Video Gaming 101

Here's something every teenager will just love: The Council for Industry and Higher Education in London released a report on Friday that concluded children should take classes on computer games as a way to improve the United Kingdom's competitiveness in the information technology (or what they call information and communications technology, or ICT) field.

Reports gamrConnect.com:

"The ICT curriculum for schools focuses on using word processing and office productivity tools, rather than engaging children in understanding the computing principles that underpin games, internet services, and green issues they are passionate about."

Such courses should not be seen as "Mickey Mouse", the report said. It added: "The ICT curriculum in schools must be radically overhauled to ensure the pipeline to higher education and employment is improved."

The author of the study? Dr. David Docherty, chief executive of the industry council and chairman of the Digital TV Group. Yep. Readers also are reminded that technology industries pump £102 billion a year into the U.K. economy. See where this is going?

But for parents who have a hard time keeping their child(ren) off video games for, say, less than four hours straight (and who doesn't?), this really will come as a welcome idea. For teenagers, they now have "academic research" to cite when arguing they need to play just a little bit longer. After all, they're supporting the economy.