From Skeptics to Advanced Adopters: Investigating Digital Game Adoption Practices, Challenges and Needs of Teachers in Swedish Schools

Abstract

To effectively support digital game adoption in education, stakeholders need to understand teachers’ current game-based teaching practices, challenges, and needs. This study investigates digital game use of teachers at compulsory and upper secondary school levels in Sweden. Data were collected from 181 respondents during spring 2019 through an online survey. Cluster analysis and descriptive statistics are used to establish the characteristics of game-using teachers and explore their teaching practices, challenges, and professional development needs. Based on their disposition, three subsets of game-using teachers are identified. Findings indicate that a more positive disposition is related to increased pedagogical integration, a greater variety of game use, higher and more varied educational outcomes, as well as interest in professional development. Perceptions of inhibiting factors of games-based teaching tend to shift with teachers’ level of game-based teaching competency. Results highlight teachers’ need for good quality games with curricular relevance as well as relevant professional development options. Moreover, the potential of games to facilitate a collaborative form of learning and skill development may not have been yet fully realized in Swedish schools. Future research should have a twofold focus; the development of adequate game resources that can support collaborative forms of learning and higher-level skills development, as well as competency development solutions for teachers relevant to their needs.