Digital Gameplay Research Articles

Exploring the Affordances of Vernacular Digital Games in Developing 21st-Century Skills

The past decade has witnessed an unprecedented surge in technological advancements and an exponential growth in mobile device ownership world-wide. Such transformations have intensified access to digital content, opening up new avenues for non-formal learning. This was particularly true during subsequent crises such as the COVID-19 Pandemic and natural and man-made disasters which have disrupted formal learning and left many learners immobilised. This paper contends that capitalising on the intersection of formal and non-formal learning experiences is integral to innovative planning and value-added education. To dismiss engagement in non-formal leaning transactions is to exclude a significant part of learners’ cognitive processes, preferences and experiences. In particular, this paper focuses on vernacular digital games as an apt example of pervasive technology and a non-formal learning arena. Described as a popular culture text, vernacular games are originally intended for entertainment, as opposed to pedagogical, purposes. However, embedded in their designs are social and developmental affordances that render them potent tools for serendipitous learning and dynamic spaces for developing competencies. In the light of this, this paper proposes a move from gamification, i.e. adding a gaming layer to non-gaming contexts, to adding an educational layer to non-formal digital gaming contexts. To consolidate this proposal, it investigates the 21st-century competencies reportedly acquired and developed through digital gameplay. It also delves into possible design-related paradoxes. More precisely, the paper reflects on how key game design features such as multimodality, adaptivity, cultural narratives and affinity spaces can be harnessed to better cultivate much in-demand 21st-century skills. Although learning skills (in their metacognitive form of higher-order thinking) are part and parcel of 21st-century skills, literacy skills and life skills are equally important. The further longer-term aim is to map development opportunities and optimise learning in ways that are in harmony with today’s changing scenarios, demands and objectives.

Investigation of nursing students' addiction to digital game play and associated factors

AimsIt was conducted to investigate digital gaming addiction among nursing students and the associated factors of such addiction.MethodsThe descriptive and relationship-seeking study's universe included 1665 nursing students in three universities' nursing faculties and departments. The sample size was determined to be 774 based on a power analysis with a type I error rate of 0.05, a power of the test of 0.80 (α = 0.05, 1-β = 0.80), and an effect size of d = 0.10. Student Information Form, The Digital Game Addiction Scale (DGAS-7), and the Digital Game Playing Motivation Scale (DGPMS) were used to collect student information. Data analysis was performed using the Mann–Whitney U test, Kruskal–Wallis H test, Spearman correlation, and Binary Logistic Regression Model.ResultsIt was found that 83.7% of the students were female, and the mean age and BMI were 20.03 ± 1.72 years and 21.98 ± 2.90 kg/m2, respectively. A statistically significant positive correlation was found between the students' Digital Game Addiction Scale and Digital Game Playing Motivation Scale Achievement and Energizing (r = 0.717), Curiosity and Social Acceptance (r = 0.612), and Uncertainty in Game Desire (r = -0.110) sub-dimensions mean scores (p < 0.001).ConclusionsThe relationship between nursing students' digital game addiction, game playing motivation, and several individual characteristics affecting digital games was found. The study's results call for further research to focus on developing and testing interventions that could effectively reduce gaming addiction while enhancing positive aspects of digital engagement among nursing students.

Association Between Self-Esteem and Cyber Victimization: The Mediating Roles of Digital Game Playing and Cyberbullying

ABSTRACT Background Today, the intensive use of technology necessitates more research on cyberbullying and victimization among adolescents. Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate a proposed model of the associations between self-esteem, digital game playing, cyberbullying, and victimization in early adolescents. Methods A total of 312 early adolescents participated based on the criterion sampling method. The age range of the adolescents was 10–14 years (Mean = 12.63; SD = 0.60). Two-stage structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. Bootstrapping analysis was used to test mediation effects. Results The findings revealed the serial mediating relations of digital game playing and cyberbullying in the association between early adolescents’ self-esteem and cyber victimization. Discussion The results emphasize the role of individual differences in adolescents’ self-esteem as a significant factor in cyber victimization. This relationship operates through the behavioral pathways of digital game use and cyberbullying. Translation to Health Education Practice Based on the research findings, health educators can encourage students in this developmental period to establish healthier relationships in the digital world and develop strategies to protect mental health. In this direction, health educators should aim to develop healthy digital gaming habits in students by considering the negative effects of digital game addiction on cyber victimization. For this purpose, educators can organize awareness-raising educational programs against digital game addiction and guide students in determining balanced play times

The Current Composition and Characteristics of Chinese Digital Game Players

The Current Composition and Characteristics of Chinese Digital Game Players

Digital game-playing to enhance English vocabulary and content learning among anxious foreign language students

This study aimed to investigate how game-playing affected low- and high-anxiety students’ English vocabulary and content learning in a digital game-based learning (DGBL) environment. The participants were 132 fifth-grade English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students, divided into an experimental group using DGBL instruction (n = 68) and a control group using traditional instruction (n = 64). They were defined as low- and high-anxiety students based on the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS), with 38 low- and 30 high-anxiety students in the experimental group and 34 low- and 30 high-anxiety students in the control group. Data was collected from FLCAS, game-playing logs, pre- and post-tests, and an open-ended questionnaire. The results found that both low- and high-anxiety students benefited from a DGBL environment designed with game mechanics (game challenges, points, and comments) to improve their English vocabulary and content learning performance, with high-anxiety students making greater progress. In the DGBL environment, the game challenges for entertainment purposes motivated the high-anxiety students to engage in learning. The high-anxiety students’ confidence in learning was then enhanced through the points and positively encouraging comments, leading to active and repeated engagement in game-playing. This self-motivated learning facilitated the high-anxiety students’ English vocabulary and content learning performance. This study suggests that the gap between low- and high-anxiety students’ English vocabulary and content learning performance could be narrowed in a DGBL environment with game mechanics.

Collaborative digital game design and play to facilitate college students’ creativity development

ABSTRACT This study aimed to investigate how digital games affected college students’ creativity development. A sample of 60 college students participated in the digital game design and play instruction, grounded in the playful constructivism theory. The data incorporated the students’ pre- and post-creativity scores in game design, the first and final versions of game design, and the students’ responses to the open-ended questionnaire. The findings revealed that the students’ creativity was developed after digital game design and play instruction, facilitated by three key creative learning processes, including collaborative digital game design, digital game-playing for providing peer feedback, and redesign of the games after receiving peer feedback. These collaborative processes encouraged the students’ role-reversal between designers and players, enabling the students to provide and receive peer feedback for the exchange of creative ideas. Through reflecting on received peer feedback, the students refined their initial ideas and tailored their reflections to redesign the games for the target learners, thereby cultivating their creativity in educational digital game design. This study suggests collaborative digital game design and play instruction is an effective strategy to facilitate college students’ creativity development.

Reinterpretation of the stereotyped characteristic of digital games “digital games encourage aggressive behaviour”

ABSTRACT Many studies have addressed the issue of the relationship between digital games and aggressive behaviour. However, less attention has been paid to the stereotyping of digital games and overcoming stereotypes from gamers’ perspective. This paper presents research conducted using the classic version of Grounded Theory. The research problem, i.e. the main concern of digital game players – the stereotyping of digital games – and the processes of addressing this problem emerged during the coding and analysis of the research data. The study has revealed how digital game players reinterpret the characteristic of digital games that “digital games encourage aggressive behaviour”. A whole range of reinterpretations emerged: Handling of virtual material rather than aggressive actions; Open in-game actions visible to everyone rather than aggressive actions; Digital games do not encourage aggressive behaviour, aggressive behaviour is in human nature; A space to sublimate masculine powers rather than aggressive actions; Social experimentation rather than aggressive actions; Exploration of limit states rather than aggressive actions; Emotional training rather than aggressive actions. This paper investigates the features and the course of reinterpretation processes as well as the aspiration of the gamers to disrupt negative stereotypes that hinder successful game-based learning.

ECEC educators’ Attitudes and Perceptions Toward and Supportive Role in children’s Digital Gameplay: The Emotion Detectives Game as an example

ABSTRACT Today, digital games are considered important tools for learning, but using them in early childhood education and care (ECEC) has raised the question of educators’ roles when children play an educational digital game. The aim of this study was to explore how ECEC educators differed in their attitudes and perceptions toward and ways of supporting children’s digital gameplay and how these differences were associated with children’s gameplay. The data were collected by interviewing seven ECEC educators in four ECEC groups in which 30 children aged 5–6 years played an educational Emotion Detectives game. The log data were also analyzed. Research Findings: Based on the differences in support discovered, the educators were found to represent two groups: a non-supportive group (NSG) and a supportive group (SG). Compared to the NSG, the children in the SG played more and were more successful in their gameplay. Practice or Policy: The findings of this study emphasize the importance of organizing regular gameplay sessions when children’s development is supported using educational games and of monitoring that all children have opportunities to get enough practice by playing. In addition, educators need to familiarize themselves with the game to be able to discuss it with children, motivate them to play, and help on demand.

Network structures of internet gaming disorder and gaming disorder: Symptom operationalization causes variation.

From 2022, the International Classification of Diseases, eleventh edition (ICD-11) includes the first mental disorder based on digital technology, "gaming disorder," which was previously suggested as a condition for further examination in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5). In this cross-sectional study, we provide the first large-scale network analysis of various symptom structures for these constructs to understand the complex interconnections between their proposed symptoms. Culturally diverse samples of 2,846 digital game players (M = 25.3 years) and 746 esports players (M = 23.5 years) were recruited. A network approach was applied to explore a multiverse of gaming disorder symptom structures, effects of item operationalization, and possible external moderators. Gaming disorder was measured using the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale 9-Short Form (IGDS9-SF), Gaming Disorder Test, and several items borrowed from Chinese Internet Gaming Disorder Scale, Personal Internet Gaming Disorder Evaluation-9, and Clinical Video game Addiction Test 2.0 scales. Two symptoms (loss of control and continued use despite problems) present in both, the DSM-5 and ICD-11, were systematically central to most of the analyzed networks. Alternative operationalizations of single items systematically caused significant network differences. Networks were invariant across groups of play style, age, gender, gaming time, and most of the psychosocial characteristics. Our results caution practitioners and researchers when studying and interpreting gaming disorder symptoms. The data indicate that even minor operational changes in symptoms can lead to significant network-level changes, thus highlighting the need for careful wording. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Interdisciplinary Art Learning Through Artistic Digital Game-Based Learning (DGBL): Evaluating Learning Outcomes and Processes Among Science and Engineering Students

The field of interdisciplinary art education, particularly through digital game-based learning, lacks empirical research on the art learning process and the competencies gained along the process. To address this research gap, this study collects data through experiment and post-experiment interviews from 20 science and engineering college students who participated in a 1-month digital game-based art learning program. The findings reveal three learning process cycles involved during art educational digital gameplay, namely the game action cycle, the experiential learning process cycle, and the game response cycle. Throughout the three process cycles, 29 learning outcomes were identified based on students’ gameplay experiences. These outcomes are then categorized into three themes, including enhanced self-management, enhanced learning experience, and refinement of proprioceptive competencies. Overall, this study highlights the digital learning process in the context of interdisciplinary art education and emphasizes the importance of valuing the outcomes gained from digital game-based learning in art education.

Development of gaming disorder: Underlying risk factors and complex temporal dynamics

Empirical studies on gaming disorder (GD) predominantly employ cross-sectional designs, offering limited insights into the development of GD. The existing longitudinal studies on the risk factors of GD often yield contradictory results and typically rely solely on baseline data to predict future states. The present study was specifically designed to describe and link developmental changes in risk factors and symptoms of GD. We surveyed a sample of intensively playing digital game players (N = 1301) across three data collection waves over a span of six months. The survey incorporated four different GD operationalizations and considered 11 previously identified risk and protective factors. We found that (1) trends in individual levels of stress, internet addiction, ADHD, and aggression/hostility were associated with the development of GD. (2) Internet addiction, social media addiction, escape motive, and anxiety showed consistent baseline connections to GD trends. (3) Notably, no differences were observed among participants' latent classes with distinct GD trajectories in terms of gender, age, gaming time, or the proportion of multiplayer gameplay. (4) GD symptoms exhibited slight but consistent negative aggregate trends. Participants with higher baseline GD levels generally displayed smaller shifts over time, suggesting the temporal stability of high symptom levels.

Associations between physical activity and digital gaming activity among Finnish adolescents

Abstract Background Physical activity (PA) for adolescents is an important health promotion habit to develop, yet other activities may be more appealing during this stage in life. According to the displacement hypothesis, time on digital games takes away the opportunity to be physically active. As there is a notable decline in PA levels between the ages of 11y- 15y in Finland, there is an urgent need to investigate potential areas that contribute to the decline. According to the 2021 Finnish Player Barometer, 65% of Finns play digital games regularly. The aims of this study were to investigate the associations between PA and digital gaming, and to examine how these associations may change by gaming genres. Methods A Finnish national representative sample (n = 1979) of 11y-15y olds, completed a self-report survey in spring 2022. Variables included PA behaviour, the frequency of digital gameplay, by sport simulation and Esports genres, and various confounders (gender, age, disability, economic status). Analyses were carried out by chi-square tests and multi-logistic regression analyses (no/low activity as reference categories). Results A third (32%) reported daily PA. Daily digital gameplay was more common among males (74%) than females (26%) and decreased from 11y (53%), 13y (30%) to 15y (17%) olds. After controlling for confounders, playing ball sport simulations (e.g. FIFA) was associated with taking part in 5 or more days/week of PA, or sport club participation (OR = 2.8, CI = 1.7-4.4), whereas playing a lot of first-person shooter games, as an Esport, was negatively associated with sport club participation (OR = 0.6, CI = 0.4-0.9) when compared to the reference categories. Conclusions The displacement hypothesis was supported partly among Esport players, but not by simulated sport gamers. Targeted interventions to promote physical activity with digital gaming, require a genre-specific approach. Key messages • Associations between physical activity and digital gaming activity among young adolescents is genre specific. • Frequent playing of digital games were more common among male 11-15y olds than females.

Technology integration of using digital gameplay for enhancing EFL college students’ behavior intention

This abstract presents a research study that investigates the effects of technology integration (TI) through digital gameplay on English as a foreign language (EFL) college students’ behavior intention. The study employs a mixed-methods research design, combining quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis methods. The quantitative phase involves a pre- and post-test design, measuring the behavior intention of EFL college students before and after engaging in digital gameplay activities. The qualitative phase involves in-depth interviews and focus group discussions to gather students’ perceptions and experiences with using digital gameplay in their language learning process. The findings reveal that TI through digital gameplay positively influences EFL college students’ behavior intention, including their motivation, engagement, and self-efficacy in language learning. The qualitative data provide insights into students’ perceptions of the benefits and challenges of using digital gameplay, highlighting its potential for improving language skills, fostering social interaction, and promoting autonomous learning. The implications of the study suggest that incorporating digital gameplay in EFL college classrooms can be an effective approach to enhance students’ behavior intention and contribute to their language learning outcomes. This study contributes to the existing literature on TI in language education and provides practical recommendations for educators and policymakers to leverage digital gameplay for enhancing EFL college students’ behavior intention.

Interrogating the notion of giving voice: designing for polyphony in game-based learning ecologies

ABSTRACT This paper illuminates how a young person and adults learned to design for robust learning in the context of video-game play. We argue that consequential learning can emerge through the intentional design of learning spaces where normative conceptions of novice and expert are re-imagined. Our analyses revealed that everyday digital game play was a rich zone of learning, fostering principled polyphony: the orchestration and symphonic arrangement of multiple voices and tools. Drawing on a cultural historical approach, we show how young people and adults create new social futures, through robust collaboration and the creation of syncretic sociotechnical arrangements.

The effects of playing digital games on children's pain, fear, and anxiety levels during suturing: A randomized controlled study.

The aim was to determine the effects of digital game play on children's pain, fear, and anxiety levels during suturing. Data were obtained from 84 children between the ages of 8 and 17 years at the pediatric emergency department between January 16 and March 19, 2020, using the Socio-Demographic and Clinical Characteristics Form, the Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale (WBFPS), the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), the Fear of Medical Procedures Scale (FMPS), and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAI-CH). A four-block randomization system was used. The study group (n = 42) played digital games during the suturing procedure, unlike the control group (n = 42). Ethical permissions were obtained from the ethical committee, hospital, and families. Before the suturing procedure, there was no statistically significant difference between the groups' mean scores. The intervention group was found to have statistically significantly lower WBFPS and VAS pain scores than the control group during the suturing procedure, and after the procedure, statistically significantly lower WBFPS, VAS, FMPS, and STAI-CH mean scores than the control group. The digital game-playing approach applied before and during the suture procedure was found to be effective in reducing children's pain, fear, and anxiety levels.

Digital Malaysian Tradition Game: A Case Study of Baling Tin

Baling Tin is one of Malaysia’s popular traditional children’s games. However, as time passes, Baling Tin has practically almost vanished. Children nowadays are more interested on digital games. This study aims to preserve the traditional games by digitalising it in tandem with the current interest. The challenge in this study is to re-create the physical game play into a digital game play. The game application which was developed for primary and middle school childrenalso includes interactive 3-D objects, images, sounds, and suitable theme colours.Furthermore, the user can explore many other captivating pages, including Shop and Quest. Even though the game was designed for Malaysian community, it comes with dual language to enhance user preference. The functionality of the game mechanics was tested. The game fulfils game characteristics and imitate the traditional physical gaming.This application is believed to help younger generations become more familiar with one of Malaysia’s traditional games, Baling Tin, and preserve traditional games.

Advergames for children's health education and communication practices

PurposeAppropriate and deliberate use of drug prevention methods is the key to educating children about the dangers of addiction and the way of prevention. With the growing prevalence of digital games among youngsters, health education and communication among children can try adopting advergames on digital television instead of traditional media, which has also been supported by prior research. It is, therefore, this research attempts to apply digital games as a means of health promotion and carry drug prevention messages through digital gameplay. Based on behavioral models, this research investigated the communication design and effectiveness of advergames for children's health promotion.Design/methodology/approachTwo studies were conducted in this research. In Study 1, the research team investigated how public health message was assimilated into advergames, which affect the health behaviors of children, they are (1) Knowledge about Drug, (2) Attitude Toward Drug and (3) Perceived Severity toward Drug-abuse. In Study 2, this research investigated the effects of the advergames on children through a between-group experiment. A pre-test/post-test for the control group and experimental group with 180 primary school children in Hong Kong was conducted.FindingsThe finding showed the potential use of advergames in health communication among children. The result proved that the anti-drug advergame is a more successful intervention among the participating children in the experimental group than the control group. The result triggers further investigations in academic, professional and educational values for advergames design, health education and communication areas.Research limitations/implicationsBecause of the chosen small sampling locally in Hong Kong, the research results may lack generalizability for other countries or practices.Practical implicationsThe study evokes children's awareness of drug prevention, encourages their physical and emotional wellness, and finally advocates a healthy lifestyle for them, through the deployment of health game communication.Originality/valueDespite this research studied the use of advergames, instead of digital games in general, for health promotion and delivering drug prevention messages. The research design distinctively allowed the primary students to participate in the design of the advergames instead of being passive players and/or in the information delivery process. This approach is indeed a pioneer attempt in that limited practice has been found academically. The study expands academic and practical knowledge on health game communication.

Sustaining English Language Education with Digital Educational Games: A Systematic Review

Digital game-based learning progressively emerged due to its interdisciplinary nature for sustaining language education. Notwithstanding, presumptions regarding the pertinent nature of language education with admissible leisure learning activities arbitrate perceptions about digital gaming, allowing many educators to be sceptical about the impact of digital game play. Prior study has investigated numerous distinctive slants but is still scattered. The review of the impact of digital educational game in the English Language Learning (ELL) is comparatively meagre. In consequence, this systematic review was administered to ponder the emerging trend of digital games within the English language education in respect to cognition and affection domain. A total of 34 research articles from year 2018 to 2022 were identified over three databases, namely Google Scholar, ERIC along with SAGE Journals complying to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) mechanism. Overall, the findings of the review showed that the integration of digital educational game brings positive impacts in English language education in terms of cognition and affection outcomes. For future research, it is recommended that more attention should be put on scrutinizing the pedagogical and assessment issues associated with digital game-based in English education.

Predictors of Internet Addiction in Middle Adolescence

The research aims to determine how much Internet addiction, an important problem in middle adolescence, is explained by social and emotional loneliness and digital game-playing duration. For this purpose, 283 (108 females+175 males) middle-adolescent individuals participated in the study. “Personal Information Form,” “Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale (SELSA),” and “Internet Addiction Scale (IAS)” were used as data collection tools in the research. The data collected online were coded and transferred to the SPSS program, and descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and Regression techniques were used in statistical analysis. In the study, the level of significance was taken as p&lt;.05. According to the results of the analysis, there is a low, significant, and positive correlation between SELSA and IAS and a low, significant, and positive correlation between SELSA and digital game playing duration and a low, significant, and positive correlation was found between IAS and the duration of playing digital games. It was determined that the statistical analysis results did not show a significant difference in the gender variable of the IAS and SELSA scores. As a result of the regression analysis, it was seen that SELSA and digital game-playing duration significantly predicted addiction. SELSA and digital game-playing duration explain 9.6% of the total variance regarding Internet addiction. As a result, it can be said that individuals in middle adolescence experience social and emotional loneliness at a moderate level and are connected to the Internet at a low level.

Professional Gaming and Pro-Gamers: What Do We Know So Far? A Systematic Review

Professional gaming is organized competitive digital gameplay supported by advertisers and businesses. With its rising popularity and spectatorship, virtual gaming as a profession is now a reality. The aim of this paper is to evaluate peer-reviewed articles from the past two decades that empirically examine gaming as a profession or the myriad facets of being a professional gamer published in scholarly journals. The themes that emerge from the results of the included studies ( n = 32) are (a) the socio-cultural appeal of gaming as a profession, (b) socio-psychological elements of pro-gamers’ everyday lives, and (c) the health and physiology of pro-gamers. It is found that the literature on health and physiology ( n = 14) overshadows other dimensions of pro-gaming in academic research. In conclusion, studies must reflect on gamers’ legal status as working professionals, their organizational contracts, and the legality of the industry country by country to fill the research gap.