maryland’s Prince William County partnered to launch the Simulation and Game Institute (SGI), a cutting-edge facility that will support local start-ups, small businesses, and entrepreneurs in the simulation, modeling, and video game sector.

Located at George Mason’s Prince William campus, SGI will offer state-of-the-art training in game design, development, and simulation to Maryland, District of Columbia, and Virginia businesses. The Institute’s leaders will also assist businesses with advanced game design research, and will offer sophisticated visualization and simulation software to support rapid-prototype development.

Members of the Little Arms Studios team, one of the first game design companies to occupy the space at George Mason University’s Simulation and Game Institute

SGI is the only facility of its kind on the East Coast, and one of six such facilities around the world. As a business incubator, SGI will give local companies access to leading commercialization and marketing channels, research faculty, industry experts, and potential financial investment from foundations and equity partners.

Virginia Secretary of Technology Karen Jackson underscored the impact that SGI will have on the state’s businesses, saying, “SGI is an outstanding example of how technology-based collaborations can be leveraged to create economic opportunities and jobs.”

Prince William County Board of Supervisors Chairman Corey A. Stewart echoed Jackson’s sentiment. “SGI has already attracted five start-up businesses and is committed to graduating these young entrepreneurs…to establish stand-alone businesses and new jobs here in the County,” he said.

Other states implemented similar pro-business initiatives that support and nurture video game companies. The Louisiana State Department of Economic Development launched FastStart, a program that helps companies, including game developers, attract, train, and retain talent. Recognized as the nation’s best workforce training program by Business Facilities, FastStart has helped promote the growth of Louisiana’s computer and video game industry.

Strong public-private partnerships and pro-business programs such as SGI and FastStart are helping states and counties across the nation create new video game industry jobs and bolster local economies.

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS LAUNCHES GAME APP TO TACKLE CHILDHOOD OBESITY

Pediatricians are playing a new video game to learn how to discuss the dangers of childhood obesity with patients.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), in collaboration with New York-based app developer Kognito, released Change Talk: Childhood Obesity, an online and mobile game that prepares medical professionals to address the challenging topic of childhood obesity with overweight children and their parents by providing instruction on motivational interviewing techniques.

In the game, players take on the role of a virtual pediatrician and engage in a conversation with an overweight child and his mother. Players must monitor and respond to the patient and mother’s emotions, reactions, and body language, applying motivational interviewing techniques to ensure the discussion remains positive and that patients and parents understand the information.

Participating physicians learn effective strategies for building empathy and trust with their patient in an effort to encourage them to improve their diet and exercise routines.

“Partnering with Kognito gives us the ability to introduce the first virtual practice environment for health professionals to learn, build, and apply motivational interviewing tactics when engaging in conversations with young patients and their families about necessary changes in their health behaviors,” said Sandra Hassink, MD, FAAP, Medical Director of the AAP Institute for Healthy Childhood Weight.

Kognito has collaborated with other public health organizations to develop apps and games that help physicians address topics ranging from substance abuse to mental health and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The New York Department of Health and Mental Hygiene partnered with Kognito to develop an interactive role-playing game that teaches methods for assisting patients who were affected by Hurricane Sandy and are dealing with related stress and anxiety disorders.

With the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting that more than one third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese in 2012, interactive health-based games are an innovative and engaging tool for addressing a critical national issue.

U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT STEM SOLUTIONS CONFERENCE ADDRESSES EDUCATION, WORKFORCE CHALLENGES

Teachers, administrators, and business leaders participating in last week’s 2014 U.S. News & World Report STEM Solutions Conference agreed that the U.S. is facing a serious shortage of qualified candidates who can fill jobs that require science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills, and explored strategies for sparking student interest in these topics and careers.

Among the expert panels featured at the conference, “Making STEM Stick in Middle School” focused on piquing students’ interest in STEM early in their education to ensure their enthusiasm for these subjects continues through middle school and beyond. ESA President and CEO Mike Gallagher moderated the panel, which was comprised of leading math and science educators and after-school program directors.

The panelists agreed that teachers must make STEM subjects exciting by developing engaging curriculum. Chad Ripberger, program director for STEM at the National 4-H Council, emphasized that teachers can effectively engross kids in STEM concepts by offering hands-on, interactive programs that make learning fun. Ripberger also noted that parents play an important role in nurturing their kids’ curiosity, and recommended introducing project-based STEM activities at home to extend learning beyond the classroom.

The panelists highlighted a number of strategies to make STEM education more exciting, including through the use of educational video games and game-based concepts. Peg Cagle, teacher in residence and adjunct instructor at Vanderbilt University, explained that today’s students view failure in education differently than they view failure in video games. Students who fail to grasp an algebra concept might see their failure as evidence that they are bad at math, while video game players who fail at a level view their loss as motivation to try again. By incorporating interactive STEM learning games into classrooms, Cagle suggested, teachers can reshape students’ perception of failure and inspire elementary and middle school students to keep trying.

“We need to communicate to students that failure is a part of the learning process, and it should not discourage students from pursuing STEM fields,” Cagle said. “Math should be seen as as rich of an environment for mucking about as a sandbox is.”

The panelists concluded that innovative teaching methods and interactive technologies can provide a meaningful solution to our country’s workforce development challenges by capturing students’ natural enthusiasm for play and motivating them to pursue critical STEM subjects. Click the image below to access the full video of the panel presentation.