Chapter One to be added to dissertation
- 1. Chapter One – Introduction Overview Over 174 million digital gamers are in the United States and roughly three billion hours per week are dedicated to playing digital games worldwide (McGonigal, 2011)., According to a report from the Corporation for Public Broadcast (2003) children ages 13 to 17 are spending more time using digital media (three and one-half hours) than watching television (three and one-tenth hours), and children ages 8 to 18 are spend roughly 50 minutes a day playing video games. A Pew Research Center Publication (Lenhart, et al., 2008) survey discovered that 97% teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17 years of age play video games on either a computer console or a cell phone. This survey also indicated that nearly three-fourths of these teenagers play computer games or video games with someone else (Lenhart, et al., 2008). Gee (2007b) asserted that a key foundation of good digital games force players to work collaboratively. The Federation of American Scientists (2006) stated that due to the increasing popularity and benefits associated with electronic games, it stands to reason that digital media should be put to greater use in schools. The Federation of American Scientists suggests that adolescents themselves are already seeing the value of digital media to further their own learning, yet despite this popularity gaming is rarely used in schools. Over the past ___ years a plethora of research has indicated that when students are engaged in digital games in the classroom, the results can overcome the shortfalls that educational experts claim exist within the American education system (LIST AT LEAST 5 SOURCES SPANNING THE PAST 10 YEARS). According to Prensky (2001) and Schaffer (2006), the American education system is not producing the desired results as
- 2. evidenced by low tests scores, high drop-out rates, student boredom, and inadequate work force skills Additionally, leaders in the digital gaming industry theorized that the use of digital games will improve the United States' education system, and provide students with the necessary skills to be productive in the 21st century (Federation of American Scientists, 2005; Girard, 2007). Prensky (2006) argued that those who are playing digital games are the ones excelling in today's workforce. According to McGonigal (2011), gaming is more than just fun, it is a necessity. She stated that people are choosing to play digital games, because they are “fulfilling a genuine human need that the real world is currently unable to satisfy" (p. 4). According to Gee (2007), the reason that people enjoy playing digital games is because they are designed with the principles of human learning in mind. Gee explained that good digital games are designed much like the best instruction for a science course; one is forced to think strategically, problem solve, and to work collaboratively. The Summit on Educational Games, comprised of various game industry executives, technology researchers, educators, and the military, released a 2006 report entitled “Harnessing the Power of Video Games for Learning," where scientists and researchers reported that “people acquire new knowledge and complex skills from game play” (Federation of American Scientists, 2006, p.3). After much research and deliberation among themselves, the authors suggested that gaming could help address one of the nation’s most pressing needs which is strengthening our education system and preparing workers for jobs in the 21st century (Federation of American Scientists, 2006). The United States Department of Education is beginning to address these needs through The National
- 3. Educational Technology Plan which includes goals for using digital games to assess students’ cognitive skills (U.S. Department of Education, 2010, p. 15). Additionally, as schools continue to focus on standardized tests,, many educators fear that there is no time left for gaming (Gee, 2007, McGonigal, 2011; Schaffer, 2006). However, Schaffer (2006) reminds educators that when too much emphasis is placed on standardized testing and curricula, students will only be prepared for standardized jobs and not the soon-to-be sought after innovated occupations. In Prensky’s (2007) groundbreaking book, Digital Game-based Learning, originally published in 2001, commented that if visitors from 200 years ago were to arrive in modern America, they would be amazed and bewildered at the changes that have occurred, with the exception of one area - education. Therefore, to combat the problem of a stagnate education system educators need to capitalize on the advantages of using games in schools to engage and instruct students (RESEARCHER HERE). Needfor the Study Although there has been much research regarding students’ attitudes towards gaming and the gaps in the American education system to prepare students for future careers, there was a gap in the research when analyzing teachers’ and administrators’ perceptions of gaming in the curriculum. Specifically, according to Hwang and Wu’s (2012) review of publications, the majority of the research that has been conducted regarding digital gaming in education, focused on students’ motivation, perceptions, and attitudes about gaming in schools. One of the studies referenced by Hwang and Wu was conducted by Lenhart et al. (2008). Lenhart and colleagues opined that teenagers tend to view electronic games as a social event. Their research also found that 59% of teenagers
- 4. play electronic games in multiple ways; such as online, with someone else in the room, or alone and 68% of teenagers play electronic games with someone else in the room.. Additionally, Lenhart et al. (2008) indicated that nearly 60% of teenagers who play video games are also interested in civic participation and nearly half of these teenagers are informed about politics. In other studies that focused on the implementation of gaming in schools, the inadequacies in the American education system were exemplified. For example, in a study conducted by Lim (2008) suggested that students are not engaged with the wider world when in school, and they are also not intrinsically motivated while there either. Lim suggested that digital gaming during the school day can intrinsically motivate students and provide opportunities for students to engage with the global community and develop as good citizens. Lim’s study (2008) mirrored the findings of Schaffer’s (2006) study when he focused his research on the question, "Are schools preparing our children to be tech-savvy?" (p. x) His results indicated that American schools are not equipped to meet current technological demands. Therefore, children learn more about subjects like art and technology from their digital games, and produce their own videos, games, websites, etc. while playing digital games at home (p. x). Additionally, Schaffer acknowledged that students in U.S. schools have the ability to past traditional tests, but lack the capability of applying that information in real world This void in the American educational system was explored by The Federation of American Scientists (2006) in their published report on digital games. Their report focused on examples of incorporating modern technologies which actively engage students and provide students with necessary skills to the benefit of society. The
- 5. Federation of American Scientists (2006) purported that using digital games as a distinct learning application went beyond mastery of requisite skills. THEY SUGGESTED THAT WHEN STUDENTS USE GAMING IN THE CLASSROOM, THEY GAIN A RICHER DEPTH OF UNDERSTANDING FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS INCLUDING STUDENT ENGAGEMENT. Although there have been several studies conducted over the past decade on the usage of digital games and learning, there is a lack of information regarding educators’ perceptions of their role in the curriculum. According to Hwang and Wu (2012), between 2001 and 2010 there were 137 publications related to digital game-based learning. They had examined articles from seven major technological learning journals, like the British Journal of Educational Technology and Computers and Education. What Hwang and Wu discovered was that of the 137 articles in these major publications, only three were related to teachers and digital games. Hwang and Wu's research clearly suggested that there is not enough research on the topic of digital-games and the perceptions that building level educators have with the integration of games into the curriculum. This study evaluated (a) how elementary teachers perceived they utilize higher order thinking activities in a heterogeneous class; (b) how elementary teachers’ expectations for student learning impacted their implementation of higher order thinking activities in a heterogeneously grouped class; and (c) how elementary teachers perceived their implementation of higher order thinking skills affected student engagement. The goal of the researcher was to add to the body of literature regarding how teachers’ and administrators’ perceptions of digital games and their role in schools effect their implementation of them in the classroom. Participants in the study benefited from the
- 6. analysis of the results as they saw the impact educators’ perceptions had on the implementation of digital games in the classroom. Finally, all secondary teachers and building level administrators in the school district were able to use the surveys as a discussion framework during common planning time and to reflect individually on their perceptions of digital games in schools.