A scoping review of video games and learning in secondary classrooms

Abstract

Video games are an established part of popular culture, and frequently used in educational settings worldwide. There is now a substantive body of research suggesting positive outcomes of their use in classrooms. In spite of this, there is a dearth of research synthesizing the outcomes of these studies. This is particularly so in relation to the ways video games are used by teachers for educational purposes within secondary classrooms. A scoping review of recent literature focusing on video games in secondary classrooms published between 2010 and 2020 was conducted. In total, 3110 studies were identified in the initial search, 85 of which were retained after screening. The review indicated that the impact of video games in secondary classrooms is generally positive, although not conclusively so. Current research on the use of video games in secondary education is limited, primarily concerned with short-term interventions, and often does not consider wider teaching contexts. We propose several areas of further research, including methodological implications for the field of video game and educational research.

Keywords:

• Video games
• serious games
• game-based learning
• educational video games

Introduction

The popularity and cultural impact of video games is not limited to playing for fun. An additional aspect of video game use is the growing popularity of ‘serious games’—video games that are used for non-entertainment purposes, including education. The commercial industry for educational video games is growing, and a recent report indicates that teachers are increasingly using video games in their classroom teaching (Drossel et al., 2017). While previous reviews have explored specific aspects of video games and learning, such as: motivation and engagement in game based learning (Abdul Jabbar & Felicia, 2015); positive learning impact (Connolly et al., 2012); specific curriculum subjects (Vankúš, 2021), emerging technologies such as mobile devices (Chang & Hwang, 2019); and augmented reality (Pellas et al., 2018), there is limited research which synthesizes the outcomes and realities of video game use within secondary classrooms. The purpose of this scoping review is to identify the uses, methodologies, concepts, and learning outcomes of educational research on video game based learning in secondary classrooms. It fills a gap within the current literature field, by focusing exclusively on video game use in secondary classrooms. Given their use in secondary schools, a broad scoping review of the ways that games are being implemented into secondary classrooms is timely, as the expansion of video game technology coupled with its adoption into schools is likely to continue to grow at a significant pace.

Background and previous research

In the last 20 years, the idea that video games are a transformational force in education, through increased enjoyment, engagement, and immersion, has become progressively more popular (see Gee, 2004; Prensky, 2001; Van Eck, 2006). A burgeoning body of literature details the educational advantages of using video games for education including: their potential as rich multimodal texts (Buckingham & Burn, 2007); their ability to increase deep learning and provide immediate feedback (Gee, 2007; Pelletier, 2009); fostering critical thinking and cognitive skills through experiential learning (Hubert-Wallander et al., 2010), and potential improvement in student attentional and visual perception skills (Green & Bavelier, 2006). Research indicates that pre-service secondary teachers hold favorable views toward the effectiveness and use of video games in education, compared to elementary teachers (Cabellos et al., 2021). Furthermore, video games have been found to potentially broaden student’s thinking about literacy, increase engagement, and can give students increased agency in the classroom, shifting teacher-student power dynamics (Nash & Brady, 2022).

These potential educational improvements have fueled an increased use of video games within the classroom and concomitant research on its impact on educational outcomes. Meta-analyses have found promising results regarding video games and academic performance, problem solving skills and attitudes to learning (All et al., 2016; Nash & Brady, 2022; Perrotta et al., 2013). Backlund and Hendrix (2013) review of studies, published between 2002 to 2012, found that across 40 studies, 29 reported a positive association between game-based learning and educational outcomes. Additionally, Girard et al.’s meta-analysis (2013) examining the effectiveness of video games on players’ learning and motivation suggested video games improve student motivation. However, it is a common finding of systematic reviews and meta-analyses that highly heterogeneous methodologies, experimental designs, inconsistent reporting, measurement, and operationalization of variables have made it difficult to reach any definitive conclusions about the merits of video game use in education (All et al., 2016; Backlund & Hendrix, 2013; Connolly et al., 2012; Girard et al., 2013). The complexity of methodological findings regarding the effectiveness or otherwise of video games in educational settings is further compounded when we consider specific, groups, settings, and grade levels.

The present review

Although previous reviews have concluded that there is empirical evidence to support positive impacts and outcomes of video games in education, the significant diversity in the way experimental research is conducted across the field has resulted in a body of evidence that is difficult to compare, and can often be contradictory (All et al., 2016; Girard et al., 2013). Additionally, substantial methodological difficulties inherent in the studies reviewed have not allowed for segregation of the results into specific settings. It may very well be that video game effectiveness in educational settings varies as a function of context, such as early childhood, primary, secondary, or other educational settings, but current research and meta-analyses have not yet addressed this.

Previous reviews of the literature encompass broad age ranges in assessing the effectiveness of video games in education, most commonly including studies with participants from elementary, middle school, secondary, and adult education (All et al., 2016; Backlund & Hendrix, 2013; Boyle et al., 2016; Girard et al., 2013; Perrotta et al., 2013). It is uncommon for reviews of educational video game literature to distinguish between age levels in regard to the effects of video games on learning or engagement. Differences in game effectiveness across different student age levels would be expected, as the student cohorts in each of these vary quite considerably along several developmental lines, but the current body of educational video game research does not explore this in any depth.

There are significant curricular and developmental differences between elementary and high school aged learners, and so the focus on secondary aged participants within this review allowed for closer examination of secondary aged specific findings. Despite there being a number of case studies and teacher-led research regarding the use of video games in secondary schools, there is scant information on the frequency or type of game use within secondary classrooms. Takeuchi and Vaala (2014) surveyed 694 American primary and middle school teachers on their use of video games in the classroom, and found that use of video games in primary and middle schools is widespread, with 78% of K to Year 8 teachers reporting that they use games to teach within their classrooms. In surveys of secondary school aged children in the US, more than 80% report that they regularly play video games (Pew Research Center, 2018). Likewise, in Germany, 87% of adolescent aged students report that they are video gamers (Pedagogical Media Research Center Southwest, 2019). Thus, for most secondary school students, gaming is a typical leisure activity and part of their everyday life. In Australian classrooms, the use of video games in various forms is common, with over half of Australian parents reporting that their children use video games in their curriculum and classroom learning (Brand et al., 2019). Nevertheless, we are unaware of any reviews within the last ten years that focus exclusively on video game use in secondary classrooms.

Connolly et al. (2012) conducted a systematic review of the empirical evidence concerning the positive impact of computer games on learning. The authors focused on literature from 2004 to 2009, and Boyle et al. (2016) subsequently updated this review with literature from 2009 to 2014. The categorization of video games, subject disciplines, learning outcomes, and methodologies outlined in these reviews formed the practical foundation for our present study. Additionally, we provide a comprehensive examination of the specific role that video games play in secondary education, which was not a specific focus of Connolly et al. (2012) or Boyle et al. (2016). The age range of these reviews included participants 14 years and older, in a variety of educational contexts, whereas this review was specific to ages 11 to 18, and the use of video games within secondary classrooms. Not only teachers but also other stakeholders such as parents, students themselves, policy makers, and researchers need access to contemporary findings on best practice parameters in this area. With the aim to provide a broad foundational examination of current educational research on video game based learning in secondary classrooms, the research questions addressed by this scoping review were:

1. How are video games currently being used in secondary classrooms?

2. What are the methodologies and subject areas used within educational video game research in secondary school classrooms?

3. What are the learning outcomes reported by secondary educational video game research?

Method

Search strategy

The following electronic databases were searched: A + Education (Informit), Education Research Complete (EBSCO), ERIC (Proquest), Scopus, and SAGE Journals. All database searches were completed between the 28th to the 31st of July 2020. Search specific choices included the filters for full-text and peer-reviewed, where applicable. For transparency, links to supplementary appendices have been made available to the search terms used¹, a list of all studies identified by the initial search², and a summary table of all retained studies for this review³. Supplementary to the database searches, the reference lists of significant systematic reviews in the area of education and digital video games were searched, and any supplementary studies were added to the list for review. Grey literature was beyond the scope of this study.

Search terms

The research questions for this systematic review focused on three areas: secondary schooling, digital video games, and the educational application of video games within a classroom context. Table 1 details the structure of the search terms used.

Table 1. Systematic review search terms.

Block 1: Population		Block 2: Video games		Block 3: Education
("secondary school" OR "high school" OR "middle school")	AND	("video gam*" OR gamification OR "game theory" OR "game-based" OR "educational gam*" OR edutainment OR gameplay OR online-multiplayer OR "electronic gam*" OR "digital gam*" OR "serious gam*" OR "game-based pedagog*" OR "computer gam*")	AND	(education* OR learning OR engag* OR curriculum OR assessment OR "best practice" OR classroom OR pedagog*)

*asterisks serve as the Boolean truncation operator, in order to capture words that end in alternate forms (e.g. pegagog* is used to capture pedagogy, pedagogies, pedagogical).

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

The definitions and inclusion/exclusion criteria used to identify relevant studies is presented in Table 2. For the purposes of this review, three game definitions were combined to create a baseline description of a digital video game (Juul, 2005; Salen & Zimmerman, 2004; Tavinor, 2009). To make the definition specific to the context of education, Whitton’s (2009) characteristics are also included, with the addition of Van Eck (2006) educational game categorization. Thus, for this review, video games are defined as:

Table 2. Systematic review inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Study variables	Inclusion criteria	Exclusion criteria
Research publication	Published between 2010 – 2020 English language publication	Published prior to 2010 Published in language other than English
Video game definition	Studies with interventions that are games that meet the outlined video game definition	Simulation only technology, Intelligent Tutoring Systems, Gamification only learning or behavior management interventions, Games that are combined with physical elements (GPS-based games, QR codes, step-counters), and; Games that are combined with other media elements.
Classroom context	Studies conducted within high school or secondary classroom settings Taught by usual classroom teacher, according to normal classroom curriculum Intervention is at least three classroom sessions in length	No studies that take place outside of a classroom context, e.g., workshops, after-school lessons, excursions, museum-based learning experiences Interventions taught by researchers or other, different, teachers to everyday classroom teacher
Study design	Includes empirical evidence from experimental studies, observational studies, or mixed-method studies Peer reviewed journal studies	Includes evidence from non-empirical studies, such as theory building, reviews, and reports Grey literature
Participants	Students, or teachers of students, that are between 11 – 18 years of age (secondary school age)	Pre-service teachers Age of participants not clearly specified, but undertaken in an environment outside of secondary classroom learning (e.g., university, elementary/primary school setting)

An artefact exclusively in the visual digital medium, intended as an object of entertainment or education through (a) rule-based gameplay or (b) variable and quantifiable outcomes, influenced by player effort. In addition to this, to be defined as a video game it needs to include one of the following: (a) elements of fantasy or role-playing, (b) elements of competition or challenge, or (c) interactions with others.

This definition was used to separate other activities and educational interventions that can be categorized under the wide umbrella of “gamified learning” such as simulations, learning applications, non-digital games, and student response systems (e.g., digital quiz applications, or physical ‘clicker’ devices). Games played outside of class time (e.g., for leisure) but influencing in-class understanding and learning (e.g., discussion of video games played at home for the purpose of narrative learning, or video games played as homework; see Culp et al., 2015) were included. Additionally, the use of video games in the classroom where no direct gameplay was undertaken was still accepted as a valid use of video games for education. Studies that involved preservice teachers were excluded.

To be included, the age of participants in the studies needed to be of secondary school age; between 11 and 18 years old. Where participant age was not specified, studies undertaken clearly outside of a secondary school setting (e.g., university, elementary school) were excluded. Studies that described educational stages that overlapped with secondary school age (e.g., middle school; gymnasium and lyceum; junior and senior high) were included, if participant ages fell within the specified age range. If the participant group included a portion of students outside of the required age range (e.g., 8—14 years old), the study was included if it met all other inclusion criteria (see Figure 1 for decision-making flow chart).

Figure 1. Systematic review identification flow chart.

Data extraction

The initial search identified 3110 citations, 586 of which were duplicates. The screening process included a title screening, two abstract screens, and one full text screen, as detailed in Figure 1. After the initial abstract screen, the definitions of video games and classroom context were reviewed and refined. After all screening was completed, a total of 85 studies were retained (see Appendix). The 85 articles were imported in PDF format into NVivo 12 (QSR International Pty Ltd, 2018), and information was extracted in relation to their subject area, learning outcome, methodology, participants, game platform, research instrument, research question or hypothesis, and results. These categories were chosen for their previous verification and use in other systematic reviews in the field of education and video games (see Abdul Jabbar & Felicia, 2015; Connolly et al., 2012). Learning outcomes of studies retained were first independently coded by the authors, and where codes were not unanimous, the discrepancies were discussed by the authors together until agreement was reached.

For thoroughness, an additional search of the literature was completed on the 5^{th of} December 2022, using the same search terms, criteria, and databases as the original search. Peer-reviewed journal articles published between July 2020 and December 2022 were retained. As detailed in Figure 2, 323 articles were identified, 62 of which were duplicates. The researchers performed a title and abstract screen on the additional search results, of which 18 articles were retained. The detailed of the screening process are described in Figure 2. A list of all articles identified in the additional search, with the retained articles highlighted, have been made available⁴. The 18 retained articles were reviewed for major contradictions or additions to the findings of this paper. All findings were consistent with the original (2010—2020, performed July 2020) findings of this scoping review.

Figure 2. Systematic review additional search (July 2020 to December 2022) flow chart.

Analysis was completed by reviewing the categories, and summarizing the patterns and themes as they were recognized. Descriptions of the video games used within the studies were isolated and summarized for analysis within NVivo. The details of the video games were categorized along the following dimensions:

1. Developer: whether the game developed by the researchers, or not;

2. Subject discipline: which subject area or knowledge domain was the game intended to improve or address; and

3. Platform: how the video game intervention was delivered (e.g., PC, console, online game, mobile)

Further analysis involved summarizing the categorized studies into tables, and combining variables (e.g., subject by study methodology, video game purpose by learning outcome) by hand. Some categories (e.g., methods) were further refined into more specific groups by the researcher within the summary tables. Each study retained for the review was assigned an identifier (see Appendix) that will be used to discuss individual articles in subsequent sections of this paper.

Results

Demographics of studies retained

The 85 studies represent a total of 17,111 students and 1,056 teachers. Of the total pool of participants, 34.21% were male, 33.52% were female. No information regarding gender was available for 32.28% of the total pooled sample, with no student gender data provided by 20 of the retained studies. With the teacher demographic data available, 12.22% were male, 19.51% were female, and 68.28% was not able to be determined due to lack of data. Teacher gender data was not provided by 12 of the retained studies. Of the 77 studies that related to student data (i.e., not teacher-only studies), 41 (53.25%) provided demographic data relating to student ages, with the age range being 5 to 20 years old (M = 14.2, SD = 2.3). Of these 77 studies, 35 provided no student age information, but provided the grades or year level of the student participants. One study provided no age-related demographic information beyond specifying high-school aged participants (Sadler et al., 2015). Total age sample information was only provided by 13 of the studies retained. The mean age of student participants for whom data was available was 14.07 (range 9 to 20 years, SD = 2.26). Grade level descriptions ranged from 3^rd to 12^th grade. Demographic information for the study participants within the studies retained for this review was inconsistently reported, and this resulted in it being difficult to make generalizations regarding the demographic composition of the final studies.

Studies identified were published in 19 countries, with 47% (n = 40) of those being published in the United States, 12% (n = 10) in Taiwan, and 7% (n = 6) in Australia. Within the 85 final studies retained by the review, there were 68 individual video games named.

Study design

Studies retained were distributed between quantitative (42%, n = 36), qualitative (27%, n = 23) and mixed (31%, n = 26) research methods. Of the quantitative research methods, 29 (81%) used quasi-experimental designs, four used survey and two used RCT designs. Within the 36 quantitative studies retained, 29 used quasi-experimental design only. A further 16 studies using quasi-experimental designs in combination with another qualitative research method, such as observations, interviews, or surveys. Of the 23 studies that used a qualitative research method, 18 (78%) used a case study design, two used open-ended or qualitative survey design, and one used an interview-only design.

Curricular areas of video game implementation

The review found that video games were most commonly used to teach STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) subjects, with 59% (n = 50) studies using video games related to this curricular area. Specific subjects within the STEM category include Science (n = 31), Math (n = 13), Technology (n = 10). English Language Arts and Social Studies are used the second most commonly, with both being used by 18% (n = 15) of the reviewed studies. This is followed by studies that used multiple curricular areas within their design (various, n = 7), studies that used non-curriculum aligned topics (n = 3), and Visual Arts (n = 1).

Primary purpose of video games

Within the review, 56% of studies (n = 48) focused on games for learning, 26% (n = 22) researched commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) games, and 13% (n = 11) focused on the process of learning through making games. Six studies included games with various or not specified purposes, which were primarily research studies which explored teacher or student uses of, and attitudes toward, video games through surveys or interviews (see An et al., 2016; Beavis et al., 2014b). This shows the focus of research concerning video game use in the secondary classrooms primarily focuses on games made specifically for learning purposes, rather than the adaptation of commercial games, or the construction of games within the classroom. Of the 48 studies that focus on games for learning, 69% (n = 33) were written by the same people who developed the games being researched. A further five of these studies do not specify who the developers of the game were.

Studies on video game implementation in STEM subjects were more likely to use games made for learning purposes, rather than commercial games or the creation of games for learning. Studies within Social Sciences also used games for learning more often than COTS games, and no studies combined the Social Sciences curricular area with game creation for learning purposes. Studies within English Language Arts used commercial games more often than games for learning, and only one study used game creation for learning purposes.

Outcomes of playing video games

Table 3 shows the number of studies that addressed learning outcomes of video games within the secondary classroom. The most commonly measured were knowledge acquisition or content understanding (n = 45, 53%) and affective or motivational (n = 40, 47%) outcomes. Of these studies, 27 (32%) measured both knowledge acquisition or content understanding, and affective or motivational outcomes related to using video games in the classroom. Studies also measured teacher implementation or perceptions of video games in the classroom (n = 20, 24%), perceptual or cognitive outcomes (n = 13, 15%), were exploratory in terms of the outcomes measured (n = 8, 9%), social skill related outcomes (n = 6, 7%), and behavioral change outcomes (n = 4, 5%).

Table 3. Learning outcomes measured within retained studies.

Outcome measured	Study	Totalª
Knowledge acquisition or content understanding	A001, A003, A004, A006, A009, A011, A014, A015, A017, A018, A020, A021, A022, A023, A024, A025, A026, A028, A029, A033, A034, A035, A042, A043, A045, A046, A049, A050, A051, A054, A056, A057, A061, A063, A068, A069, A071, A072, A074, A077, A079, A081, A082, A083, A084	45
Affective or motivational	A001, A004, A006, A007, A010, A011, A012, A015, A017, A020, A021, A022, A023, A025, A026, A027, A028, A030, A034, A035, A037, A038, A039, A042, A045, A046, A047, A051, A054, A055, A061, A062, A063, A065, A067, A068, A074, A076, A077, A079, A083	41
Teacher implementation or perceptions of video games in the classroom	A002, A005, A009, A019, A025, A026, A032, A037, A040, A048, A050, A053, A056, A057, A059, A064, A067, A070, A073, A082	20
Perceptual or cognitive	A016, A030, A031, A036, A047, A050, A060, A078, A080, A082, A083, A084	12
Exploratory	A005, A007, A041, A043, A044, A065, A071, A075	8
Social skills	A013, A036, A039, A058, A062, A085	6
Behavior change	A042, A052, A066, A070	4
Student perceptions of video games for education	A008, A010	2
Total		138

^aStudies covered more than one outcome per paper therefore total is greater than number of studies.

Table 4 outlines the outcomes of the retained studies. The papers were assigned a positive, negative, or mixed outcome value, as defined by a statistical or otherwise stated improvement within the study population in comparison to the baseline. Only quantitative or mixed method study outcomes with baseline measurements were included in this analysis, as qualitative study results were not appropriate for assigning a positive or negative outcome. The overall learning outcomes reported by studies within the review as a result of using video games in the classroom were generally positive, with 68% (n = 67) of the studies that were assigned a value reporting positive changes to learning outcomes measured. Of the studies analyzed, 26% (n = 26) reported a mixed outcome. Only six (6%) reported no change to learning outcomes measured, or a negative result. Further analysis regarding the magnitude of this effect (via a meta-analysis or similar) would be beneficial to fully examine this outcome. It should be noted that the emphasis on positive results in regard to learning outcomes measured may be the result of publication bias, and the known issue of journals being more likely to publish studies that report positive results (Ferguson & Heene, 2012).

Table 4. Study results by outcome measured.

	Study results outcome value
Outcome measuredª	Positive	Mixed	Negative	Total
Knowledge acquisition or content understanding	A001, A003, A004, A006, A011, A014, A015, A017, A018, A020, A021, A022, A023, A025, A029, A033, A035, A042, A043, A045, A046, A049, A051, A057, A061, A069, A071, A079, A081, A083, A084	A009, A024, A028, A034, A063, A077, A082	A026, A068, A072	41
Affective or motivational	A001, A004, A007, A011, A012, A015, A017, A020, A021, A022, A023, A025, A028, A035, A037, A039, A046, A047, A055, A062, A076, A083	A006, A010, A026, A027, A030, A034, A042, A061, A063, A067, A077	A045, A068	35
Teacher implementation or perceptions of video games in the classroom	A056, A070, A079	A057, A067, A082	--	6
Perceptual or cognitive	A016, A036, A038, A047, A083, A084	A030, A031, A082		9
Social skills	A036, A039, A058, A062	A013	--	4
Behavior change	A066, A070	A052	A042	4
Total	67	26	6	99

^a Only quantitative or mixed method study outcomes with baseline measurements were included in this table. Qualitative study results were not appropriate for assigning a positive or negative outcome.

Knowledge acquisition or content understanding outcomes

The review identified a large number of studies that measured the knowledge acquisition or content understanding of secondary students (n = 45, 53%). Games were used to measure knowledge acquisition within a variety of curriculum areas. Most games used to measure knowledge acquisition were games specifically made for learning (n = 34), although ten studies also used COTS games for this learning outcome. Knowledge acquisition was most commonly measured with quantitative methods, using pre- and post-test designs (see Anderson & Barnett, 2013; Chee et al., 2013; Eseryel et al., 2011) or mixed method designs that combine a quantitative pre- post-test design in combination with an interview or observation methodology (see Foster & Shah, 2015; Hanghøj et al., 2018; Kebritchi et al., 2010). As described in Table 4, studies that measured knowledge acquisition or content understanding outcomes were generally positive (n = 31), finding that video games generally improved student content knowledge. Seven studies reported mixed results, and three found negative or no change to the baseline measurement of content knowledge.

Affective or motivational outcomes

Affective or motivational outcomes were the second most common focus for the studies identified in the review, with 41 (48%) studies measuring this outcome. Affective or motivational outcomes refer to the subjective experiences of students while playing games, and are often used to measure engagement or motivation in relation to learning activities (Connolly et al., 2012). These outcomes were measured by both attitudinal or motivational surveys (see Tsai et al., 2015; Yang, 2012) or through qualitative case study research methods, such as interviews or focus groups (see Kim & Pavlov, 2019; Marklund & Taylor, 2016; Stieler-Hunt & Jones, 2015).

Affective student outcomes were measured across all curriculum areas included in the review (see Table 5), with STEM being the most common (n = 25). Knowledge acquisition or content understanding was often measured with affective or motivational outcomes within the same study, with 26 studies measuring both outcome types. Results generally indicated that students were more engaged, enthusiastic, and motivated as a result of video game implementation in the classroom (Alfieri et al., 2015; Ault et al., 2015; Bowling et al., 2017), although some mixed results were reported (Foster & Shah, 2015; Perry & Klopfer, 2014; Tsai et al., 2015).

Table 5. Study learning outcomes by subject area.

	Subject Area
Learning Outcome	STEM	Social Studies	English Language Arts	Other	Totalª
Knowledge acquisition or content knowledge	29	10	8	0	47
Affective or motivational	25	7	7	4	43
Perceptual or cognitive	7	3	1	2	13
Teacher implementation or perception of VG in the classroom	10	5	3	6	24
Exploratory	4	1	3	0	8
Behavior change	4	1	0	0	5
Social skills	3	1	2	1	7
Student perception of VG	0	0	0	2	2
Total	82	28	24	15	149

^a Studies covered more than one outcome per paper, and so total adds up to more than total number of papers.

Teacher implementation or perception

Teacher implementation or perception of video games in the classroom was measured by 20 studies included within the review. Teacher implementation or perception of video games was measured across all curriculum areas identified in the review, and was most commonly measured in relation to games specifically made for learning purposes (see Table 6). Seven studies that measured teacher implementation or perceptions of video games were qualitative case studies and six used quasi-experimental designs. Teacher perception of video games within education is essential for the successful implementation within the classroom (Drossel et al., 2017), and it is significant to note that only 20 studies measured this as an outcome.

Table 6. Study learning outcomes by game purpose.

	Purpose of games
Learning outcomes measured^b	Games for learning	COTS	Learning by making games	Various or not specified	Totalª
Knowledge acquisition or content understanding	34	10	3	0	47
Affective or motivational	28	7	4	2	41
Perceptual or cognitive	5	5	3	0	13
Teacher implementation or perceptions of VG in the classroom	12	4	2	4	22
Exploratory	0	6	2	0	8
Behavior change	3		1	0	4
Social skills	0	5	1	0	6
Student perceptions of VG for education	0	0	0	2	2
Total	82	37	16	8	143

^aStudies covered more than one outcome per paper, and so total adds up to more than total number of papers.

^bThis is a count of studies that measured the following learning outcomes, by the purpose of the games used to measure.

Wilson et al. (2018) noted that effective implementation of video games required significant teacher skill with pedagogy, technology, and student scaffolding. Marklund and Taylor (2016) noted the same, finding that teacher skill sets required to successfully implement video games were technological know-how, gaming literacy, subject matter expertise, and a strong pedagogical foundation.

Perceptual or cognitive outcomes

Perceptual or cognitive outcomes refer to measures of student problem solving, memory, creativity, or comprehension. Twelve studies used perceptual or cognitive outcomes as learning measures, and all curriculum areas were represented within these studies (see Table 5). These studies measured perceptual or cognitive skills with all three game purposes, including games for learning (n = 5), COTS (n = 5) and learning through making games (n = 3) (see Table 6), and focused on development of creativity and creative thinking (Checa-Romero & Pascual Gómez, 2018; Navarrete, 2013; Tucker-Raymond et al., 2019), problem solving (Eseryel et al., 2011, 2014; Yang, 2015), mental effort (Khan et al., 2017; Kilic & Yildirim, 2012), and argumentation skills (Wallon et al., 2018). Studies that measured perceptual or cognitive skills reported generally positive results (see Table 4) with six detailing positive outcomes, three reporting mixed outcomes, and no studies reporting negative results.

Exploratory research

Exploratory research refers to studies that did not define the learning outcomes that were being measured before performing the research, and instead described the learning which was observed as a result of the intervention. Eight studies used exploratory methods, six of which conducted research concerned with COTS games, and two investigated learning through making games (see Table 6). This suggests that games made specifically for education have only been used to measure specific outcomes, and have not been researched in an exploratory or open-ended way.

Exploratory studies generally found that bringing computer games into the classroom affords students rich opportunities for rewarding and innovative work that can transcend traditional classroom boundaries (Bal, 2019; Toomey & Kitson, 2017), and similarly to teacher integration findings, that the teacher is essential to the successful integration of video games into the classroom (Shah & Foster, 2015). Exploratory research also found that teachers used video games within the classroom without having students directly play the game (Karsenti & Parent, 2020), instead using gameplay videos and related video game materials in classroom instruction.

Social skill outcomes

Six studies measured social skills as learning outcomes. All curriculum areas were represented (see Table 5), and five studies examined outcomes related to COTS games (see Table 6). Only one study was related to learning through making games, and no studies were identified that measured social skill outcomes in relation to games made for learning. Types of social skills identified and researched within the studies were emotional intelligence (Carissoli & Villani, 2019), peer interaction and classroom inclusion (Gerber et al., 2014; Hanghøj et al., 2018; Zuiker & Anderson, 2019), and student collaboration (Monjelat et al., 2017; Pellas & Peroutseas, 2016). Studies that measured social skills outcomes included a game that was designed to teach emotional intelligence, and found that the experimental group reported an improvement in the evaluation and expression of emotions (Carissoli & Villani, 2019). A qualitative case study of the impacts of commercial games based curriculum on connected learning and peer interaction found that video games promoted student experimentation, iterative learning, and student-driven experiences amongst their peers (Gerber et al., 2014). Hanghøj et al. (2018) investigated whether a commercially popular co-operative video game encouraged classroom inclusion and found that the game enabled a reframing of social participation and students’ engagement with the curriculum.

Results within these studies generally indicated that video game implementation in the classroom had a positive impact on social skills (Gerber et al., 2014; Hanghøj et al., 2018; Monjelat et al., 2017; Pellas & Peroutseas, 2016), although Carissoli and Villani (2019) found that the improvements in emotional intelligence did not persist at a three-month follow-up.

Behavior change outcomes

Behavior change in relation to classroom conduct was a learning outcome that was researched in four of the studies identified within this review. Of the four studies that measured behavioral change learning outcomes, three were in relation to video games within STEM subjects, and one involved a game applied in both Science and History classes (Sanchez et al., 2017; see Table 6). Three of the studies involved games created specifically for learning, and one involved learning through making games. No studies that measured behavior change as an outcome used commercial games within their research. Behavioral change that was measured in relation to video games included classroom management (Sanchez et al., 2017), technology use (Reynolds & Chiu, 2015), food and beverage intake for health (Majumdar et al., 2013), and food safety behaviors (Hsiao et al., 2020).

Reynolds and Chiu (2015) found that technology engagement was increased through video game design, and that this may lessen the impact of digital inequality influenced by student socio-economic factors. Sanchez et al. (2017) presented positive findings that described teacher experiences of increased motivation and engagement as a result of the use of a classroom management video game. Mixed results were presented by Majumdar et al. (2013) who reported significant decreases in the frequency and amount of sweetened beverages and processed snacks consumed by students compared to the control group, but no change in other behavioral change variables. In contrast, Hsiao et al. (2020) found that, despite positive attitudes and increased knowledge of food safety as a result of the video game intervention, there was no behavioral change observed as a result of students playing the video game.

Other identified themes

Teacher professional development

Eighteen studies reported that the teachers involved in the video game intervention had attended, or been provided with, professional development (PD) opportunities. Teachers had either been recruited to the research projects through their attendance at PD workshops (Ault et al., 2015; Chee et al., 2015; Wallon et al., 2018), prepared to implement games with researcher provided PD (Chee et al., 2013; Hanghøj et al., 2018; Mills et al., 2019), or PD was part of the intervention itself (Kim & Pavlov, 2019). In the case of Ault et al. (2015), the teachers in the experimental group attended professional development, while teachers in the control group did not. This indicates that, in some cases, professional development or further teacher training is undertaken alongside the implementation of video game interventions in the classroom, and this may be an influencing factor on teacher uptake and implementation of video games for learning.

Game-enhanced curricula

Fourteen studies described a video game intervention that was part of a larger curriculum being taught to the participants of the research, demonstrating that video game implementation is also connected to wider curriculum activities. The activities surrounding the teaching of video games ranged from entire pedagogical models (Foster & Shah, 2015), game-related curricula (Perry & Klopfer, 2014; Reynolds & Chiu, 2015), researcher created teaching modules and lesson plans (Kebritchi et al., 2010) and video game related teaching activities (Karsenti & Parent, 2020). In wider video game research, scaffolding and surrounding learning activities are essential to successful video game interventions (Johnson, 2017; Wallon et al., 2018; Wilson et al., 2018). It therefore would appear that video game related pedagogy is connected to the learning activities that take place around the act of gameplay, and this is at times explicitly planned by researchers implementing the interventions.

Discussion

While there were over 3000 studies identified in the initial search, the review found that research examining the use of video games within a secondary classroom context is very limited. While the number of studies in the initial search indicated that there is interest in video games and education, the screening process found that a considerable number of these studies were non-experimental and speculative about the potential of video games and learning. They described the design or theory of educational video games but did not include empirical support concerning the impact of video games on learning outcomes. Our findings are consistent with Connolly et al. (2012) and Abdul Jabbar and Felicia (2015), who noted that experimental studies providing empirical evidence concerning the impact of video games on educational outcomes were a small percentage of overall studies identified within their reviews, thus indicating that there has been little progress in this area of research in the decade since their respective reviews.

By focusing on secondary school contexts, our review both complements and expands upon the reviews of Connolly et al. (2012) and Boyle et al. (2016), which broadly looked at the application of video games in all educational contexts from 14 years and older. The results of this scoping review discovered some notable differences in research conducted within secondary school contexts. For example, Boyle et al. (2016), found that COTS games were researched more commonly whereas we found that commercially popular games designed for a public audience are researched less so within a secondary school context. This review found a higher proportion of studies that measured affective, motivational, and knowledge acquisition outcomes, compared to Boyle et al. (2016). Also, our review and Boyle et al. (2016) found a similar number of studies focusing on perceptual or cognitive outcomes, and social skills. However, Boyle and colleagues identified studies which measured behavioral change at a higher rate than we did. Together, this suggests that research in secondary school video game use is more concerned with teaching content, and motivating students, compared to educational video game use in university or commercial use settings. These findings confirm our initial motivations for conducting and encouraging research which specifically focuses on secondary schools as it indicates that secondary settings may have quite different expectations for their use of video games in schools.

Strength of the current body of evidence

Similar to findings reported by prior reviews (see All et al., 2013; Boyle et al., 2016; Connolly et al., 2012; Perrotta et al., 2013), the studies retained in this study were diverse in terms of scope, research aims, methodologies used, sample sizes, and theoretical frameworks applied, and were representative of a significant variety of research disciplines and fields. The difficulties in synthesizing the diverse methodologies within the field of video game and education research were still present within this review, just as they were for reviewers almost 10 years ago (All et al., 2013; Boyle et al., 2016; Connolly et al., 2012). There is a need to pay significant attention to the methodological research practices in this field moving forward to the next decade. This will allow better conclusions to be made, and improvements in the understanding and implementation of video games in the classroom to be achieved.

The overall results of the studies retained by the review regarding the impact of video games on secondary classrooms were generally positive, although a quarter of studies retained reported mixed results, indicating that the impact of video games on secondary classrooms is not yet conclusive. While an assessment of the quality of the studies was outside of the scope of this review, initial observations indicate that, while there is some indication of positive outcomes between video games and learning, the body of evidence supporting the positive impact of video games in education is not strong. Only two RCTs were identified by the review (Culp et al., 2015; Wilson et al., 2017), and only half of the identified studies were quasi-experimental studies. This corresponds with the findings of Connolly et al. (2012), who reported that, while there was some evidence found to support positive impacts and outcomes, more empirical research is needed to provide strong evidence of video games’ effectiveness in the classroom. A meta-analysis that explores the extent of the positive impact of video games on learning outcomes would be beneficial, although the amount of demographic and methodological data provided by the retained studies did not allow for this kind of analysis.

This review also encountered inconsistent reporting of study details including demographic data regarding the age and gender of participant samples for both students and teachers. Additionally, information supplied on the video games being used in study interventions was often vague, with the platform, content, and design of the game often not described at all. Authors often did not provide important information relating to the development of the video game, such as the developer, and for what audience or purpose the game was created. Perrotta et al. (2013) noted that it was often difficult to determine whether the video games being studied had been developed for educational purposes, or if the researchers were adapting an already existing game, and this was consistent with the findings of our review. Information provided about the context and specifics of the intervention, such as the classroom set up, instructor details, and time played, were also often inconsistently available. Both Perrotta et al. (2013) and Young et al. (2012) highlighted that the lack of information regarding game details and features in reviewed studies has serious negative implications for the overall strength of evidence regarding the use of video games for learning. In order to advance the field, it will be necessary for these shortcomings to be addressed. We recommend the introduction of reporting protocols for publication of studies in this field to strengthen the quality of evidence (see Table 7).

Table 7. Proposed minimum reporting standards for educational video game research.

Methodological area	Minimum details
Participant demographic information	Sample size (including breakdown of teacher and student numbers)
	Gender
	Age
	Year or grade level
	Socioeconomic status
Video game development	Game developer
	What purpose was the game developed for (commercial use, education, developed for research)
	Researcher role or involvement in game development
Video game characteristics	Name of the game
	Platform (e.g., tablet, phone, PC, console)
	Genre (e.g., action, adventure, quiz, puzzle)
	Player interaction (single player, multiplayer, leader boards)
Classroom implementation	Instructor information (researcher, regular classroom teacher, other instructor)
	Length of intervention (how many lessons, length of lessons, how many lessons in a unit)
	Classroom context (e.g., normal class time, before or after school, workshops)
	Length of gameplay (how long did the students play the game for?)
	Format of gameplay (single player, pairs, multiplayer)
	Learning outcomes that are being measured

Game developer researcher bias

Results of this review also highlighted the potential for developer bias in educational video game studies. The review identified that researchers were the developers of the video games being researched in 69% of the studies that focused on games made for education purposes. Backlund and Hendrix (2013) also noted that a number of the studies within their review included game developers as the main evaluators of data, which indicates that there is a considerable potential for conflict of interest within the current body of evidence. For example, it may encourage positive publication outcomes for games being developed by research teams, and the suppression of unfavorable findings. It was also noted that video games are often being researched once (we found 68 games named within 85 studies), with no additional research to cross-check findings, viability, and validity, or further develop and test hypotheses about particular game attributes, as the games are not made publicly available. This poses a serious threat to the generalizability of findings and the ability to make recommendations on video game use in the classroom. Research on video games should be conducted with consideration for the context of their actual classroom use, in order to fully understand the implementation of the game. This would result in a body of evidence being built around the efficacy of particular games, with more valid and rigorously tested hypotheses. This is starting to be seen in some contexts, for example amongst the research conducted in relation to Minecraft (Nebel et al., 2016), but there is still significant progress to be made in this respect.

Types of games used within secondary classrooms

Games created for educational purposes are more likely to be short form and simplified, with less emphasis on immersion in gameplay and story (Clark et al., 2016), whereas commercial games tend to be long form and more immersive. Findings that indicate video games made for education are used more often in the classroom are reinforced by previous studies, which indicate that teachers are not using longer-form, immersive games in the classroom, despite them performing better in studies of learning efficacy (Clark et al., 2016; Takeuchi & Vaala, 2014). Takeuchi and Vaala reported survey results that described few teachers using immersive video games that lend themselves to “deep exploration, complex decision making, and participation in the types of activities that set digital games apart from more didactic forms of instruction” (2014, p. 56), with teachers more often using short-form ‘mini-games’ or digital repositories that have game-like lessons. Young et al. (2012), for example, found that most use of video games within classrooms prioritize curriculum coverage, individual play, and short exposure, rather than extended immersion in engaging video game play. This was supported by Beavis et al. (2014b, p. 30) who reported that the vast majority of games being used in classrooms were short educational games that may not warrant the description of ‘games’ at all, and instead were “effectively textbooks online”.

This review found that video games are primarily being used to measure knowledge acquisition. Despite the potential of video games to transform learning processes, they are primarily being used to directly teach content or as a motivational tool for students in the classroom. Affective or motivational outcomes are the second most commonly investigated areas. This finding is consistent with Connolly et al.’s systematic review (2012) and subsequent update to the review (Boyle et al., 2016), in which it was noted that, despite video games being championed as an engaging and new medium for 21st century skills, they are still being used primarily for knowledge transmission, or student reward and motivation. This is in direct contrast to the more innovative and progressive teaching activities that are often proposed when speculating about the potential of video games in education (Shaffer et al., 2005).

Video game based curricula

The classroom context and associated pedagogy of video game implementation is described in passing by few studies retained in this review. Additional video game based curricula, such as additional lessons, activities, or media designed to be presented to students alongside the video game intervention, was described in 16% of the retained studies. The low number of studies that discussed the wider teaching and learning activities that surrounded video game use within the classroom may have implications for the field of research, as the broader context of gameplay impacts on the effectiveness of the implementation (Young et al., 2012). As noted by Young et al. (2012), consideration of the complex interaction between player, game, and context (including the context of the video game within a specific curriculum) is essential to understanding the way in which this impacts the learning process.

The learning activities undertaken alongside video game interventions are often not specified by studies, which is significant as these activities have the potential to impact the learning outcomes (Sitzmann, 2011; Wouters et al., 2013). It has also been noted elsewhere that the interaction of students with informal websites or gaming communities (such as modding pages, wiki pages, or voice-chat and streaming communities) in addition to video game use in the classroom can have positive learning outcomes (Clark et al., 2014; Gee, 2007; Steinkuehler & Duncan, 2008), but these are rarely included in reviews of the research. Surprisingly, no studies were identified within the review that addressed these learning activities surrounding the use of video games in the classroom. Researching the implementation of video games individually, without looking at the wider context of teaching and learning, does not adequately encompass the realities of the classroom. Further research regarding the context of video game learning, including explicit discussion of the non-game instruction surrounding the implementation of games, will improve the overall understanding of this area.

Teacher professional development

The inclusion of professional development alongside video game research highlights an issue of possible bias within the field of research. Teacher professional development was a theme that emerged from the systematic review, with 21% of studies describing professional development as part of the intervention. Teachers participating in these studies had attended, or been provided with, professional development as part of the interventions described. Furthermore, three studies recruited teachers for research through their attendance at professional development workshops (Ault et al., 2015; Chee et al., 2015; Wallon et al., 2018). Selecting research participants from teachers who have already chosen to attend video game related professional development courses will result in a sample that is already interested in, and potentially biased toward, video game based education practices. Additionally, research which is only conducted with teachers who have already attended professional development may be reflecting practices that are not generalizable to the wider teaching profession.

Teacher belief in the usefulness of games, and their positivity about their impact, directly influences whether they will implement them in their own classrooms (Stieler-Hunt & Jones, 2015), and the success of that implementation (Clark et al., 2018; Proctor & Marks, 2013). The importance of professional development was noted, with Evans et al. (2015) reporting that training and development was essential to successful implementation of video games. Considering the importance of teacher buy-in and perception of video games to the importance of their effectiveness in the classroom, more focus on teacher implementation and practice would be a positive for the field of video game education research. Meredith (2016) for example, concluded that more video game based professional development was necessary if it was to be adopted into regular classroom practice. Similarly, Bourgonjon et al. (2013), reported findings that indicated game based learning is not just adopted by teachers who play video games in their spare time. Rather, video game implementation requires supporting teachers in understanding the application of games to their curriculum requirements in different knowledge domains. Professional development regarding the use of video games in the classroom could address this need. Additionally, the initial search of this review highlighted the need for a common definition of video games to be developed. The definition created for this review distinguishes video games from other learning technologies, and can contribute to a common language around games for future researchers.

Implications and recommendations

The results of this review have key methodological implications for the field of video game and educational research. The realm of video game based learning is incredibly complex. The interplay between game elements, learning contexts, teacher aptitudes and pedagogy, student preferences and skill-level, and classroom environment have the potential to influence the way in which a video game is implemented and received within the classroom. Research that considers video game learning in secondary classroom settings has so far been inconclusive and disjointed, being at once too specific to certain games and singular learning outcomes, and at the same time not specific enough to classroom contexts and teacher realities. It is important that future research in this area considers the different elements that operate both within video games, and within the classroom context.

In their seminal review of trends in serious gaming for education, Young et al. urged researchers in the field of video game research to “stop seeking simple answers that address the wrong question” (2012, p. 84). They proposed that, instead of asking whether video games enhance academic achievement, scholars in the field should focus on the interaction of player, game, and context, and ask the question; “How does a particular video game being used by a particular student in the context of a particular course curriculum affect the learning process as well as the products of school (such as test grades, course selection, retention, and interest)?” (Young et al., 2012, p. 84). Nine years on from this recommendation, there is still a dearth of research that addresses this need. Few studies were identified in this review that considered the wider context of video game application. Research that addresses one or two simple variables cannot address the larger considerations of the ways in which video games are used, or how they interact with classroom contexts.

Therefore, future research on the topic of video games for learning needs to consider the social, cultural, and economic factors that influence video game implementation in the classroom, and attitudes toward video games for both students and teachers. Likewise, investigation of how subsections of school populations may be more likely to benefit from video game based learning than others is an important area of future research focus.

The current body of research regarding video games and education is primarily concerned with short-term interventions of specific video games, and often does not take into consideration the wider context of teacher aptitudes and implementation, classroom environment, or wider teaching activities. Games are often only researched once, and the field of research may not represent the games that are currently being used in classroom practice. The research field would be improved by research that speaks to already existing reviews and research, through building on frameworks already developed (such as All et al., 2016; Clark et al., 2016), and the creation of a database of open-source educational video game software that categorizes existing games for further research.

Young et al. (2012) recommend the creation of a video game database to store open-source copies of all non-commercially available researched games, so that other researchers could cross-check validity and further develop and test hypotheses about particular game attributes. Open-source software could aid in preventing the waste of resources in game creation for specific implementation purposes, as many games (particularly in STEM subjects) are special purpose implementations of game mechanics for specific curriculum content. While the creation of a video game database may have seemed overly optimistic at the time of Young et al.’s recommendation, the increasing support for video games in education, the proliferation of online resources, and the advent of Web 3.0, may mean that this could be closer to becoming a reality. A database of this kind would go a long way toward addressing issues of validity and usefulness in the educational video game research field.

There is a significant and pressing need for empirical research that considers the current uses of video games in secondary classrooms, and the teacher attitudes, perceptions, and influencing factors of video game use. Research that accounts for these factors would significantly improve understandings of the implications of the use of video games in secondary schools. Further, the reporting of methodological details of educational video game research needs to be improved, including the age and gender of participants, the context of classroom interventions, and the developer and details of the video games used. Table 7 outlines the recommended minimum reporting standards for future research in this field, derived from the methodological gaps identified in this review.

Limitations and delimitations

This systematic review was constrained by the search terms used, the databases included and the time period of the review. The exclusion of conference proceedings and grey literature within the review is a limitation that can be addressed in future research. Furthermore, the demographic information provided in articles retained for the review was inconsistent and made generalization difficult, which is something that should be addressed by future research. Comparison of control group conditions was outside of the scope of this study, but would be beneficial to understanding the field of research. Control group conditions varied amongst the studies retained by the systematic review, from pen and paper conditions to different games played, to the same game with enhanced features, to no educational intervention at all. This is an area for further investigation.

Conclusion

This review found that although video games can have a positive impact on secondary classrooms and their students, the nature, extent, and findings of these studies are nuanced and heterogenous, making generalizations difficult. This review found that although video games can have a positive impact on secondary classrooms and their students, the nature, extent, and findings of these studies are nuanced and heterogenous, making generalizations difficult. It also highlights a number of methodological issues within the field of educational video game research, including inconsistent reporting of study and technology use details.

According to this review, video games are currently being used in secondary classrooms are primarily short-form, simple games that are being used to measure knowledge acquisition, or for motivational outcomes. The focus of research concerning video game use in the secondary classrooms primarily was on games made specifically for learning purposes, rather than the adaptation of commercial games, or the construction of games within the classroom. Video games were most often used to teach STEM, and second most commonly used to teach English Language Arts and Social Studies. Despite their potential to transform learning processes, this review found that video games are used primarily for knowledge transmission, or student reward and motivation rather than deeper learning processes. We recommend that future research moves beyond the simple learning outcomes of knowledge transmission and student motivation, to address the wider social, cultural, and economic factors that influence video game implementation in the classroom, and attitudes toward video games for both students and teachers.

The studies identified in this review were diverse in terms of methodology, subject content, and represented a significant variety of research disciplines and fields. While this review found a similar variety of outcomes (in diversity of scope, research aims, methodology, and theoretical frameworks) to previous reviews in this field (All et al., 2016; Girard et al., 2013), this review builds on this through the inclusion of reporting protocols for future publications, hopefully strengthening the quality of future research in this area. We recommend research in the next decade and beyond should address methodological concerns that have now been identified for more than two decades. These include researchers including detailed demographic data on participants, in-depth information on the platform and characteristics of video games used in interventions (including links to open-source software where possible), developer links to the research, and the context of classroom interventions in research (including the wider teaching and learning activities that surround the video game use in the classroom). The inclusion of these methodological details will ensure that studies are replicable and valid in their contribution to the research field. Additionally, while the current review focused on the broad impact of video games on learning within secondary classrooms, other specific outcomes are a rich possibility for further study. This includes outcomes such as the impact of educational video game use on physical, social, and emotional wellbeing (Melo et al., 2020).

Author note

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Abbreviations:

COTS	=	Commercial off-the-shelf
PD	=	Professional development

Notes

1 Search terms used available at https://osf.io/gq2rw/

2 A list of all studies identified by the initial search available at https://osf.io/tgcyz/

3 Summary table of all articles retained available at https://osf.io/hpqm2/

4 List of articles available at https://osf.io/5qd7z

Appendix:

Summary of articles retained in systematic review

Table

			Outcome measure(s)^a
Code	Author/year	Country	KA	AM	TIP	PC	SS	BC	E	SP	Game	Game purpose	Subject area	Method	Results
A001	Alfieri et al. (2015)	USA	✓	✓							Expedition Atlantis	Game for learning	Math	Mixed Case study	Students’ proportional reasoning skills increased from pre- to post-test, as well as their interest in robotics, and their value of mathematics for use within robotics.
A002	An et al. (2016)	USA			✓						Various	Various	Various	Quant Survey	MS teachers were more confident and reported a higher level of perceived benefits than HS teachers.
A003	Anderson and Barnett (2013)	USA	✓								Supercharged!	Game for learning	Science	Mixed method QE	VGs support science learning when appropriately designed and implemented, but cannot replace traditional science instruction.
A004	Ault et al. (2015)	USA	✓	✓							Reason Racer	Game for learning	Science	Quant QE	Experimental group improved argumentation skill and judgment, and reported increase in confidence and motivation to engage in science.
A005	Bacalja (2019)	Australia			✓				✓		Bully, Dungeon Siege 3, Fable 2, Forza 4, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2, Halo 3	COTS	English	Qual Action research	While English pedagogy can be adapted for VG use, play and interactivity can complicate their use in the classroom.
A006	Bai et al. (2012)	USA	✓	✓							DimensionM	Game for learning	Math	Quant QE	VGs increased mathematical knowledge acquisition in algebra and maintained student motivation.
A007	Bal (2019)	Turkey		✓					✓		Storium	Learning through making games	English	Qual Action research	VG use increased student interest, facilitated classroom management, supported collaborative work, and developed creativity.
A008	Beavis et al. (2014a)	Australia								✓	Various	Various	Various	Mixed survey	Student experiences of in-school VG play varied, with engagement highly valued, and ‘boring’ games involving tediously ‘educational’ content disliked by students.
A009	Bell and Gresalfi (2017)	USA	✓		✓						Boone’s Meadow	Game for learning	Math	Mixed QE	Pre- to post-test improvements in knowledge acquisition were reported, with teacher familiarity with VGs an important factor for student learning
A010	Bourgonjon et al. (2013)	Belgium		✓						✓	Various	Various	Various	Quant Survey	Student preference for VGs in the classroom is affected by student perception of the usefulness, learning opportunities, and personal experience with VGs.
A011	Bowling et al. (2017)	USA	✓	✓							Virtual Clinical Trials	Game for learning	Science	Quant QE	All students increased their knowledge and attitudes toward clinical trials, with students completing two simulations having the greatest change.
A012	Buteau and Muller (2018)	Canada		✓							E-Brock Bugs	Game for learning	Math	Qual Case study	80% of students viewed the VG as a useful activity for probability learning, and 76% of students would like to use video games in their mathematics classes.
A013	Carissoli and Villani (2019)	Italy					✓				Emotiva-mente curriculum (various games)	COTS	Emotional intelligence	Qual QE	VG group reported an improvement in the evaluation and expression of emotions compared with the control group, but this difference did not persist 3 months later.
A014	Chang et al. (2015)	USA	✓								[The Math App]	Game for learning	Math	Quant QE	Students showed an increase in mathematics scores from pretest to post-test, with lower-ability classes gaining the greatest increase.
A015	Chartofili and Fokides (2019)	Greece	✓	✓							Three unnamed games	Game for learning	Social studies	Quant QE	VGs produced better learning outcomes when compared with non-digital games.
A016	Checa-Romero and Pascual Gómez, (2018)	Spain				✓					Minecraft EDU	COTS	Technology	Mixed QE	VGs produced opportunity to develop innovative educational contexts and encourage creative processes.
A017	Chee and Tan (2012)	Singapore	✓	✓							Legends of Alkhimia	Game for learning	Science	Quant QE	VG group significantly outperformed the control students in knowledge and conceptual understanding of chemistry, as well as reported a higher self-perception as scientists.
A018	Chee et al. (2013)	Singapore	✓								StatecraftX	Game for learning	Social studies	Mixed QE	VG group reported a stronger sense of personal voice, and awareness about current global and local issues, compared to the control group.
A019	Chee et al. (2015)	Singapore			✓						StatecraftX	Game for learning	Social studies	Qual Case study	VG implementation revealed student and teacher resistance and discomfort with new modes of teaching and learning related to standardized assessments.
A020	Chen (2019)	Taiwan	✓	✓							Summon of Magic Crystal	Game for learning	Science	Mixed QE	Competition and peer learning with VGs produced higher conceptual knowledge than individual and no-competition VG learning groups.
A021	Chen and Lin (2016)	Taiwan	✓	✓							Gourd Tang Dynasty	Game for learning	English	Quant QE	VGs produced significantly better learning achievements than students who underwent traditional narrative instruction
A022	Chen et al. (2010)	Taiwan	✓	✓							FORmosa Hope	Game for learning	Social studies	Quant QE	VG group significantly strengthened cultural identities compared to the control group.
A023	Chen et al. (2014)	Taiwan	✓	✓							The Alchemists Fort	Game for learning	Science	Quant QE	Learners showed mild positive motivation for learning chemistry via VG.
A024	Cipollone et al. (2014)	USA	✓								Minecraft	COTS	English	Qual Case study	VG provides opportunity for students to display creativity and understanding of concepts in ways that are more feasible than if they were attempted in the “real” world.
A025	Clark et al. (2018)	USA	✓	✓	✓						55 games developed for research project	Game for learning	Social studies	Mixed QE	Significantly higher gains were reported in the VG group in terms of multiple-choice, open-response, evidentiary depth, and student engagement outcomes.
A026	Culp et al. (2015)	USA	✓	✓	✓						The Ruby Realm	Game for learning	Science	Quant RCT	VG intervention did not have a significant impact on student content understanding, and teachers may need support in connecting in-game experiences and learning concepts.
A027	Deater-Deckard et al. (2014)	USA		✓							The Candy Factory	Game for learning	Math	Mixed QE	Students showed high levels of engagement with VG, and engagement was associated with better performance on knowledge assessment.
A028	Ebrahimzadeh and Alavi (2017)	Iran	✓	✓							Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne	COTS	Language	Quant QE	No significant difference between VG watcher and VG player group in terms of enjoyment. VG enjoyment is associated with vocabulary learning.
A029	Ebrahimzadeh (2017)	Iran	✓								Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne	COTS	Language	Mixed QE	Both VG watchers and VG players outperformed the reader group in vocabulary acquisition.
A030	Eseryel et al. (2014)	USA		✓		✓					McLarin’s Adventures	Game for learning	Problem solving	Quant QE	Motivation and engagement with VG determines student development of complex problem-solving skills, and design of VG greatly impacts student motivation, engagement, and problem-solving performance.
A031	Eseryel et al. (2011)	USA				✓					McLarin’s Adventures	Game for learning	Problem solving	Quant QE	Study 1: Content knowledge in experimental group did not improve, indicating VG may not lead to improved problem-solving performance. Study 2: Modeling-only group exhibited higher positive gains in problem solving, modeling + VG group exhibited a slight decline. Compared with Study 1, students in both groups in Study 2 showed significant improvement in all the six measures.
A032	Evans et al. (2015)	USA			✓						The Candy Factory	Game for learning	Math	Qual Case study	Results indicate the need for training and professional development when implementing VGs.
A033	Fan et al. (2015)	Taiwan	✓								Mobile Meaningful Blood Circulation Learning System	Game for learning	Science	Quant QE	Students with different learning styles revealed differences in learning achievement; and students in the experimental group had a higher learning achievement than the students in the control group.
A034	Foster and Shah (2015)	USA	✓	✓							DimensionM, Physicus, and Rollercoaster Tycoon 3	Game for learning AND COTS	Math, Science AND Social studies	Mixed QE	VG improves student learning and motivation, and VG curriculum provided teachers with an adaptive structure for integrating VGs.
A035	Garneli and Chorianopoulos (2018)	Greece	✓	✓							Scratch	Learning through making games	Technology AND science	Quant QE	VG construction, rather than simulation construction, resulted in projects with higher student motivation and CT skills.
A036	Gerber et al. (2014)	USA				✓	✓				Various	COTS	English	Qual Case study	VG curriculum enabled students to make connections with digital media, traditional texts, and peers, and assisted in guiding teachers.
A037	Groff et al. (2012)	Scotland		✓	✓						Various	Various	Various	Qual Case study	School leaders viewed VG projects as successful, with implementation of VG promoting active interdisciplinary learning.
A038	Gunbatar and Karalar (2018)	Turkey		✓							mBlock	Learning through making games	Technology	Quant QE	VG significantly increased students’ self-efficacy perceptions and attitudes toward programming, with no difference in this by gender
A039	Hanghøj et al. (2018)	Denmark		✓	✓		✓				Torchlight II	COTS	Language and Math	Mixed QE	VG had positive impact on students’ well-being and reduced experiences of external regulation to participate in Mathematics and Danish.
A040	Herro (2015)	USA			✓						Various	COTS AND Learning through making games	Visual Arts AND Technology	Qual Case study	Implementation of VG-based curriculum led to a culture of support for games, and increased learning opportunities for students.
A041	Hewett et al. (2020)	USA							✓		Minecraft EDU	COTS	Technology	Qual Case study	Four themes emerged from the study: Leadership: models for design, navigating the 3D World, thinking outside-the-box, and real-world connections.
A042	Hsiao et al. (2020)	Taiwan	✓	✓				✓			The Poison Riddle Game	Game for learning	Science	Mixed QE	Students showed significant improvement in food safety knowledge test following VG use, although no behavioral change was found.
A043	Johnson (2017)	UK	✓						✓		Game Maker	Learning through making games	Technology	Qual Case study	VG resulted in positive student attitudes to programming, although a constructionist approach did not effectively support the learning of programming concepts for all pupils.
A044	Karsenti and Parent (2020)	Canada							✓		Assassin’s Creed	COTS	Social studies	Mixed Survey	Students reported that the VG contributed to historical knowledge, and that VG use was engaging and motivating despite no direct gameplay in class.
A045	Kebritchi et al. (2010)	USA	✓	✓							DimensionM	Game for learning	Math	Mixed QE	VG group showed significant improvement in knowledge versus control group, although no significant improvement was found in motivation for either group.
A046	Khan et al. (2017)	Pakistan	✓	✓							Patterns of Reactivity	Game for learning	Science	Mixed QE	VG intervention resulted in an increase in student attention, although no significant difference found in student knowledge between control and VG groups
A047	Kilic and Yildirim (2012)	Turkey		✓		✓					GBSc3DM	Game for learning	Science	Mixed Survey	Students perceived the VG as an effective learning environment, and that VG learning was enjoyable and meaningful.
A048	Kim and Pavlov (2019)	USA			✓						Food Fight Game	Game for learning	Science	Qual Case study	VG curriculum was found to be flexible, and encouraged teacher use and classroom differentiation.
A049	Koops and Hoevenaar (2013)	Netherlands	✓								SPACE CHALLENGE	Game for learning	Science	Quant QE	VG groups increased conceptual knowledge, compared to the control group.
A050	Lee and Probert (2010)	USA	✓		✓	✓					Civilisation III	COTS	Social studies	Qual Case study	Effective VG use requires teacher flexibility and willingness to adapt.
A051	Liu et al. (2014)	USA	✓	✓							Alien Rescue	Game for learning	Science	Mixed QE	VG resulted in increased student knowledge of science concepts, conducting research, applying problem-solving skills, and interpersonal skills.
A052	Majumdar et al. (2013)	USA						✓			Creature-101	Game for learning	Health education	Quant QE	VG group reported significant decreases in frequency and amount of consumption of sweetened beverages and processed snacks compared with the control group.
A053	Marklund and Taylor (2016)	Sweden			✓						Minecraft EDU	COTS	Math	Qual Case study	Teachers require technological know-how, gaming literacy, subject matter expertise, and a strong pedagogical foundation to effectively implement VG in classrooms.
A054	Marlatt (2018)	USA	✓	✓							Minecraft EDU	COTS	English	Qual Case study	Implementing Minecraft in literature study offered the students opportunity for authentic literacy learning.
A055	Metcalf et al. (2014)	USA		✓							EcoMUVE	Game for learning	Science	Qual Survey	Students found VG motivating, engaging, and valuable for learning.
A056	Mifsud et al. (2013)	Malta	✓		✓						The Clue Finders Reading Adventures: The Mystery of the Missing Amulet	Game for Learning	Language	Quant QE AND Survey	Survey: Students, parents, and teachers all reported belief that VGs can be positive tools for classroom learning. Despite this, only 9.4 per cent of teachers use VGs in the classroom. QE: VG group obtained significant knowledge gains when compared to the control group.
A057	Mills et al. (2019)	USA	✓		✓						SAVE Science	Game for learning	Science	Mixed QE	Student knowledge increased from pre- to post-test. Teacher’s self-perception of VG implementation was not in alignment with actual instruction practice.
A058	Monjelat et al. (2017)	Spain					✓				SimCity Creator	COTS	Social studies	Qual Case study	Collaboration and scaffolding took place spontaneously around the gameplay, showing that students can effectively guide each other without prompts using VG.
A059	Nadolny et al. (2017)	USA			✓						Various	Games for learning	Various	Mixed Survey	VG attributes and element use varied depending upon what teachers believed to be important or motivating for their students.
A060	Navarrete (2013)	USA				✓					Flash	Learning through making games	Technology	Qual Case study	VG creation may provide a rich and enjoyable learning experience, as well as provide for deep, insightful learning.
A061	Panoutsopoulos and Sampson (2012)	Greece	✓	✓							The Sims 2: Open for Business	COTS	Math	Quant QE	No significant difference between the VG group and control group in educational objectives.
A062	Pellas and Peroutseas (2016)	Greece		✓			✓				Second Life and Scratch	Learning through making games	Technology	Mixed QE	Students’ computational thinking skills and motivation were enhanced as a result of VG activities.
A063	Perry and Klopfer (2014)	USA	✓	✓							Four UniqBio games	Game for learning	Science	Mixed QE	One VG improved engagement compared to control group, and two VGs demonstrated positive correlation between level of achievement and test score. Mixed results for all variables.
A064	Proctor and Marks (2013)	USA			✓						Various	Various	English, Science, Social studies, AND Math	Mixed Survey	Best predictors for VG use was the level of access teachers had to games, and their beliefs about the usefulness of implementing games.
A065	Pusey and Pusey (2015)	Australia		✓					✓		Minecraft EDU	COTS	Science	Mixed Survey	VG use resulted in an increase in student interest in science, enjoyment of VGs, and the use of ICTs in school.
A066	Reynolds and Chiu (2015)	USA						✓			Flash	Learning through making games	Technology	Quant QE	Results show that participation in the VG curriculum influenced technology engagement in schools.
A067	Robertson (2013)	Scotland		✓	✓						Adventure Author	Learning through making games	Various	Mixed QE	VG unit was viewed positively by teachers and students, although female students were less positive than males.
A068	Sadler et al. (2015)	USA	✓	✓							Mission Biotech	Game for learning	Science	Quant QE	Both experimental and control curriculum were effective in supporting student learning, with no significant differences in learning gains between the two groups.
A069	Sadler et al. (2013)	USA	✓								Mission Biotech	Game for learning	Science	Mixed QE	VG intervention resulted in statistically significant gains in student biological content knowledge.
A070	Sanchez et al. (2017)	France			✓			✓			Classcraft	Game for learning	Social studies and Science	Mixed Survey	Case study: Teachers reported increased motivation and deeper engagement in classwork as a result of VG. Survey: Teachers describe VG as effective in providing feedback, modifying behaviors, and encouraging student commitment to classroom rules.
A071	Shah and Foster (2015)	USA	✓						✓		Rollercoaster Tycoon 3	COTS	Science AND Technology	Mixed QE	All students made statistically significant gains in the knowledge test.
A072	Siko et al. (2011)	USA	✓								Microsoft PowerPoint	Learning through making games	Science	Quant QE	Results indicated no statistically significant difference in performance on either test between VG and control group.
A073	Stieler-Hunt and Jones (2015)	Australia			✓						Various	Various	Various	Qual Interviews	Teacher attitudes toward VG are impacted by previous successful use, their belief in the value of VGs in education, and external support for using VGs.
A074	Struppert (2010)	Australia	✓	✓							RealLives	Game for learning	English AND Social studies	Mixed Survey	Results noted that VG learning is generally fun and engaging, although excitement can decrease over time. Learning with VGs requires teacher support to ensure accurate, relevant, and adequate educational outcomes.
A075	Toomey and Kitson (2017)	Australia							✓		The Elder Scrolls: Arena and Daggerfall, Myst, Riven	COTS	English	Qual Case study	VG use in the classroom resulted in opportunities for rewarding and innovative work that can transcend traditional classroom boundaries and notions of literacy.
A076	Tsai et al. (2017)	Taiwan		✓							Happy English Learning System (HELS)	Game for learning	Language	Quant Survey	Students expressed satisfaction with the VG, and the more time the students spent playing the VG per week, the more satisfied they were with the learning process.
A077	Tsai et al. (2015)	Taiwan	✓	✓							TRIS-Q	Game for learning	Science	Quant QE	Findings indicated that VG modes (multiplayer and single player) did not affect the effectiveness of knowledge acquisition.
A078	Tucker-Raymond et al. (2019)	USA				✓					Scratch	Learning through making games	Science	Qual Case study	In designing VGs, students focused more on the game play of game design, rather than content.
A079	Turan and Meral (2017)	Turkey	✓	✓							Kahoot	Game for learning	Social studies	Quant QE	VG-based student response systems increase achievement and engagement, and decrease the test anxiety level, when compared to non-VG-based student response systems.
A080	Wallon et al. (2018)	USA				✓					The Golden Hour and Why Dread a Bump on the Head	Game for learning	Science	Qual Case study	VG use alone was not enough to support improvements in argumentation, improvement only being seen when supported by significant scaffolding.
A081	Wilson et al. (2017)	USA	✓								The Detective: Verona and The Detective: Bavaria	Game for learning	English	RCT	Post-test results indicated that both VGs effectively transmit targeted skills, and improved performance in end-of-year state testing suggested that these skills transfer across academic domains.
A082	Wilson et al. (2018)	USA	✓		✓	✓					Geniverse	Game for learning	Science	Quant QE	When VG was implemented as planned, student learning was significantly greater than in the comparison group. Despite this, a wide range of VG implementation across teachers resulted in no significant difference between the groups as a whole.
A083	Yang (2012)	Taiwan	✓			✓					Tycoon City: New York and SimCity Societies	COTS	Social studies	Quant QE	VG group showed improvement in problem solving skills and motivation compared to the control group. showed no improvement.
A084	Yang (2015)	Taiwan	✓			✓					Chief Executive Officer and Capitalism 2	COTS	Social studies	Quant QE	VG group outperformed the comparison group in terms of creative thinking, critical thinking, problem solving, and academic achievement, with significant improvements on all four measures.
A085	Zuiker and Anderson (2019)	Singapore					✓				Escape from Centauri 7	Game for learning	Science	Qual Case study	Peer dialogic engagement occurred within each VG cycle for both classes, but the nature of such engagement varied across cycles and student teams.