Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1426376
a college campus. NASEF partners with UC Irvine, which is conducting gaming research, including on the students and coaches involved in NASEF. Over the past two years, the young gamers have com- peted in the mega-popular multiplayer battle arena game League of Legends for an etched crystal trophy, but they gain so much more. " L a st ye a r, o u r t e a m w a s crow n e d co-champions in the tournament," says Willis. "It's an exciting trip because we receive a campus tour provided by UC Ir v i n e e s p o r t s p l ay e r s , a n d o u r stu - d ents are exp o sed to c ol l ege life and how big collegiate esports has become. It really opened our students' eyes to th e p o ssi bi liti e s aft er hi g h sch o o l in th e w o rl d of ga m i n g , e n t e r t a i n m e n t and video game design." Jason Parker's Valencia High School e sp or ts t eam has hoi st ed th e trophy tw o years r unnin g. Parker, a 21-year math and computer science teacher, is the general manager of the team, which boasts a club of 130 members who com- p et e in se veral dif ferent gam es, e ven holding a Super Smash Bros. tourna- ment on campus to raise funds for the team. Parker says it's an amazing expe- rience to see his students in a different light and watch them communicate and collaborate to achieve goals. " E sp or t s prog ram s brin g togeth er kids from all walks of life," says Parker, a member of APLE. "ey promote learn- ing communication skills, team play and game theory." The positive talk about video games and benefits of gaming might come as a shock to those who grew up in an era where video games were considered a waste of time by many. But not only is it a common and popular pastime for people all over the world, research now shows that moderate gaming is good for young people — with studies showing cognitive, creative, social, emotional and motivational benefits associated with video games. "Many studies have examined psycho- logical correlates of and consequences of video gaming, and the results over- whelmingly support the idea that video ga m i n g pro d u c e s m a ny of th e s a m e kinds of benefits as other forms of play," wrote psychology professor Peter Gray in Psycholog y Today. "Play has always pro- vided the major context through which children make and interact with friends, and there is reason to think that video gaming ser ves that function for many children today." E l i o t c a n s e e t h e b e n e f i t s i n h i s stud ent s. "It excites them about competition and learning in ways that perhaps other areas of school life do not," Eliot says. "It also legitimizes for the students (and their families!) that gaming is not all just fluff and wasting time. Gaming teaches really important skills, such as being part of a team, being able to communicate effectively and decisively, knowing your role in a group, and being able to perform your role well." And these young gamers aren't just plopping on the couch and vegging out every afternoon. They practice several times a week, plan multiple strategies, watch video of opponents, communicate and work together to solve problems, and " Gaming teaches really important skills, such as being part of a team, being able to communicate effectively and decisively, knowing your role in a group, and being able to perform your role well." —Dan Eliot, Association of Placentia-Linda Educators Economics and AP History teacher Brent Willis says the games may be on computers, but the competition and community are definitely real. 46 cta.org Teaching & Learning