‘Computer games can get your brain working’: student experience and perceptions of digital games in the classroom

Abstract

There is considerable enthusiasm in many quarters for the incorporation of digital games into the classroom, and the capacity of games to engage and challenge players, present complex representations and experiences, foster collaborative learning, and promote deep learning. But while there is increasing research documenting the progress and outcomes of game-based learning, relatively little attention is paid to student perceptions and voice. In order to effectively target game-based learning pedagogy, it is important to understand students' previous experience, if any, of the use of games in the classroom, and what they made of these. In this paper, we present findings from a survey of 270 primary and secondary school students in Year Levels 4–9 (aged 9–14) in 6 Queensland schools at the start of a 3-year Australian Research Council project researching the use of digital games in school to promote literacy and learning.

Keywords:

• computer and videogames
• digital games
• game-based learning
• digital literacy
• pedagogy
• student perceptions

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the students and teachers in the six Queensland schools who are Industry Partners in this research and the Serious Play Research Team: Catherine Beavis, Michael Dezuanni, Joanne O'Mara, Leonie Rowan, Sarah Prestridge, Jason Zagami, Yam San Chee. Research Assistance: Roberta Thompson, Christy McGillivray and Colleen Stieler-Hunt. Statistical consultant: Sandy Muspratt. Additional research assistance: David Elliot.

Funding

This work was supported by the Australian Research Council under Linkage Grant [LP110200309]: Serious Play: Using digital games in school to promote literacy and learning in the twenty first century.

Notes on contributors

Catherine Beavis is Professor of Education at Griffith University. She researches in the area of digital culture, young people and new media, with a particular focus on the changing nature of text and literacy, and the implications of young people's experience of the online world for literacy, pedagogy and curriculum.

Sandy Muspratt holds an honorary position in the School of Education at the University of Queensland. He has worked on a range of commissioned research and evaluation projects, including projects commissioned by Education Queensland, AusAID, and The Le@rning Federation. He has taught quantitative methods courses, and has conducted workshops and delivered lectures on a range of topics to staff and students.

Roberta Thompson is a Griffith University Ph.D. candidate. Her doctoral work explores the online interactions of adolescent girls and the problems that they encounter. Working from a prevention perspective, Roberta has interest in the relationship between school climate, cybersafety practice, and student well-being.

Notes

1 Beavis, C., Dezuanni, M., O'Mara, J., Prestridge, S., Rowan, L., Zagami, J., and Chee, Y.S. Australian Research Council: Serious Play Serious Play: Using digital games in school to promote literacy and learning in the twenty first century. Australian Research Council 2012–2014. Industry Partners: The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (Vic) and six Queensland schools. Research Assistance: McGillivray, C., Thompson, R. and Steiler-Hunt, C.

2 Beavis, C., Bradford, C., O'Mara, J., Walsh, and C.: Literacy in the Digital World of the Twenty First Century: Learning from Computer Games. Australian Research Council 2007–2009. Industry Partners: The Australian Centre for the Moving Image, The Victorian Association for the Teaching of English, The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, Victoria. Research Fellow: Thomas Apperley, Research Assistant: Amanda Gutierrez.