Core 4 Intro (CARS)

The subject which I have chosen is of great importance to the future of digital learning. As our world becomes more technologically advanced every day, it is imperative that we customize our learning style to cater to the teaching of digital literacy. As research by Squire has shown, children who have had previous experience with video games have a better understanding of newer interfaces at older ages. The use of video games can be a beneficial aid to the teaching of technology to younger ages.

However, observing the research of others has inspired me to raise a few questions of my own. I would like to find out more specific factors of how the video games benefit learning, such as how open-minded they are at older ages to try new technologies. I would like my essay to contribute in some way to discovering new topics in my field of inquiry, and to spread awareness of the importance of teaching digital literacy at a younger age.

The purpose of my essay is to convince others that digital literacy skills can be heightened through the use of constructive video games at early ages. Up to this point, it has been discovered that beneficial video games can help to develop above average technology skills at older ages. It has also been found that the effects of playing video games can be found in short term increments. However, more research will have to be added to these findings before this topic can be cracked. More sub-questions will have to be proposed and answered, and findings will become more intricate. Although my essays are just a small addition to the research, I still feel as though I have constructive inquiries to offer as well as explanations for the occurrences being studied. My paper will argue the basis of my topic as well as my assumptions that I plan to defend.

An Argument of Causality

After reading and analyzing both chapters seven and eight, I have come to the conclusion that the topic of my research inquiry falls under chapter ten. Therefore, my topic is an argument of causality. My research question is the following; "Does the use of constructive video games as a young child have any positive correlation to the child ability to operate technological systems in the future?" My research question is essentially the study of a cause and effect process. The cause, consists of a child of young age learning to play video games. The effect is that due to those games, the child is better suited to easily operate other technological systems at a later age. This is the cause and effect relationship between two major aspects of my topic. It can be proven that being able to successfully operate digital interfaces at an older age is an effect of starting children off so early with video games.

Another way one could get more intricate is to say that their willingness to try new things in technology directly stems from their conditioning to it in the past. This is true in most cases, where the person began using technology at an early age and was therefor more open minded to try new things. This also is a cause-effect relationship. The effect is the person's aptness to try new technologies, and the cause is the person was conditioned to use technology at an early age.

However, I suppose this could always be considered an argument of fact as well. The fact that my research question could be proved based on scientific research is the basis of my assumptions here. A study could be set up to prove this where people of certain age groups are all asked about their use of available technology as a child as well as how conditioned they are to trying new things today. It would be formatted so as to focus on whether there is any distinct correlation or not. If there is a large positive trend, it can be said then that there is direct correlation between playing video games at a young age and being successful with technology in the future.

Although the argument of fact is a good way to help prove the accuracy of the report, I still believe that writing about the cause and effect relationship is what really matters here. The cause effect relationship is the entire basis of my research question, and it is what core 4 should be centered around. I aim to prove that the effect of being proficient with technology is caused by learning to play video games at a younger age. However, these assumptions like any other have room for error. For example, there are other people out there who have never played video games but are still good with other technological interfaces. What I am trying to say is that playing video games at a younger age is not the only cause of becoming technologically proficient in the future. Although I do hope to prove that it can be a positive factor if applicable.