Abstract
It has been argued that video games might be used to develop in students the desirable skills and competencies sometimes referred to as graduate attributes. However, in order to assess this claim, empirical research that examines the relationship between playing video games at university and the attainment of such attributes is required. In this chapter, a randomised controlled study is described, wherein undergraduate students were randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a control group. The intervention group played specified video games under controlled conditions over a period of one semester, while control group participants did not. Control and intervention group attribute attainment was tested at the beginning and the end of the study, allowing comparisons to be made between the development of communication skill, resourcefulness, and adaptability in both groups. For each of these graduate attribute measures, the data indicated a significant increase in mean scores for participants in the intervention group over those in the control group, suggesting that playing selected video games under specific circumstances can improve graduate skills.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsNotes
References
3909 LLC. (2013). Papers, Please. 3909 LLC.
All of Denmark Virtually Recreated. (2014, April 25). Retrieved June 17, 2019, from https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-27155859.
Barendregt, W. (2011). The Influence of the Level of Free-Choice Learning Activities on the Use of an Educational Computer Game. Computers & Education, 56(1), 80–90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2010.08.018.
Barr, M. (2016). Using Video Games to Develop Graduate Attributes: A Pilot Study. In The University of the West of Scotland (Ed.), Proceedings of the 10th European Conference on Games Based Learning (pp. 41–49). Paisley, Scotland, UK: Academic Conferences and Publishing Limited.
Blizzard Entertainment. (2002). Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos. Blizzard Entertainment.
Blizzard Entertainment. (2004). World of Warcraft. Blizzard Entertainment.
Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences (2nd ed.). New York; London: Psychology Press.
Crystal Dynamics. (2010). Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light. Square Enix.
Devlin, A. M., Lally, V., Canavan, B., & Magill, J. (2013). The Role of the “Inter-Life” Virtual World as a Creative Technology to Support Student Transition into Higher Education. Creative Education, 04(7), 191. https://doi.org/10.4236/ce.2013.47A2025.
Dring, C. (2010, July 20). EA’s Moore: Metacritic Mania a ‘Slippery Slope’? Develop Online. Retrieved 24 March 2016, from http://www.develop-online.net/news/ea-s-moore-metacritic-mania-a-slippery-slope/0107404.
Duran, R. L. (1983). Communicative Adaptability: A Measure of Social Communicative Competence. Communication Quarterly, 31(4), 320–326. https://doi.org/10.1080/01463378309369521.
Duran, R. L. (1992). Communicative Adaptability: A Review of Conceptualization and Measurement. Communication Quarterly, 40(3), 253–268. https://doi.org/10.1080/01463379209369840.
Egenfeldt-Nielsen, S., Smith, J. H., & Tosca, S. P. (2008). Understanding Video Games: The Essential Introduction (New ed.). New York: Routledge.
Gearbox Software. (2012). Borderlands 2. 2K Games.
Graft, K. (2011, March 9). Take-Two’s Zelnick Stresses Importance of Metacritic Scores. Accessed March 24, 2016, from http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/33092/TakeTwos_Zelnick_Stresses_Importance_Of_Metacritic_Scores.php.
Hess, T., & Gunter, G. (2013). Serious Game-Based and Nongame-Based Online Courses: Learning Experiences and Outcomes. British Journal of Educational Technology, 44(3), 372–385. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12024.
Hollis, S., & Campbell, F. (1999). What Is Meant by Intention to Treat Analysis? Survey of Published Randomised Controlled Trials. British Medical Journal, 319(7211), 670–674. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.319.7211.670.
id Software. (1996). Quake. GT Interactive.
Laybourn, P., Falchikov, N., Goldfinch, J., & Westwood, J. (2013). Evolution of Skills Development Initiatives. In S. Fallows & C. Steven (Eds.), Integrating Key Skills in Higher Education: Employability, Transferable Skills and Learning for Life. London: Routledge.
Mojang. (2011). Minecraft. Mojang.
Ployhart, Robert E., & Paul D. Bliese. (2006). Individual Adaptability (I-ADAPT) Theory: Conceptualizing the Antecedents, Consequences, and Measurement of Individual Differences in Adaptability. In Understanding Adaptability: A Prerequisite for Effective Performance Within Complex Environments (Vols. 1–0, Vol. 6, pp. 3–39). Bingley: Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
Remedios, R., Ritchie, K., & Lieberman, D. A. (2005). I Used to Like It But Now I Don’t: The Effect of the Transfer Test in Northern Ireland on Pupils’ Intrinsic Motivation. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 75(3), 435–452. https://doi.org/10.1348/000709904X24771.
Rosenberg, M. (1979). Conceiving the Self. New York: Basic Books.
Schwarzer, R., & Jerusalem, M. (1995). Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale. In M. Johnston, S. C. Wright, & J. Weinman (Eds.), Measures in Health Psychology: A User’s Portfolio. Causal and Control Beliefs (pp. 35–37). Windsor: NFER-NELSON.
The Fullbright Company. (2013). Gone Home. The Fullbright Company.
Valve Corporation. (2007). Team Fortress 2. Valve Corporation.
Valve Corporation. (2011). Portal 2. Valve Corporation.
Valve Corporation. (2013). Dota 2. Valve Corporation.
Zauszniewski, J. A., Lai, C.-Y., & Tithiphontumrong, S. (2006). Development and Testing of the Resourcefulness Scale for Older Adults. Journal of Nursing Measurement, 14(1), 57–68. https://doi.org/10.1891/jnum.14.1.57.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Barr, M. (2019). Playing Games at University. In: Graduate Skills and Game-Based Learning. Digital Education and Learning. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-27786-4_3
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-27786-4_3
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-27785-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-27786-4
eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)