Teacher-Identified Barriers to and Supports for Digital Game-Based Learning in K–12 Classrooms

• In Event: Attending to the Political and Ethical Dimensions of Teacher Learning

Abstract

Children’s use of and relationship to digital media has become a key focus for educators, interested in using video games in K – 12 classrooms. Digital game-based learning (DGBL) seeks to harness digital games’ entertainment value towards educative goals. Yet while video games reportedly create playful and immersive environments and provide a higher level of engagement for students than traditional methods of instruction, research on incorporating digital games into K-12 curricula remains focussed more on drill-and-practice, trivia, and puzzle games than on the practice of teachers who embrace the challenges of implementation. This paper recounts the experiences of 34 teachers who implemented a game as part of a geography unit, providing insight into the on-the-ground barriers and constraints educators face.

Authors

• Jennifer Jenson, The University of British Columbia

• Cristyne Hebert, University of Regina