{"id":6518,"date":"2017-07-20T11:28:27","date_gmt":"2017-07-20T10:28:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/?p=6518"},"modified":"2017-07-20T12:08:07","modified_gmt":"2017-07-20T11:08:07","slug":"video-games-in-higher-education-using-video-games-to-develop-graduate-attributes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/2017\/07\/video-games-in-higher-education-using-video-games-to-develop-graduate-attributes\/","title":{"rendered":"Video games in higher education: using video games to develop graduate attributes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Despite a growing body of writing on the subject of game-based learning \u2013 Gee\u2019s What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy<\/a> remains the most commonly-cited text, and is an inspirational read \u2013 there persists a certain snobbery around the use of video games in higher education.<\/p>\n

Seymour Papert once suggested that the mating of education and entertainment had resulted in offspring that keep the bad features of both parents and lose the good ones, accurately describing the rise of \u2018edutainment\u2019 in the 1990s. More recently, however, we have seen a proliferation of educational games aimed at younger audiences, with public broadcasters such as the BBC and Channel 4 producing many excellent and innovative games for pre-school and school-age children. On the other hand, educational video games aimed at higher education audiences are much less common, possibly reflecting the more complex needs of the sector.<\/p>\n

In my article Video games can develop graduate skills in higher education student: a randomised trial<\/a>, the use of commercial video games \u2013 those titles which are created for entertainment, rather than educational, purposes \u2013 was explored, with a view to using the games to develop students\u2019 graduate attributes (Barrie, 2006). Using a randomised controlled design, three such attributes were examined: communication skill, adaptability and resourcefulness.<\/p>\n

Over eight weeks, the game-playing intervention group played specified games for an average of two hours per week. The control group did not play any of the specified games, and both groups were tested using previously-validated instruments for measuring the three attributes at the beginning and the end of the experiment. As it turned out, the average score change was significantly more positive in the game-playing invention group than the control group, on all three skill measures. A relatively small amount of exposure to selected video games \u2013 under lab conditions \u2013 resulted in gains in communication skill, adaptability and resourcefulness.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The selected games, which included titles such as Team Fortress 2<\/i>, Portal 2<\/i> and Borderlands 2<\/i>, were mostly multiplayer in nature, requiring students to communicate and collaborate in order to advance. However, a pair of single player titles \u2013 Papers, Please<\/i> and Gone Home<\/i> \u2013 were also included, which the students believed required them to exercise a range of other useful skills. In fact, student participants also suggested that the variety of games played was important, as being asked to play a different title every week or so also required adaptability on their part.<\/p>\n

The decision to use commercial games was based on a couple of factors. It is an economic reality that the budgets enjoyed by many commercial video games far exceed any funds available to developers of educational titles. This disparity can be all too evident in the quality of the art and other in-game assets, and in the scope and ambition of the game play. The games used here were high quality titles (one of the game selection criteria was a Metacritic<\/a> score greater than 80), fine-tuned and carefully polished to offer fun, engaging experiences. The educational benefits, while real, were incidental.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, the use of commercial games avoids raising students\u2019 suspicions that we are attempting to force \u2018chocolate covered broccoli\u2019 upon them \u2013 students can easily spot when an educational activity is masquerading as fun. Learning should be fun, of course, but there is something disingenuous about educational games that can sit uneasily with students.<\/p>\n

The work indicates that video games may have a role to play in higher education \u2013 in developing important employability skills, no less. At the very least, these results suggest that dismissive or negative attitudes to video games may be outdated and ill-informed. It is also notable that graduate attributes, typically assumed to develop over the course of a three or four-year degree, may be enhanced in just eight weeks.<\/p>\n

References<\/b><\/h3>\n

Barr, M. (2017) Video games can develop graduate skills in higher education students: A randomised trial. Computers & Education<\/i>. 113, 86\u201397. Available from: https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.compedu.2017.05.016<\/a><\/p>\n

Barrie, S.C. (2006) Understanding What We Mean by the Generic Attributes of Graduates. Higher Education<\/i>. 51 (2), 215\u2013241. Available from: doi:10.1007\/s10734-004-6384-7<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Gee, J.P. (2007) What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy<\/i>. 2nd edition. New York, Palgrave Macmillan.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Matthew Barr<\/p>\n

University of Glasgow<\/p>\n

Matthew.barr@glasgow.ac.uk\u00a0@hatii_matt <\/p> <\/strong><\/p>\n

If you enjoyed reading this article we invite you to join the Association for Learning Technology (ALT)<\/a> as an individual member, and to encourage your own organisation to join ALT as an organisational or sponsoring member<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Despite a growing body of writing on the subject of game-based learning \u2013 Gee\u2019s What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy remains the most commonly-cited text, and is an inspirational read \u2013 there persists a certain snobbery around the use of video games in higher education. Seymour Papert once suggested that […]","protected":false},"author":163,"featured_media":6520,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,99],"tags":[865],"class_list":["post-6518","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-case-studies","category-innovative-practice","tag-innovation"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2017\/07\/Students-playing-video-games.jpg?fit=929%2C697&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2247,"url":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/2013\/01\/sig-update-games-and-learning-special-interest-group\/","url_meta":{"origin":6518,"position":0},"title":"SIG Update: Games and Learning Special Interest Group","author":"ALT","date":"10 January 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"The ALT Special Interest Group in Games and Learning (GLSIG) was established in October 2010 as a community for anyone interested in the potential of games for learning, particularly in the context of Further and Higher Education. We are interested in the design, use and evaluation of games in practice,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Featured"","block_context":{"text":"Featured","link":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/category\/featured\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":6529,"url":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/2017\/07\/playful-learning-the-elearninged-conference-2017\/","url_meta":{"origin":6518,"position":1},"title":"Playful Learning: the eLearning@ed Conference 2017","author":"howardscott75","date":"18 July 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"eLearning@ed is a community of practice at the University of Edinburgh, which brings together learning technologists and academic colleagues through meet ups and events. This year's annual conference looked at Playful learning. Opening Keynote Prof Nicola Whitton (Manchester Metropolitan University), introduced playful learning (and her early love of the ZXSpectrum)\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Conference reviews"","block_context":{"text":"Conference reviews","link":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/category\/reviews\/conference-reviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2017\/07\/34.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2017\/07\/34.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2017\/07\/34.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2017\/07\/34.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2017\/07\/34.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10692,"url":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/2023\/02\/top-10-for-2022-research-in-learning-technology-journal\/","url_meta":{"origin":6518,"position":2},"title":"Top 10 for 2022: Research in Learning Technology Journal","author":"Fiona Jones","date":"6 February 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"After a successful year for the Research in Learning Technology Journal, here is a brief summary of the top ten most downloaded articles in 2022. Parental involvement, learning participation and online learning commitment of adolescent learners during the COVID-19 lockdown This is the most downloaded article from the journal website\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Journal"","block_context":{"text":"Journal","link":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/category\/journal\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Open access research since 1993","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2023\/02\/Screenshot-2019-07-03-at-14.31.03-1-e1675342744546.png?fit=744%2C562&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2023\/02\/Screenshot-2019-07-03-at-14.31.03-1-e1675342744546.png?fit=744%2C562&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2023\/02\/Screenshot-2019-07-03-at-14.31.03-1-e1675342744546.png?fit=744%2C562&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2023\/02\/Screenshot-2019-07-03-at-14.31.03-1-e1675342744546.png?fit=744%2C562&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9837,"url":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/2021\/11\/uk-copyright-education-training-resources\/","url_meta":{"origin":6518,"position":3},"title":"UK Copyright Education & Training resources","author":"ALT","date":"26 November 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Notes about this page This page contains links to a wide range of copyright and web based resources for various FE and HE audiences to refer to. It is kept up to date by Greg Walters (ALT CoOLSIG Comms Officer), who you can email if you would like to add\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Copyright and Online Learning SIG"","block_context":{"text":"Copyright and Online Learning SIG","link":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/category\/coolsig\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"cartoon of man juggling copyright sign","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2021\/12\/copyright-4064225_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C760&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2021\/12\/copyright-4064225_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C760&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2021\/12\/copyright-4064225_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C760&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2021\/12\/copyright-4064225_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C760&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2021\/12\/copyright-4064225_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C760&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6197,"url":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/2017\/03\/will-brexit-prompt-universities-to-sharpen-communication-of-higher-education-value\/","url_meta":{"origin":6518,"position":4},"title":"Will BREXIT prompt Universities to sharpen communication of Higher Education value?","author":"Stella Ekebuisi","date":"2 March 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"A survey by SIGNAL showed that 88% of UK universities believed that they would suffer financially as a result of Britain\u2019s decision to leave the EU. But in the same survey, 75% of respondents believed that proactive communications were the key to successfully positioning themselves in a post-BREXIT age. Rather\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "In my opinion"","block_context":{"text":"In my opinion","link":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/category\/in-my-opinion\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Will Brexit prompt universities to sharpen communication of HE value","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2017\/03\/brexit_HE1.jpg?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2017\/03\/brexit_HE1.jpg?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2017\/03\/brexit_HE1.jpg?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2017\/03\/brexit_HE1.jpg?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2017\/03\/brexit_HE1.jpg?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4087,"url":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/2014\/07\/open-and-online-but-not-a-mooc-gcu-games-on-an-alternative-model-for-online-engagement\/","url_meta":{"origin":6518,"position":5},"title":"Open and online but not a MOOC, GCU Games On \u2013 an alternative model for online engagement?","author":"ALT","date":"17 July 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Sheila MacNeill is a Senior Lecturer at Glasgow Caledonian University Glasgow Caledonian University have taken their first steps into the world of open online education this week with the launch of GCU Games On -\u00a0a three-week, open online event to celebrate the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. The event has been\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Featured"","block_context":{"text":"Featured","link":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/category\/featured\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6CxU9-1H8","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6518","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/163"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6518"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6518\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6536,"href":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6518\/revisions\/6536"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6520"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6518"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6518"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6518"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}