Welcome to "Why Video Games are Addictive and How to Avoid Gaming Addiction," a class taught by programmers with experience in computer science and video game programming. In this popular class, you will learn the essentials of why video games are so addictive, how to recognize the symptoms of addiction, and what can happen if you become addicted. You will also learn ways to prevent or deal with addiction and how to make better choices about how you use your time.

This class is specifically designed for students aged 8-16 and covers popular games such as Roblox, Minecraft, Fortnite, Pokémon, Call of Duty, Among Us, Rocket League, Mario, and Zelda.

Some symptoms of video game addiction to look out for include playing more than one hour of video games per day, becoming isolated from family and friends, lying about or hiding the amount of time spent playing games, and becoming upset or irritable when not playing games. If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, this class is for you.

Video game addiction is a growing concern, especially among young people. This 8-week course is designed to provide a deep understanding of the issue, as well as practical strategies for preventing and managing addiction. The course will be taught by a qualified computer scientist with experience in video game programming. The class will be divided into the following topics:

Week 1: Understanding Video Game Addiction
-Students will learn about the definition of video game addiction, its symptoms and how it is different from normal engagement with video games. Also covered topics such as the impact on physical, mental and social well-being.

Week 2: The psychology of video game addiction
-Students will explore the psychological factors that contribute to video game addiction, such as escapism, reward, and social connection.

Week 3: The technology behind video game addiction

Students will learn about the technology that drives video games, such as game design and programming, and how it can be used to create highly addictive experiences.

Week 4: Identifying and assessing addiction
-Students will learn how to identify and assess video game addiction, as well as learn about the different tools and resources available for assessing addiction.

Week 5: How Video Games are made addictive
Understanding the formulas and tricks they use to get you hooked


Week 6: Understanding what "In-app" or "DLC" (paid for downloads) and how they scam you of your money.
-Students will learn about practical strategies for preventing and managing video game "In-app" or "DLC" (paid for downloads) scams

Week 7: The Value of Time and Gaming Symptoms
-Time is one of our most valuable resources, yet it is often forgotten while playing video games. We will look at this in detail.

Week 8: Putting it All Together - Strategies for prevention and management
-Students will learn about practical strategies for preventing and managing video game addiction, such as setting boundaries, time management, and seeking support from friends, family, and professionals.
-Students will review the material covered in the previous weeks and will be given the opportunity to apply what they've learned through group work and practical exercises. The class will conclude with a discussion on how to maintain and continue to improve upon the skills learned throughout the class.
Alternative activities
-Students will learn about alternative activities that can be used as replacement for video games such as exercise, reading, art, and volunteering

Timeframe for the Week:
Mondays - The teacher will post the information needed for the week.
Tuesdays-Wednesday - The teacher can answer any questions pertaining to the topic of the week.  The students will need to complete any homework assignments and answer any questions in the class.
Thursday - Students need to have all tasks completed and uploaded in the classroom.  
Friday - The teacher will provide feedback to the class and individual students, students will also be able to engage in peer-to-peer review and be able to discuss how they went about completing the tasks.
Saturday - Sunday - The teacher will be available to answer any questions that the students may have for the week or the next week.

The course will provide students with the knowledge and tools they need to understand and prevent video game addiction. The course's teacher with experience of video game programming will give a special insight on the topic and the class will be an opportunity to learn about the issue from a unique perspective.

▬▬▬▬▬▬ Concessions ▬▬▬▬▬▬
For parents/families who feel their child would benefit from this course, but their budget does not allow for it, I do offer a number of discounts for families of lower income. Please message me with the course, dates and times you are interested in to learn more about the discounts I might be able to offer.