Everyday at 1pm and 6pm Whyville has their famous "letter squash" and "math expressions". But are these games really educational? Or do they just attract kids and make them addictive?
I interviewed about five Whyvillians asking their opinions on Whyville games, not just letter squash and math expressions, but games like Simon Says and checkers.
Slurpee15: Do you think Whyville games are addicting? Like checkers, Simon says, etc?
Amanda: Hmmm . . . No. Simon Says and checkers are only games I ever play with my friends, I don't play checkers or Simon Says just to play. I think by themselves they're far too boring to be addicted to.
Sims2girl: Not so much checkers and Simon, but the games where you can interact with your friends without cheating totally are.
Nicenfun: Yes, I think they're a bit addicting because most of them are fun, same as playing video games on a system like the wii. If something is fun you'll want to do it more.
Slurpee15: Do you think letter squash and math expressions are addicting to kids?
Andreappd: Yes I know some kids who are addicted to it and will cancel any real life plans just to play on the computer and get their scores higher on those games.
Iamtodd: Yes, if you are going for the points or high scores. No, if you are going just for the game in general. Yet again, this is to ME and MY opinion might be different for others.
Slurpee15: Do you think that these games are actually teaching kids anything?
Amanda: Well the games in the Greek Theater do, for sure, but I don't think the same can be said for Simon Says and checkers, they're just for fun.
Sims2girl: Somewhat . . . Letter squash is a pretty good source for my vocabulary in the book that I'm writing. Expressions isn't so much learning as a ?you know it or you don't" type of thing.
Andreappd: Yeah, I think a lot of kids are probably benefiting from them even if they don't realize it.
Iamtodd: Games such as checkers, Simon says, no. Expressions doesn't really help kids learn anything, unless they are at a young age. Letter squash, I personally think does. It teaches kids different words, and sometimes their synonyms, antonyms, and their definition. As these games may be addicting and not so educational, there are many parts of Whyville that are!
Slurpee15: Are you addicted to any of these games?
Amanda: No, I'm definitely not.
Sims2girl: Yeah, I'm at every letter squash and expressions. But it's not so much the games. That's where I know my friends will be.
Andreappd: Nope.
Iamtodd: I am guilty of the fun pleasure that math expressions brings to me!
Nicenfun: I'm not addicted to any of these games, but I know many people who have missed even going to the movies or other fun things just to play Whyville games.
In my opinion, I think these games can be very addictive, I've seen kids play these games everyday twice a day for weeks, even months just to earn points and to make their rank get higher. From my experience, I have been a little addictive, but not so far that I missed something special for it. But now I hardly play it anymore and I see no use in it. Yes these games can be fun, but sometimes it causes some things to happen. Like I've noticed that some people are getting so addicted to letter squash and math expressions, that they get mad if someone gets a point, or if they make a typo and end up losing a point. I think that games that come on at a certain time should be limited, or not be on as much as normal. For the games that are on all the time, they aren't really a problem, and hardly anyone is there.
So there you have it, now you decide if Whyville games are addictive or not.
I'm off to investigate something else!
-slurpee15.
