Understanding Intergenerational Game Play Among Mexican American Families in the Context of an After-School Activity

• In Event: Latino Families, Digital Media, and Learning

Abstract

Objectives. Video gaming is a common media practice among all families, but Latinos are particularly likely to identify gaming as a primary form of entertainment (Saylor, 2012). Recent literature characterizes video games as “problem spaces” providing opportunities for development of higher-level thinking skills (Gee, 2003) and suggests intergenerational play around video games may afford new opportunities for family interaction and learning (Siyahhan, Barab, & Downton, 2010).

Theoretical Framework/Perspectives. We will present findings from a design-based research study that examined the potential of intergenerational play for building connections between home and school to support Latino children’s learning with media. In structuring intergenerational play activities, we were attentive to and built upon existing forms of interactions, avoiding imposition of White/non-Hispanic parenting behaviors or pushing parents to become “adjunct school teachers” (Vaala, 2013).

Methods/Data Sources. We carried out our research in two urban schools in the Southwest that served low-income Latino families and made integrating technology into their curriculum a priority. We ran two family gaming events with 28 families (children ranged in age from 11 to 14) who were predominantly Latino. These events, lasting 90 minutes to two hours, were designed to have pairs of parents and children play a game they chose from a collection provided by the researchers. Game play was open-ended; participants were given game challenges to complete if they desired. Primary data were video and audio recordings of parent-child game play; additional data were collected through pre/post session questionnaires about family gaming practices and reactions to the sessions. Several analytic methods were used, including conversation analysis (Ten Have, 1999) to assess scaffolding behaviors of parents during play.

Results. This paper focuses on three Mexican-American mother-child pairs (2 girls, 1 boy) who chose to play The Sims 3, a popular life simulation game. All pairs exhibited high engagement, generating considerable game-related talk. There were notable differences in how each pair managed their game play and the kinds of talk generated. Instances of collaborative problem solving were few; most decisions (i.e., about the design of a sim or house) were made by one person with advice or directives from the other (rather than negotiated decision-making). In exit surveys, mothers as well as children indicated they learned something about the other, enjoyed playing together, and learned how to communicate and work together. Additionally, parents found the events helpful in learning more about games and building their confidence to support their children at home.

Significance. This study illustrates that even minimally structured intergenerational play experiences in an afterschool context can lead to high engagement and opportunities for learning around media. Our findings provide a baseline for assessing the impact of different games and activity structures. Participants clearly felt the experience was valuable in enhancing their relationships with each other, suggesting the need for further exploration of the socio-emotional benefits of intergenerational gaming. Previous research indicates the importance of familismo - strong family ties - among Latinos (Fuller & Garcia, 2010); reinforcing such ties through gaming may be particularly appealing for these families.

Authors

• Sinem Siyahhan, California State University - San Marcos

• Elisabeth R. Gee, Arizona State University