video game: Bob the Builder: Can We Fix It?

It all began with Ralph Baer, the "Father of TV Games." His ideas ushered in a new era of electronic entertainment and sparked the home video game revolution. In the nearly four decades since the release of the Magnavox Odyssey, home video game consoles have become a significant part of American culture and the industry has grown into a multi-billion dollar enterprise. The gaming world was once populated primarily by pre-teen and teenage boys, often huddled around televisions in each other's living rooms. Today, players are boys and girls, men and women, both young and old. They still play in their home or dorm room with friends, but increasingly they play online as well. The games they play are a unique combination of technology and graphic art, and game developers have continually pushed the limits of design to create exciting new settings and cutting-edge graphics. The possibilities for the future seem limitless, and "gamers" eagerly await the release of advanced consoles and new game titles. Warren Buckleitner, the editor of "The Children's Technology Review" and a doctor of educational psychology, has donated a representative sample of educational software games, as well as general PC video games. His extensive collection is an excellent example of the merging of work and play, and will encourage us all to remember that "Play is our brain's favorite way of learning."