Digital games and learning: a study of preservice teachers' perceptions

Abstract

This study aims to enhance understanding of enactivism, an emergent theory, through the exploration of preservice teachers' thinking about digital games. Focusing on two important enactivist concepts, affordances and constraints, this study is guided by the following research questions: What are preservice teachers' perceived affordances of digital games, teacher designed digital games, and student designed digital games in classrooms? What constraints are perceived by preservice teachers for adapting digital game design in schools? This research adopts a mixed method approach [Creswell, 1998. Qualitative inquiry and research design; Choosing among five traditions. London: Sage] to investigate preservice teachers' perceptions. A convenient sampling method is used with 73 preservice teachers. Data collected include open-ended surveys and teacher discussion notes. Results show that a vast majority of preservice teachers have perceived that game design and building, either by teachers themselves or by learners, affords great educational potential. Additional affordances and constraints of digital games are also discussed in the article.

Keywords:

• game based learning
• enactivism
• preservice teachers
• perceptions
• affordances
• constraints
• learning by game design