Video games and education: A study on the differences between videogame playing and non-videogame playing post-secondary educators

Abstract

Thesis (E.dD)-- Wichita State University, College of Applied Studies, Dept. of Intervention Services and Leadership in EducationThis study explores the differences between post-secondary educators/professors who play video games and those who do not. It examines the perception of post-secondary educators in terms of their technology usage and adaptability (Technological orientation), gamification of teaching style (Gamification orientation), and their perception of video game skills usage in their role as educators (skills Usage orientation) and the retention of these developed skills as usable skills beyond the gaming environment (skills Retention orientation). This study uses an originally developed survey based on the body of academic literature as an instrument to gather all the required data for the study. The total participant pool entailed post-secondary educators or those who have roles that involve teaching in a post-secondary education institution (n = 216). The result of this study supports the hypothesis that playing video games significantly relates to increased Technology and Gamification orientation compared to non-gaming post-secondary educators. While differences in mean orientation for the skills usage and retention for educators who play video games are not statistically significant, the inclusion of the perception of non-gamers into the mix does create a statistically significant difference. The results of the study implicate that an increase in average weekly hours of playing video games could have an impact in participant orientation for these two orientations (skills Usage and Retention), but also within the Technology and Gamification orientation. Since this topic within the body of literature on video games remains largely unexplored, the study results on the relationship between gaming experience and the increased orientation scores provide evidence that there is more to explore in this direction