As education continues with an increasingly e-learning approach to delivery, its worthwhile to consider some of the precautionary aspects. Gamification and social media may enhance and offer different learning opportunities but the potential to create or exacerbate disorders due to addictive behaviours from gaming addiction, will need to be considered when delivering the e-learning approach and consideration of the well-being of students. Patterns of gaming behaviour when interfering with normal daily activities, and any changes in physical or psychological health will need to be monitored.
World Health Organisation: International Classification of Diseases (ICD)
Disorders due to addictive behaviours from gaming addiction:
“Gaming disorder is defined in the draft 11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) as a pattern of gaming behavior (“digital-gaming” or “video-gaming”) characterized by impaired control over gaming, increasing priority given to gaming over other activities to the extent that gaming takes precedence over other interests and daily activities, and continuation or escalation of gaming despite the occurrence of negative consequences” (WHO, 2018).
Symptoms to monitor:
- impaired control over gaming (frequency, intensity, duration)
- increased priority given to gaming
- continuation or escalation of gaming despite negative consequences
Gamification
Some questions around gaming:
- Keen gamer or problem with addiction, at what point is too much and does age/maturity need to be factored into the guidelines?
- How does a sensible mix of connectivity with social media, gaming, work and social time look?
- The developing technology such as augmented reality (AR), simulation technology and virtual reality (VR). How will they be introduced and controlled?
A quick Google Scholar search using ‘gaming addiction’ shows there are plenty of research papers on this topical subject.
References
Petry, N. M., & O’brien, C. P. (2013). Internet gaming disorder and the DSM‐5. Addiction, 108(7), 1186-1187.
Woodward, A. (2018). The World Health Organization Identifies Gaming Disorder as a Mental Health Condition. Futurism.com
World Health Organisation. (2018). Gaming Disorders.