Often times, video games are examined as a negative idea, that kids are kept inside all day staring at a television aiming to achieve a certain goal on a certain level. Rather than walking outside and take in the different aspects of the world. A man by the name of Gabe Zichermann gave a TED Educational talk proving how video games can actually be positive in a child's life. This TED talk by Gabe Zichermann talks about how video games can be good for the mental well being of a young child as well as its positive affect structurally on the brain of a young human being. His main point is that kids focus all of their attention on multiple things at multiple times when playing video games which leads to the learning and developing of their brain. Their attention to detail helps them adapt and in the end help achieve what they were ultimately trying to achieve by playing the game. Mr. Zichermann uses this TED talk to persuade the viewers and listeners that they should join the movement with their kids because although gaming may seem bad at first thought, it can also be used to positively improve the cognitive learning of a kid when playing.

He discusses a study done by Ananth Pai, a third grade teacher who believes in gamified learning. Pai let his students learn by playing video games for eighteen weeks straight. Students went from a below third grade reading and math level at the beginning of the gaming observation to a mid-fourth grade level in reading and math (Zichermann). The kids said later on that learning was "fun" and "multiplayer," (Zichermann). At the time, this TED talk was trying to convince parents that video games were not all that bad because it taught kids to learn in a non-traditional way. Students are having fun and as well as, it is benefitting them by progressing their cognitive learning process. This was a prime example on how Zichermann used an experiment with factual results to persuade the audience that the playing of video games can actually help improve the learning ability of a child. The results of the experiment were that students learned how to multitask and they had fun (Zichermann). Because of these results, Zichermann is able to make his claim that video games can improve the well being of a child.

When Zichermann discussed games, he discussed how it can positively effect one's behavior and learning. One may find it most intriguing because Zichermann claimed that video games can actually be good for kids of all ages because it helps them learn, no matter the game that they are playing (Zichermann). Even violent games can be presented as not all that bad because kids are learning from the game no matter what is actually going on (Zichermann). Zichermann also discussed the evolution of gaming. When he was in his younger years, playing games consisted of a joystick and the television. Kids that play video games now text, talk on a headset, and achieve smaller levels which lead up to a bigger one. None the less, they are able to deal with interruptions from parents, siblings, or pets. Kids and video gaming today have become much more advanced since Zichermann's childhood. Kids can multitask at just about anything because of video games; they have also learned to focus all of their attention on certain things at the same time which is how the brain can physically change for the better. Online gaming has taught kids things that teachers in school could not teach. It has transformed from a joystick and a console to so much more than that today, and does nothing but teach kids how to multitask on many different levels while they play. He also references something he calls "Generation G." "Generation G" is a label for the kids of this generation where the primary form of entertainment for kids of any age is video games. Zichermann points out that "Generation G" is the primary test group on this claim that video games do in fact structurally improve the brain and mentally improve the well being.  He then goes on to point out another persuasive technique with the factual back up of the word "gamification" in which game-like thinking is used by larger corporate companies to engage viewers and solve problems (Zichermann).

There was another study conducted about the effect that juggling bowling pins structurally has on the brain's structure. People learned to juggle three pins and in twelve weeks, there was a significant increase in the density of gray matter in their brain. The study showed that it was not the performance that caused this increase in gray matter in the brain. It was actually the child learning something new in juggling that controlled the density of the gray matter (Zichermann). Scientists concluded that multilingual people actually have more gray matter in their brain and therefore do better on tests because they are considered "smarter." Zichermann used this study to reinforce his claim that learning new things and multitasking all at the same time when doing things like online gaming can actually be beneficial to the person. Zichermann then goes on to discuss how gaming is designed to produce pleasure for the player (Zichermann). They are designed to make the player want to continue to keep playing and by giving the player certain levels to strive for and achieve it also gives them a sense of accomplishment while at the same time they continue to multitask and learn more. The sense of accomplishment when the goal that the player was striving for is a hormone in the brain that is released called dopamine.  Dopamine structurally gives the player that feeling of "pleasure" of moving on to the next level. Once the player continuously gets that "pleasure" feeling in their brain, it makes them want to go back for more or to keep playing the game more.

Zichermann uses persuasive techniques by backing up his claims with specific factual examples such as the juggling technique and the teaching technique by Ananth Pai. He engages the audience. Zichermann has the oral skills that has the viewer and listener zoned in to what he is saying. He has the qualities of someone that is the right choice for this job in spreading the word about the positive effects of video games. By using these examples, the viewer is persuaded to believe Zichermann because of the credibility to all of his studies that he references. He himself also has credibility because someone who gives a TED talk is perceived by the audience to be someone of high value to the TED talk organization. Another thing that contributes to his credibility as a person and a presenter is that he is on stage in front of all these people and has a well thought out presentation put together for them. It is because of all of these studies that Zichermann is able to support his claim that video games can structurally improve the brain of young children. 

Zichermann's appearance and the way that he handles himself on stage also plays a heavy role as far as him being credible. The casual clothes are so people know its not a formal presentation but rather one about video games being played. The gestures he makes with the imaginary joystick is supposed to grab the audience's attention and take them back in time with him as if they would have any chance of playing with a video game that also involved a joystick and just the television. Zichermann uses documented specific examples to help the audience understand that what he is saying is in fact true and not just a presentation persuading his opinion. That is where the persuasion using specific factual examples comes in. The two examples make his claim credible. So the audience is not given the option to say that he is just making claims with no evidence because the evidence is there. The hand gestures keep the audience engaged while he is talking so they do not get bored with one person standing on stage and talking for fifteen minutes. All of these ideas are made effective because once again, Zichermann is speaking on behalf of a large corporate organization that many people around the world have heard about.

