The dangers of online gaming
An article on gaming on Stuff's website has Willowbank Primary's principal Deidre Alderson speak out on the dangers of online gaming in the lives of today's youth.
Alderson hit the nail on the head when she mentioned that the issue was that what the students did at home was something she had no control over. This is also true in the Mission Heights Schools and something we observe on a weekly basis.
There are countless studies done and whose results are available in pyschology journals and articles concerning the effect of gaming on children's brains. While some effects are good (training pyschomotor skills and eye-hand coordination), most, such as the hindering of deep sleep, addiction pathways and intense sensory stimulation all contribute to hyperarousal which is detrimental to the child's health.
We are reliant on our families keeping a close watch on their children's internet and gaming activities and the ICT team emphasizes this constantly in our dealings with both students and parents alike.