The Potential for Empathy Learning through Video Games

This thesis has looked at the potential for empathy-learning and exploration of ethical issues through the use of narrative video games in education. Video games is a relatively modern medium that is unique in the sense of the level of interaction, player-agency and engagement it has the potential to produce. Video games can be used as story-telling devices within education, along the lines of traditional narrative text, while also allowing players to craft their own player-generated narratives. To explore the potential for empathy learning and exploration of ethical issues, the thesis presents an analysis of a narrative apocalyptic video game in the survival genre, Frostpunk (11 bit games, 2018). The video game’s framing of ethical issues and its potential for empathy learning is examined in relation to the notion of persuasive games, curricular texts, and genres. Based on the previous analyses, this thesis includes suggestions of how to engage Frostpunk, and by implication of other similar games, in both the English subject and to teach interdisciplinary subjects such as Democracy and citizenship, and Sustainable development. The study concludes that there is potential to use commercial video games as a platform for empathy-learning, while acknowledging that there are practical and pedagogical concerns and challenges with respect to implementing them in an educational setting

A review of research on learning through video games

En este trabajo presentamos los resultados de una revisión bibliográfica sobre 50 investigaciones entre 2003 y 2018 acerca de los efectos de los videojuegos en el aprendizaje. Nuestro análisis considera dos hilos conductores: por un lado, las potencialidades que los videojuegos ofrecen y, por otro, las dimensiones de análisis a considerar en el abordaje de los videojuegos como recurso educativo. Los resultados ponen de manifiesto la diversidad y ambigüedad de resultados en torno al impacto de los videojuegos en el aprendizaje, pese a su amplia aceptación por parte de científicos y educadores. Esta diversidad de resultados se entiende desde la multiplicidad de enfoques teóricos existentes para analizar dicho impacto. Se concluye que el abordaje teórico de la cuestión deberá contemplar simultáneamente múltiples enfoques, siendo centrales la perspectiva cognitiva y la sociocultural.This paper examines 50 publications between 2003 and 2018 related to video games and learning outcomes. Our analysis considers two main trends: the potentialities of computer games and, on the other side, theoretical approaches to support the use of digital games as learning tools. In spite of the wide acceptance of video games among scientists and educators, the results of this research exposes the variety of outcomes and also some setbacks around the impact of digital games on learning. The diversity of outcomes is understood since the large number of existing theoretical frameworks and perspectives to analyze that impact. We conclude that the theoretical approach of the issue should include multiple perspectives simultaneously, being the cognitive and the sociocultural two of the main ones.Fil: Escobar, Margarita del Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Tres de Febrero; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Buteler, Laura Maria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Matemática, Astronomía y Física; Argentin

Comparing the potential of commercial off-the-shelf and educational games video games for adult foreign language education: an experimental study

The goal of this paper is to explore the experiences evoked by playing a commercial and two digital language learning games. More particularly, it deals with the differences in the playing and learning experiences of adult foreign language learners ( N=62). While results of the experimental design suggest that the commercial game evokes better playing and learning experiences, these findings are partly neutralized by the attitude of the participants towards learning through video games and by being a gamer or not. This raises questions as to how video games should look to appeal to a public of learners that is not familiar with gaming in general and with digital game-based learning in specific

Development of an Escape Room Video Game about Recycling

Treball final de Grau en Disseny i Desenvolupament de Videojocs. Codi: VJ1241. Curs acadèmic: 2022/2023This document represents the Final Degree Work report of Nàdia Montaña Miranda, in Bachelor’s Degree in Video Game Design and Development. The main concept is a video game with an escape room format, with the aim of educating young people about recycling. This serious game is expected to be used in educational institutions for students to enjoy while learning through video games. In order to complete the three levels of the escape room, the user will learn important information about recycling, such as the correct separation of waste, the decontamination process of a vehicle or the plastic recycling process

The Crypt of Notation: Rote Learning through Video Games For Adult Beginner Keyboard Learners

Playing music and partaking in learning to play an instrument, in this case keyboard, can be a highly rewarding but demanding experience. A key issue of adults that attempt to learn to play an instrument, again, in this case keyboard, is that a vast number of them will give up shortly after beginning their learning. Through both primary and secondary research we established that a core reason for this high number of adults dropping off is a lack of fundamental skills; skills which make the process of learning and playing more efficient, easy and enjoyable. This issue in conjunction with the lack of engaging methods of practicing these skills which require rote learning (copious amounts of repetition) led us to develop a novel solution in the form of a practice video game. We established, through multiple studies, that there was a place for such a solution, but it became apparent that there was a need to empirically measure whether this video game experience could improve or help acquire new skills just as well as a traditional or typical method within real-world contexts. In this paper, we present our novel prototype practice game. We will discuss the various stages and pitfalls of testing, design and development whilst also discussing the methodology of our upcoming longitudinal study. The study aims to measure the concepts of educational value and engagement in a real-world setting using adult beginner keyboard learners over an extended period of time, which is conducted at their own pace and within their own home environments

Teaching Sport Psychology to the XBox Generation: Further evidence for game-based learning

Objective: To extend recent research examining the impact of game-based activities on the learning experience of undergraduate psychology students. Design: A counterbalanced repeated measures design was employed to evaluate students’ learning experiences following their involvement in active game-based learning activities. Method: Students on a Level 5 sport psychology module (N=134) were asked to participate in four practical classes demonstrating the impact of psychological factors (e.g. anxiety) on sports performance. Two sessions were designed for each practical: one included the use of active video games (e.g. Kinect Sports); the other included a traditional active game-based activity (e.g. Reaction Time Game). Students were randomly assigned to one of two groups in order to facilitate counterbalancing and to ensure that all students completed two active video game (AVG) and two non-AVG tasks. Following each practical, students provided ratings of perceived usefulness, interest/engagement, and enjoyment using a seven-point Likert scale. These data will be analysed via one way repeated measures analyses of covariance (ANCOVA), with students’ experience of AVGs being the covariate. The impact of sessions on students’ academic motivation and performance were also assessed and analysed via one-way ANOVAs. Results: Data is currently being collected alongside a semester one module. Results will be reported during the presentation. Conclusions: It is anticipated that the findings will provide further evidence to support the use of AVGs in the teaching of undergraduate psychology, and that the increased sophistication of AVG technology may be harnessed to provide multiple benefits for students in higher education

“Ummm, in my opinion English lessons have usually been pretty boring”:language learning through video games: a qualitative study on the experiences and opinions of two gamers

Abstract. The aim of this thesis is to map out the effects video games have had on the English learning of two university students, who identify themselves as gamers. My aim was to identify which mechanics in video games have facilitated their language learning and consider whether these benefits could somehow be implemented into the school environment. First, I will establish a theoretical background that showcases the benefits that videogames can have on learning English as a foreign language from the perspective of sociocultural/ecological theory. In addition, the current thesis will touch upon the development of school teaching of English, and how it should be developed through the new core curriculum into a direction where the student has a more active role. The topic will also be considered from the perspective of classical pedagogical theories, and how the new constructivist approach of the core curriculum could be executed through video game based English teaching. For my thesis, I interviewed two young adults, who both play video games as a hobby. The goal of these semi-structured qualitative interviews was to highlight their experiences regarding traditional English teaching, learning English through informal contexts as well as their opinions on whether games could be implemented into school teaching. One of the key findings of this thesis was the general dissatisfaction that the participants had towards traditional school teaching of English. The effect that video games had had on the learning of the participants could most clearly be seen with their confidence as speakers. The results of the study also showed that the gamers felt that video games had helped the development of their proficiency indirectly through multifaceted interaction with the language. The most important aspects that the participants found appealing in games were competitiveness and the feeling of immersion. Games were generally seen as social activities and as a hobby among others. The participants had a positive outlook on gaming and both participants believed, to some extent, that implementing them into the school environment was possible and useful.Tiivistelmä. Kandidaatintutkielman tarkoituksena on kartoittaa, miten videopelit ovat vaikuttaneet kahden videopelejä pelaavan yliopisto-opiskelijan englannin kielen oppimiseen, ja tunnistaa, mitkä mekanismit peleissä ovat edesauttaneet heidän kielitaitonsa kehittymistä. Tutkielmassa pohditaan, voitaisiinko näitä hyötyjä sovittaa jollain tavalla myös koulumaailmaan, mutta myös miten osallistujat mieltävät videopelit kielenopetuksessa. Tutkielmassa luodaan ensin katsaus teoriataustaan, joka tarkastelee videopelien hyötyjä kielen oppimisessa sosiokulttuurillisen/ekologisen perspektiivin valossa. Lisäksi tutkielma sivuaa englannin kouluopetuksen kehitystä ja sitä, miten opetusta tulisi uuden opetussuunnitelman myötä kehittää suuntaan, jossa oppijalla on keskeisempi ja aktiivisempi rooli. Aihetta tarkastellaan myös erilaisten pedagogisten teorioiden kautta pohtimalla, miten konstruktivistinen näkemys voitaisiin tuoda esille videopeleihin pohjautuvassa englannin kielen opetuksessa. Tutkimuksessa haastateltiin kahta nuorta aikuista, joista molemmat harrastivat videopelien pelaamista vapaa-aikanaan ja kokivat olevansa taitavia englanninkielen puhujia. Puolistrukturoidun kvalitatiivisen haastattelun ajatuksena oli tuoda esille heidän kokemuksiaan perinteiseen kouluopetukseen sekä englannin kielen informaaliin oppimiseen liittyen. Tämän lisäksi tutkielmassa käsitellään myös heidän näkemyksiään siitä, voisiko videopelit tuoda kouluopetukseen ja millä tavalla tämä tulisi toteuttaa. Tutkimuksen keskeisiä havaintoja ovat ensinnäkin molempien haastateltujen suhteellinen tyytymättömyys perinteiseen kouluopetukseen, jota he ovat omassa opiskelussaan kokeneet. Videopelien vaikutuksen huomasi muun muassa siinä kuinka itsevarmoja haastateltavat olivat kielitaidostaan, mikä voi selittyä sillä, että he ovat monipuolisemmin ja useammin yhteydessä englannin kieleen. Tutkielman tulokset osoittavat, että pelaajat kokivat videopelien auttaneen heidän kielitaitonsa kehittymistä epäsuorasti ja että pelien kautta kieleen ollaan yhteydessä monella tavalla. Joitakin tärkeitä ominaisuuksia, jotka sitovat pelaajia peleihin, ovat muun muassa kilpailullisuus ja immersio. Haastateltavat näkivätkin pelaamisen yleisesti ottaen sosiaalisena aktiviteettina ja harrastuksena muiden joukossa. Haastateltavat suhtautuivat pelaamiseen positiivisesti, ja molemmat uskoivat niiden implementoinnin koulumaailmaan olevan mahdollista, sekä hyödyllistä ainakin jossain määrin

Using Video Games To Teach Social Studies, Model Careers, And Develop Environmental Identities Within Our Classrooms

Decades of research point towards great, but unfortunately untapped, potential video games provide classrooms for meaningful learning and enrichment. Despite a lot of academic thought being poured into the subject of video games’ educational value, we do not see them being used commonly within classrooms or even cohesively studied as different games are focused on and successes are measured in non uniform ways. The content created for this project focuses on taking much of the academic foundation or merit of learning through video games and advocates them to a general audience alongside modern games that exemplify learning principles covered. The video game landscape evolves quickly so the important works of academics such as James Paul Gee or David Williamson Shaffer are still incredibly valid in providing an academic validity to video game play, but more recent games and ideas were included to update and support their work. In addition to addressing video games being used within classrooms in general, they are evaluated through the specific lenses of teaching social studies concepts, modeling potential student careers, and developing environmental identities. The research and prominent findings lead to the creation of the Low Five Education Project within the website Lowfivegaming.com. The Low Five Education Project is a series of multimedia creations including a video essay, written articles, and podcasts that teach a general audience about the many ways of which players learn when playing games while advocating for their greater use in schools alongside recommendations and advice to do so properly