Today I played a game: I asked questions inspired by the things around me.

The result? A list longer than even I had expected. I stopped playing after a few dozen questions, but the game does prove a good point: we can learn everything we need to know just by paying attention to what is around us.

Why is learning from your environment better, though?

That’s easy to explain.

Let’s say two children are learning about chlorophyll at the same time. The difference is that one child is coming across it through school, and the other child is curious about her environment.

Now, the child in school (let’s call him Jimmy) is being told this information by his teacher and his textbook. The facts are presented to him in a very concise, step-by-step way. Jimmy hasn’t thought about plant color before.

The unschooler (let’s name her Jill) is out having fun in the park with her family. Jill looks at the trees before she asks why leaves are green. Her parents explain and they have a conversation about it.

Both children are told the same information, but I’ll tell you why Jill is at an advantage:.

- She’s enjoying herself. By having a positive experience, the learning becomes a happy experience, too.
- She’s shown she’s ready to learn by asking a question. Being told something doesn’t mean you’re going to (or even want to) learn it.
- She has a hands on example. She might even grab a few leaves to press as souvenirs.
- She’s encouraged to ask questions. Jimmy could leave his class wanting to know more. He might even be punished for asking questions out of turn.

Most of all, Jill has an advantage because what she’s learning is relevant to her life. She can relate to what she’s learning and she can understand how the information affects her.

Who will learn more: the child who is told to listen and repeat what he’s been told, or the child who is encouraged to seek new information? Which would you rather be?

Share your thoughts in the comments!

Video games have gotten a bad reputation. It can be easy to see why: some gamers play 40+ hours a week. Some addictions are so strong that people lose their jobs, their spouses, and even their homes. It’s not a pretty story.

However, that’s just one side of it. Games aren’t all bad.

I play a lot of video games, and I know a lot of gamers. Personal experience has proven to me that gaming isn’t what debaters like Bill O’Reilly make it out to be.

To put it simply, I see video games as more than just fun. The benefits can be put into three sections:

Your Brain Works Better

Today’s games are full of fast-paced, visual action that challenges our minds. Studies find that gamers succeed in detail-oriented careers in fast paced environments. They make better surgeons, drivers, and soldiers – and anything else you could think to add to the list. Games improve your brain in all sorts of ways:

1. Reaction Time

First-person shooters, racing games, and many other genres rely on the gamer’s reaction time. Over time, neural connections related to reaction time improve. Quick reaction times can save lives outside of the gaming world.

2. Visual Processing Skills
Reaction skills are great, but noticing stimuli is even more important. You can’t dodge a bullet if you didn’t notice it was shot at you. Visual processing is important for avoiding accidents and remembering visual information (like what a criminal looked like). Video games encourage a strong awareness for stimuli.

3. Concentration
Challenging tasks in video games involve a lot of concentration – and patience. The ability to pay attention with and without distractions is rewarded in any genre.

4. Motor Skills
If you’re not used to using a console controller, you’ll notice right away. You’ll feel awkward and you’ll have a hard time controlling it. Video games train hand-eye-coordination, which is important for any of us to be able to live normal lives. It’s what allows us to do everything from type to make tea.

You’ll Know Your Numbers

All games involve numbers. After all, how else can you tell whether or not you’re strong enough to kill an enemy? Some say that MMOs are nothing BUT math. Either way, gamers need to know their math for a few important reasons:

1. Finances
Money is important in most games, whether it’s online or offline. You use it to buy new skills, weapons, armor, food, materials, and any else you can think of. Gamers have to pay attention to their budget and their means of income in order to advance in the game. Massively Multiplayer Online games (MMOs) have even more complex economies that can take a lot of time to study and understand. Second Life and similar games even use actual (real life) currency.

2. Percentages
Numbers are everywhere in games. They’re involved in nearly every aspect of gameplay, and most of the numbers can relate to percentage. How close am I to leveling up? How much stronger will this weapon be with a 5% bonus? What’s my rating? There’s a lot to calculate.

3. Algebra
Games involve simple calculations (additions, subtraction, multiplication, and division). The more involved the gamer is, the more involved the math becomes. The math covers at least the most simple concepts of algebra, and can lead to complex calculations.

You’ll Be More Social

Popular games (and even less popular ones) have their own communities. Game related content (forums, chatrooms, walkthroughs, etc) are created by fans more often than not. Online games especially are all about community. MMOs are impossible to succeed in alone.

1. Teamwork
Generally, games involve different character types that have different strengths and weaknesses. Difficult tasks in MMOs require gamers to work in teams. Strategy becomes a team effort, and can be one of the most important things in the game. It’s hard to become a top player without a few friends.

2. Networking
Gaming communities can involve millions of people around the world. There’s a lot of opportunity to connect and network with people when so many others are playing the same game as you are.

3. Communication
Any amount of teamwork will make you use your communication skills. Who gets what items from the monsters? Who heals? When will players get together to work on a certain task in the game? Communication is a vital skill for any MMO gamer.

Gaming, like anything else, is best done in balance. Addiction to anything can be harmful. It’s about knowing when to stop, and having the ability to control what you do and when you do it. Enjoying something doesn’t have to be an addiction.

Parents new to unschooling worry about their kids watching TV and playing video games all day. It doesn’t need to be such a negative idea.

What’s the harm with a little fun?