Schools Have Started to Send Letters About the Dangers of Fortnite Addition
Schools have been in a frenzy to inform parents about how students being addicted to Fortnite: Battle Royale may be harmful to their learning environment.
Regardless of your affiliation with the gaming industry, there is a good chance that you have heard about the phenomenon of Fortnite: Battle Royale, and how popular it has become worldwide.
With Fortnite being ‘free-to-play’ across platforms such as the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, iOS, and Nintendo Switch, gamers from all backgrounds and age groups can easily access the title and get in on the action.
It appears that the game has become a concern for a collection of Australian Primary Schools, with multiple institutions circulating warnings to parents regarding the potential harm Fortnite could be causing on students.
Bondi Beach, a public school in Sydney, mentioned how administration members and teachers have noticed a ‘noticeable change’ in student behavior:
“A noticeable change in some behaviours in the classroom and in the playground, that are directly linked to Fortnite […] We are noticing the negative effects of this game, particularly on boys and most concerning, on boys in K-2”
An NSW public school named Shellharbour voiced concern about how online communication may stem the chance of bullying outside of the classroom, along with the use of inappropriate language.
The ability to communicate online whilst playing these games is leading to moments of online bullying, the use of inappropriate language and abuse.”
However, not everyone is up-in-arms involving Fortnite and its impact on children, including Dr. Marcus Carter, a lecturer in digital culture and gaming from the University of Sydney, who discussed that the worry stems from parents worrying about their children partaking in activities that were not available at the time of their youth.
“The media panic around Fortnite is indicative of tensions that exist between parents, children and any new media. When kids do things that kids didn’t do when we were kids – that can make parents concerned and worried.”
With Fortnite seemingly growing on a daily basis, there is no telling how large the game can get, or its future implications on young students going forward.
Source: The Guardian