Jack Thompson attacking Buzz! The Schools Quiz
The American lawyer Jack Thompson still feels the (violent) content of games and their alleged effects on children are negative, even though they are not as long as the person playing knows the difference between what’s real and fake. But I digest, because he’s at it again. This time Jack Thompson has criticized Buzz! The Schools Quiz, claiming teachers should concentrate on traditional teaching methods instead. Yes, he’s now attacking additional teaching tools, claiming Sony are just using them to get PlayStation 2’s into schools.
The reason this is a lie is because Buzz! The Schools Quiz is a self-funded project by Buzz! developer Relentless, and has proved both successful and popular in schools around the country. To quote the developer’s website: “Buzz!: The Schools Quiz is not a replacement for teachers but we hope it will be a useful and fun tool for teaching.” It features around 5,000 questions based on the Key Stage 2 Curriculum and is available in both shops and schools. Back when I was in school I bought these sort of tests on CD-ROM to play on my PC to help prepare better for exams.
But Jack Thompson claims: “videogames have hurt far more people than they have helped, I don’t see how they can be of any more benefit than normal teaching.” Educational psychologist Jane Healy also has her head up her ass and agreed: “If you watch kids on a computer, most of them are just hitting keys or moving the mouse as fast as they can. It reminds me of rats running in a maze,” quotes Eurogamer.
