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This study examined the relationship between physical activity, digital game addiction, and academic success among university students. Participants were university 704 students from Turkiye who did physical activity and played digital games. The sample group consisted of 704 university students (342 women and 362 men), selected through random sampling. Data were collected using demographic information forms, a digital game addiction scale, and an international short-form questionnaire about physical activity. The data were analyzed using Pearson correlation, t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and post-hoc tests. The findings revealed a significant negative relationship between academic success and both physical activity and digital game addiction. Men exhibited higher levels of digital game addiction compared to women, but there was no significant gender difference in physical activity levels. Students who were categorized as academically successful had lower levels of both digital game addiction and physical activity.

Educational games, prevalent in contemporary settings, leverage game-based learning (GBL) to actively engage and enhance learners' knowledge and skill acquisition through captivating in-game learning activities. To assess the effectiveness of GBL, game-based assessment (GBA) has emerged. GBA employs gameplay for learners to attain educational objectives while capturing data for analyzing their in-game competencies. The integration of gameplay in assessments has garnered increasing attention to GBA. This review of 21 studies provides an overview of the application of GBA in the field of education, covering aspects of the publication nature, theoretical frameworks, game types, in-game assessment details, and the assessed subjects and knowledge. Key findings include: (1) the annual number of publications fluctuates; a majority of studies originate from the USA; (2) the supporting theory tends to be unitary, with the evidence-centered design model cited the most; (3) simulation, immersive, and video games with rich game elements are applied most as assessment tools, and in-game assessment details are associated with game features; and (4) GBA is predominantly used in physics education. These findings indicate that applying GBA in education is promising with solid theoretical support, and practitioners are suggested to design GBA according to their educational needs and game features.

As coastal populations grow, so does the exposure to natural hazards such as hurricanes and flooding, creating the potential for increased social and economic disasters. The literature indicates coastal residents remain complacent when planning before, during, and after an event. There is a growing successful use of serious games in natural resources planning, and a growth in the use of digital and electronic games. We developed the serious digital game Plan for It! in response to identified needs and to capitalize on the public's familiarity with gamification and digital gaming.

As video games have evolved, they have emerged as useful tools in areas such as education, tackling global issues through their storylines and mechanics. However, never in the history of video games, not even today, has there been parity in the proportion of women directly employed in the development of video games. This paper is part of a broader research project undertaken in the context of a doctoral thesis within the framework of the R+D+I project 'Building global citizenship with young people: researching transformative practices with participatory and inclusive methodologies'. It provides a historical perspective on video games and their place in culture and society, and attempts to outline a brief genealogy of the contributions of pioneering women in the video game industry. Recognising the work of women and addressing gender representation in video games is now a matter of great importance. Current trends in the video game industry reflect the impact of the pandemic on video game consumption habits, its expected continued growth in the future and its relationship with the development of virtual and augmented reality. Video games are therefore likely to remain an important part of culture and society in the future, with an ever-increasing role in education. It is therefore imperative to showcase the achievements of women in the video game industry, to highlight inequalities and to provide girls with genuine role models.

This quantitative-correlational study aimed to examine the relationship between online game addiction and mental well-being of high school students from Angeles City, in the Philippines, during the COVID-19 pandemic. To obtain data from the respondents, the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale--Short-Form and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) were utilised. After obtaining data from purposively selected 162 high-school students, it was observed that there was a positive and significant relationship between online game addiction and mental well-being. The study highlighted that individuals who are highly dependent on online games are more likely to experience higher levels of depression, anxiety and stress. Based on the findings, implications for theory and practice, particularly in learning and development, are presented, along with recommendations for schools, teachers, students, and future research directions.

The purpose of this research is to examine the relationship between primary school students' school happiness and digital game addictions. The study group of this research, which was designed in the relational survey model, consists of 204 fourth-grade primary school students studying in the Pendik district of Istanbul. In the research, the "School Happiness Scale for Primary School Children" developed by Ozdemir et al. (2021) and "The Digital Game Addiction Scale" which was developed by Lemmens, Valkenburg & Peter (2009) and adapted into Turkish by Yalçin-Irmak & Erdogan (2015), and later whose validity and reliability analyzes were made for primary school children by Oral and Arabacioglu (2019) were used. According to the research findings, it was found that the students' school happiness was at a moderate level and their digital game addiction was at a high level. Students' school happiness levels and digital game addiction levels do not show significant differences according to their genders. Similarly, the digital game addiction levels of students do not differ statistically according to the gender of their teachers, but the school happiness levels of students with female teachers are statistically significantly higher than those with male teachers. On the other hand, while the digital game addiction levels of the students do not differ significantly according to the school success of the students, the school happiness levels of the students with medium school success are significantly higher than the students with low or very high school success. According to another finding obtained from the research, there is a negative, low, and significant relationship between students' school happiness levels and digital game addiction levels. As a result of the regression analysis, it was seen that school happiness was a significant predictor of digital game addiction. School happiness explains 3% of digital game addiction.

This research sets out to examine digital games containing sexuality and sympathetic violence. The study group of the research consists of 5 digital games; 3 digital games with sexuality and 2 digital games with sympathetic violence. A checklist developed by the researcher is used as a data collection tool in the study. The research has been carried out with the document review method, which is one of the qualitative research methods, and the digital games that constitute the study group of the research have been analyzed with the content analysis technique. As a result of the research, it has been determined that the digital games involving sexuality include explicit body lines, touching (sexually), flirting, kissing (sexually), hugging (sexually), wrong attitude (Begrudge, get angry, cry, sorrow, ridicule), body care (like adult) not suitable for their age and wearing clothes that are not suitable for their age. Punching, shooting, killing-dying, grappling-fighting, destroying-breaking-smashing-damaging, chasing-scaring, crashing, locking -- imprisoning, hurt-pain have been determined in digital games containing sympathetic violence. Various recommendations have been presented in line with the results of the research. Being aware of the great danger in digital games and taking the necessary precautions will positively support children's development and guide families and educators.

This paper examines secondary school students' perceptions of moral values in the digital environments (MVDE) and digital literacy (DL). The study used a quantitative methodology and correlational survey design encompassing 250 participants. Results show that participants' perceptions of DL are mostly high, while their perceptions of MVDE are mostly intermediate. Gender is not a source of significant difference in terms of either DL or MVDE. While grade is not a variable affecting DL, lower grades have statistically significant higher values in terms of MVDE. Participants who use social media have significantly higher DL scores, while the difference in MVDE is not significant in terms of the same variable. Like gender, online gaming is not a source of significant difference in terms of both DL and MVDE. Daily online time is not related to a significant difference in DL; however, those who are online for more than 3 hours daily have a significantly lower MVDE than those who spend less time online. Finally, results show that MVDE and DL are positively correlated at a moderate level, and MVDE explains 19.6% of DL. To conclude, MVDE should be fostered amongst individuals as it would help them become "better" citizens in the digital world, much like moral values do in real life.

STEM education, which includes science, technology, engineering and mathematics, has been expanding for the past two decades. This study aimed to map new trends and the possibility of implementing digital game-based learning (DGBL) in STEM education. For this purpose, a systematic literature review was conducted. The resulting sample was further selected according to PRISMA guidelines, with screening and eligibility processes conducted based on the inclusion criteria defined concerning the research objective. This review consisted of twenty-eight studies. The findings revealed a growing interest in DGBL in STEM education from 2018 to 2023. Furthermore, most studies have focused on the K-12 education system and universities. According to the review, educational games for digital learning and simulation technology are the most promising tools used in research. The analysis is launched by studying the effects that influence the increase of student motivation in DGBL teaching STEM education. The findings support the conclusion that prior experience in gaming has a positive impact on increasing students' motivation to learn in DGBL STEM teaching. In addition, students' previous knowledge of a STEM subject increases engagement and motivation. Implementing educational computer games, therefore, showed a great interest in students in STEM education.

The study aimed to reveal the degree of special education teachers' employment of electronic educational games in teaching the disabled. It also showed statistical differences according to the variables of gender, academic qualification, and years of experience. To achieve the objectives of the study, the descriptive survey method was used. The study sample consisted of (96) male and female teachers, of whom (47) male and (47) female teachers were chosen in a stratified random manner from the Directorate of Education for Najran region in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the academic year 2022/2023. A questionnaire consisting of (30) items was used, distributed in three domains: planning, implementation, and evaluation. The results showed that the degree of special education teachers' employment of electronic educational games in teaching students with disabilities obtained a mean of (2.57), with a low degree. The results also showed that there are statistically significant differences in the responses of the study sample about the degree of special education teachers' employment of electronic educational games in teaching students with disabilities due to the variables of academic qualification in favor of postgraduate studies, and years of experience in favor of more than ten years. However, there was no statistically significant difference due to the gender variable. The study recommended that the Ministry of Education should pay attention to holding and organizing various specialized training programs to develop the capabilities of special education teachers to employ electronic educational games in teaching, especially in planning, implementation, and evaluation.

This study was done to find out what students thought about the variables of perceived control, perceived learning, perceived benefit, interest, motivation, affective components, attitude, behavioral components, and learning experience when using digital games in information and communication technologies courses. As a case study, the study was created. 30 students from the biochemistry department made up the study's research group. The tool for gathering data was a semi-structured interview form. Data analysis was done using the content analysis method. When the study's results were discussed, students claimed that playing digital games improved their perceptions of their level of control, interest in the subject, motivation, perceived value of the course, learning experiences, and learning facilitation. Students also mentioned that they felt a variety of positive emotions while using digital games, that they wanted to play them constantly and willingly, and that their attitudes had improved. To increase and enhance students' interest in the course, motivation, positive attitudes and emotions, desire, and learning experiences, digital games can be used in technology-focused courses.

The pandemic has affected many aspects of our lives including education and that has caused the Government to provide alternative teaching methods and make recommendations for online learning. Since smartphones and laptops using the internet are the only tools for learning, students are increasingly playing online games and being exposed to English vocabulary. This research aimed at identifying and analyzing whether students' participation in online games and vocabulary mastery simultaneously correlate with their learning motivation. This research is a quantitative research with a correlation design. The research was conducted at SMPN I Koba, Central Bangka, Bangka Belitung, with 93 students as respondents. The data collection technique used a questionnaire with a Likert scale on the online games questionnaire and learning motivation and the Guttman scale on the vocabulary mastery questionnaire. The prerequisite test uses the normality test, homogeneity test, and linearity test. Analysis using correlation analysis of r-Product moment and multiple regression analysis. The research results have shown that there is a correlation between students' participation in online games and vocabulary mastery simultaneously with learning motivation.

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of gender, the number of siblings, and grade level on digital game playing motivation and addiction levels in secondary school students and to reveal the relationship between digital game motivation and addiction. A total of 394 students, 168 boys and 226 girls, participated in the study voluntarily. Personal Information Form, Digital Game Playing Motivation Scale, and Digital Play Addiction Scale for Children were used as data collection tools. Digital game playing situation (yes/no) was associated with gender and number of siblings (p<0.05) but not with grade level (p>0.05). The motivation and addiction levels for playing digital games are related to gender and grade level (p<0.05) but not to the number of siblings (p>0.05). There is a positive relationship between motivation and addiction to playing digital games (p<0.05). In light of these findings, more effort should be made to prevent digital addiction in males according to gender and in 8th graders according to grade level.

With the advent of online gaming becoming such an inherent part of popular culture, the issue of toxicity, particularly in online competitive games, has never been more relevant. In the /all chat, however, where communication between players of opposing teams is expected to be hostile, there have been debates in community forums about whether that type of communication constitutes as toxicity or another form of aggressive discourse, trash-talking. Because both concepts have never been reconciled together in past studies, this study attempts to develop a preliminary framework using categories and definitions from prior studies of each discourse, for the purpose of analyzing instances of toxicity and trash-talking in the /all chat. Thus, a total of 26 /all chat logs from the Southeast Asian server of the online competitive game "Dota 2" were procured. Using content analysis, the /all chat logs were then coded for toxic and trash-talking instances to determine how they are manifested among players in the /all chat with key reference to context. It was found that toxic instances occurred rarely in the /all chat and were mostly derived from in-fighting between players of the same team. Trash-talking particularly dominated the /all chat and though the talk appears unpleasant, it is representative of an aggressive discourse with competitive stakes. Finally, new types and categories were also found and documented for each discourse, further contributing to the existing literature of both toxicity and trash-talking.

Students' attitudes towards Digital Game-Based Learning (DGBL) in developing countries such as Indonesia are rarely investigated despite the fact that digital games are being used in secondary education increasingly. This research aims to explore students' attitudes towards DGBL in chemistry. We used a quantitative study method using a self-reported survey questionnaire. The study included 480 high school students (203 males and 277 females) from various public and private high schools in Indonesia. The present study employed a cross-sectional survey design to collect data in July and August 2023. The DGBL attitude scale was adapted to evaluate students' attitudes. The questionnaire comprised 22 items assessing students' attitudes towards digital game-based learning. The data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics as well as t-tests and a one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). As a result, students expressed a slightly positive attitude towards digital games in chemistry learning particularly for learning opportunities. The results also showed that there was a significant gap in students' attitudes with regard to gender and the daily duration of smartphone use. However, there was no significant gap regarding students' attitudes towards digital game-based learning. The findings provide valuable insights for game designers and teachers to design and implement educational games that meet student needs and expectations in order to improve learning outcomes. The results are also useful for educators and educational researchers on how demographic factors influence students' DGBL attitudes in chemistry education in developing countries such as Indonesia.

The presence of communication within the family can be considered as a protective factor in preventing the development of mental health problems in school by acting as a buffer against mental health problems in adolescents. Thus, this study, which was designed to reveal the potential mechanisms between family communication and bi-dimensional student mental health (psychological well-being/distress) in Turkish adolescents, examined the serial mediator role of digital game addiction and school belongingness. The study sample consists of a total of 397 volunteering Turkish adolescents, including 206 girls (51.9%) and 191 boys (48.1%). The participants' ages range from 14 to 17 (M = 14.63 years, SD = 0.60). In this study, a cross-sectional and explanatory design based on structural equation modeling was used. The main findings of the study are as follows: (1) digital game addiction mediated the relationship between family communication and psychological well-being/distress, (2) school belongingness mediated the relationship between family communication and psychological well-being/distress, and (3) the relationship between family communication and psychological well-being/distress was serially mediated by both digital game addiction and school belongingness.

This study aims to determine whether parents' media mediation roles are related to their early childhood children's digital game addiction tendencies. In addition, it examines whether these variables are related to the child's and parent's digital device usage habits and whether they differ according to various sociodemographic variables and digital device usage habits. In this context, we collected data from 433 parents (mother = 336, father = 97) with children aged 3-6. We analyzed the data using correlation analysis, one-way ANOVA, and t-test. Active-supportive, restrictive-supportive, active-limiting, restrictive-limiting, and active-interpreter roles of parents were negatively related to children's digital game addiction tendencies. In addition, parents' and children's digital device screen time was negatively associated with parents' media mediation roles and positively with children's digital game addiction tendencies. Mothers found their children more likely to have digital game addiction than fathers. Children of parents who play digital games have higher digital game addiction than those of parents who do not play, male children than female, children who have their own digital devices than those who do not, and children who only watch YouTube videos than those who only watch television channels for kids. Finally, we observed that mothers are more active in media mediation roles than fathers and that parents behave more restrictive toward their daughters.

The goal of the current study was to examine the perceptions of elementary school principals regarding the value of integrating digital games in teaching and learning and the steps they take to promote this initiative. The study was conducted using a qualitative-narrative methodology to analyze data retrieved through semi-structured in-depth interviews conducted with 18 school principals. The findings demonstrated that the school principals had a positive attitude toward the integration of digital games in teaching although they are not experts in this field. They described several steps they take to promote digital games integration in teaching: (1) systemwide strategic steps, which include formulating a vision and mission; promoting teachers' professional development; and resource allocation; (2) individual-initiatives, which include modeling; empowering teachers; and creating a leadership group among the teachers. These steps are perceived as creating "islands of innovation," which are meant to infiltrate into the organizational culture of the school, so as to become integral and sustainable practices. These findings may help create new official policies for integrating digital games at school, thus instilling a change in the school culture. The study underscores the important role of school principals as agents of change in this context.

This article reports on findings from a social design-based study conducted with an intergenerational group of youth, educators and researchers participating in the Learning to Transform (LiTT) Gaming Lab. We advance the notion of AlgoRitmo Literacies, to highlight the ingenuity of youth and educators as they used a tool called Character AI to author lore emerging within a virtual city called LiTT City. We conceptualize AlgoRitmo--a play on the word algorithm--as part inquiry and reflection (the algo or "something" of AI tools), and part action and future-oriented (ritmo as in movement). Inspired by cosmogonies influenced by Coyolxauhqui, the fragmented Aztec moon goddess, this paper illustrates how young people reconfigure AI artifacts, reshape relationships with AI-governed non-playable characters, and repurpose AI tools to envision alternative futures and identities. In identifying AlgoRitmo Literacies, we provide examples of how ChicanX communities subvert ideologies embedded in AI through creative and ingenious interventions in video games and the construction of cyborg Chicanx subjectivities. This paper offers implications for how educators across content areas can leverage gaming, and AI tools, toward consequential literacy development.

This study aimed to investigate the perceived affordances of incorporating esports into higher education using an ecological systems approach that examined the multiple factors shaping behaviours at the individual, interpersonal, and organisational levels. A total of 40 participants, comprising 32 students and 8 teachers, were invited to take part in semi-structured interviews. The data gathered from the interviews underwent qualitative analysis through the employment of thematic analysis methods. The results suggested that esports were perceived as having the potential to promote students' skills development and foster an interactive learning culture. The study also identified constraints on esports integration at various levels, including student differences (i.e. in gaming interest, skills, attention, and physical capacity) and teachers' insufficient knowledge (i.e. of esports and related pedagogy and content) at the individual level; concerns about the negative impacts of esports at the interpersonal level; and a lack of effective execution of university leadership at the organisational level. The results of this study offer valuable insights for education leaders into how to effectively exercise leadership in the context of esports. Specifically, the findings underscore the importance of developing professional development programmes for teachers to enhance their knowledge of the use of esports and related pedagogy and teaching content to improve the implementation of esports-based instruction.

Familiarity with technology has become a requirement for independent living, however there is limited information on technology access and use for people with Down syndrome (DS). The aim of this study is to describe technology, gaming, and social-media use in people with DS. Parents/caregivers (N = 220) of individuals with DS aged 5-35 years (49% female) completed an online questionnaire. They felt that technology and social media use, and to a lesser extent gaming, played an important role in their son/daughter's life. However, many had concerns about their son/daughter's safety online, and identified challenges they faced with using technology, such as using a mouse and speech recognition. We also found substantial parental interest in learning more about technology-use in DS, particularly the impact of using social media. This paper summarises important details about technology-use in people with DS, providing foundational information for the design of effective technology-based activities and support.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the perspectives of English as a Foreign Language Special Education teachers (EFLSE) regarding game-based learning approaches for addressing behavioral disorders in ADHD patients. Method: The study involved a sample (n = 131) of EFLSE teachers who completed a questionnaire to determine how feasible, acceptable, and helpful they found game-based learning. Results: The study revealed that EFLSE teachers perceive game-based learning to be a feasible and acceptable method for engaging ADHD students and helping to maintain their attention during game-based learning activities. Nevertheless, implementation and individualized approaches are cited as challenges. Additionally, EFLSE teachers emphasized the benefits of game-based learning, including improved problem solving, assessment methods, collaboration, and the acquisition of academic skills. Conclusions: The study contributes insights for educators, policymakers, and researchers that can support the development of evidence-based interventions offering game-based learning for students with ADHD.

The need for well-designed learning experiences about modern, anthropogenic climate change is great. In light of this need, many scholars have looked towards museums, arguing that as trusted institutions of informal learning, museums are uniquely positioned to support public engagement with contentious, impactful issues like climate change. However, while several museum exhibits have emerged over recent years, empirical research on museum-based learning experiences remains quite limited. We take a step towards advancing understanding of museum-based climate change learning through an empirical investigation at a natural history museum in the US. This study examines learners' collaborative discourse within one exhibit about climate change, a multiplayer video game called Utah Climate Challenge (UCC). Investigating moments of failure and struggle, we analyze learners' forms of collaboration through moment-to-moment discourse analysis. Findings demonstrate the importance of scaffolding multiple types of collaboration, as well as the potential for a collaborative, museum-based videogame to support learning of important science concepts relevant to climate change.

Objective: This study examined the relationships between ADHD symptomatology, the motivations for physical activity (PA) according to self-determination theory, and the acceptability of three PA promotion technologies (active video game, mobile application, and telehealth) according to the dimensions of the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology-2 (UTAUT2). Method: A total of 312 women, aged 30.7 ± 7.1 years, followed for obesity with an average body mass index of 34.5 ± 7.8 kg/m[superscript 2], were included in this sub-analysis. Results: Fifty-seven individuals (18.3%) were identified with positive screening symptoms of ADHD. No differences emerged regarding acceptability of technology-based PA. However, individuals with positive screening for ADHD tended to have higher scores for acceptability of active video game on the UTAUT2 dimensions of effort expectancy and hedonic motivation. Conclusion: This study suggests that active video game may be more appropriate than other technologies for individuals with obesity and ADHD symptoms

Background: Mindfulness practices enhance executive function skills and academic achievement, spurring interest in integrating mindfulness interventions into education. Embedding mindfulness practice into a digital math game may provide a low-cost, scalable way to induce mindfulness and boost game-based learning, yet this approach remains unexplored. Objectives: We investigated the learning benefits of integrating mindfulness exercises in a digital math learning game and examined how students' trait mindfulness might moderate the outcomes. Methods: Two classroom studies were conducted with 404 5th and 6th grade students from six public schools in the U.S. (n[subscript Study 1] = 227, n[subscript Study 2] = 177). The two randomized controlled experiments assigned students to one of the three conditions: passive control (playing the digital learning game "Decimal Point"), story-enriched active control, or mindfulness-enriched condition. Trait mindfulness, learning gains, and in-game problem-solving (including problem-solving duration, error count and correctness after reminder) were assessed. Study 2 included a manipulation check to better understand the effects of the mindfulness intervention. Results: Findings showed no significant differences in learning gains, problem-solving duration or error count among the conditions. Students' trait mindfulness did not moderate these outcomes. Mindfulness reminders in the mindfulness-enriched game led to more correct answers after errors than jokes in the story-enriched game. Study 2 revealed that we failed to induce higher state mindfulness through the mindfulness inductions. Conclusions: Mindfulness prompts could be especially beneficial for students experiencing frustration during gameplay, warranting more exploration for digital game-based instruction. We highlight barriers and future directions for fostering mindfulness through computer-based instruction in classrooms.

This research focuses on "BioScientist," a digital game-based, inquiry-based learning program embedded in the biology curriculum that develops inquiry skills in 8th-grade students. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate a combination of elements of digital game-based learning (DGBL) with inquiry-based learning (IBL) through "BioScientist" and to report on its implementation. We examined whether inquiry skills and biology learning motivation change due to "BioScientist." A total of 257 eighth graders participated in the research (N[subscript exp.] = 132, N[subscript control] = 125). Students in the experimental group used "BioScientist" at home and in the classroom. The teachers in the control group did not change their teaching practices. Students' inquiry skills were measured using the Inquiry Skills Test, and their biology learning motivation was measured using the Biology Motivation Questionnaire II. The experimental group and teachers were asked to evaluate "BioScientist." The results indicated "BioScientist" digital game is suitable for developing inquiry skills, with the effect size being close to medium (Cohen's d = 0.46). However, biology learning motivation was not developed. Student feedback on the "BioScientist" game and its use for learning is favourable. Based on the teachers' responses, "BioScientist" can be used well in teaching biology. This research provides evidence that combining elements of digital game-based and inquiry-based learning is effective in developing inquiry skills. The game can be effectively integrated into the teaching practice, in line with the content of the biology curriculum. [Correct pagination for this article is 462-478, not 1-17.]

The present research analyses the impact that the time spent on the Internet by primary school (3rd and 6th grade) students may have on their academic progression in terms of test scores. In order to go beyond a correlational analysis, we have applied a time fixed-effects estimation using a recent longitudinal database of 15,974 students from the Spanish region of the Canary Islands. Our results show that, in general, an increasingly frequent use of the Internet has a negative influence on students' academic achievement progression, with higher use of instant messaging applications being particularly linked to girls' poorer mathematics academic performance progression. This negative influence may be a consequence of replacing time to academic activities (e.g., reading books or homework) with time using the Internet, which can also ultimately lead students to adopt unhealthy study habits that can affect their future academic success. Furthermore, we find that there is not a negative impact of playing videogames on the mathematics competence, as the development of spatial-visual (digital) skills possibly counterbalances the negative influence of time substitution between academically oriented tasks and the Internet.

This study investigated pedagogical agent (with/without) and feedback (explanatory/confirmatory) types on achievement, flow experience, and cognitive load in a digital game-based learning environment. We developed a game about spreadsheets and prepared four versions of the game in the context of pedagogical agent and feedback types. Through the mixed-methods sequential exploratory design, we applied game versions in four experimental groups (154 undergraduate students) within a two-week spreadsheet subject. We collected quantitative (achievement test, flow experience scale, cognitive load scale, elapsed time, skill, and challenge-level questions) and qualitative (semi-structured interview technique and open-ended interview form) data. According to the results, the achievement scores of all participants increased regardless of the pedagogical agent and feedback type. There was no significant difference in cognitive load, flow experience, skill level, or challenge level according to the pedagogical agent and feedback types. Confirmatory feedback groups spent more time than explanatory feedback groups. The dependent variables had significant relationships. Students expressed that game-based learning promoted improvements in the learning process.

This study examines the embodied ways in which learners monitor their cognition while learning about exponential functions in an immersive virtual reality (VR) based game, "Pandemic" by Prisms of Reality. Traditionally, metacognitive monitoring has been assessed through behavioural traces and verbalised instances. When learning in VR, learners are fully immersed in the learning environment, actively manipulating it based on affordances designed to support learning, offering insights into the relationship between physical interaction and metacognition. The study collected multimodal data from 15 participants, including think-aloud audio, bird's-eye view video recordings and physiological data. Metacognitive monitoring was analysed through qualitative coding of the think-aloud protocol, while movement was measured via optical flow analysis and cognitive load was assessed through heart rate variability analysis. The results revealed embodied metacognition by aligning the data to identify learners' physical states alongside their verbalised metacognition. The findings demonstrated a temporal interplay among cognitive load, metacognitive monitoring, and motion during VR-based learning. Specifically, cognitive load, indicated by the low- and high-frequency heart rate variability index, predicted instances of metacognitive monitoring, and monitoring predicted learners' motion while interacting with the VR environment. This study further provides future directions in understanding self-regulated learning processes during VR learning by utilizing multimodal data to inform real-time adaptive personalised support within these environments.

Today, due to the increasing interest in hybrid education environments and technology integration into the course, mobile devices have started to be used in face-to-face classroom lessons. In addition to the many advantages of using mobile devices in the classroom, it also leads to some undesirable situations. One is related to developing students' habits of playing digital games during the lesson. This research aimed to determine the relationship between students' digital game addiction and selfishness, one of the individual differences, on their academic motivation and classroom engagement. Participants were 860 high school students in grades 9 to 12. The research used a correlational design. The result of a path analysis revealed that selfishness was related to digital game addiction; as the level of selfishness of the students' increased, the probability of digital game addiction also increased. Also, digital game addiction was associated with academic motivation and was not related to classroom engagement, such that, as academic motivation levels of the students increased, the classroom engagement levels also increased. Recommendations for what can be done to increase the students' academic motivation and classroom engagement are discussed.

This systematic review evaluated interventions and relevant outcomes for health promotion and obesity prevention among children and adolescents with developmental disabilities (DD). Twenty-one studies including randomized control trials (n= 9) and quasi-experimental studies (n=12) published between 2010 and 2021 met inclusion criteria related to participant characteristics, intervention type, and child obesity-related outcomes. Five types of intervention programs were identified: aerobic and strength training, sport-based physical activity, aquatic exercise, active video gaming, and diet and lifestyle. Whereas analysis of intervention outcomes, efficacy, and study rigor showed mixed results and weak evidence of effective interventions, this review identified gaps in the literature, promising strategies for addressing obesity in children with DD, and implications for practice and future research.

Due to the distance education implemented with the COVID-19 pandemic, online synchronous education activities have started to be carried out using tools such as Zoom. In this process, students have experienced various problems and one of them is related to cyberloafing behaviors (CLB). The main purpose of this study was to examine the factors influencing CLB among Turkish adolescent students in online synchronous lessons. The research sample consisted of 570 university students. The data of the research were obtained with the scales (cyberloafing scale, Internet gaming disorder scale, smartphone addiction scale, beck depression scale, locus of control scale) that the students answered based on self-report. Structural Equation Modeling was used in the analysis of the data. Research findings show that students' depression states affect internet gaming disorder (IGD). It has been determined that IGD affects locus of control and smartphone addiction. Smartphone addiction affects students' CLB. One of the innovative aspects of our research is examining the structural relationships between IGD, smartphone addiction, and locus of control variables. This research is original research in which these variables were investigated within the scope of IGD. Another innovative aspect of the research is to examine the reasons for cyberloafing by students during synchronous lessons. It is thought that the present study will provide insights for educators and researchers in terms of revealing the causes of students' CLB in online synchronous courses, which are increasingly used in the context of both synchronous courses and hybrid courses after the Covid 19 pandemic, and discussing what can be done to overcome them.

Open-ended tasks can be decomposed into the three levels of Newell's Cognitive Band: the Unit-Task level, the Operation level, and the Deliberate-Act level. We analyzed the video game Co-op Space Fortress at these levels, reporting both the match of a cognitive model to subject behavior and the use of electroencephalogram (EEG) to track subject cognition. The Unit Task level in this game involves coordinating with a partner to kill a fortress. At this highest level of the Cognitive Band, there is a good match between subject behavior and the model. The EEG signals were also strong enough to track when Unit Tasks succeeded or failed. The intermediate Operation level in this task involves legs of flight to achieve a kill. The EEG signals associated with these operations are much weaker than the signals associated with the Unit Tasks. Still, it was possible to reconstruct subject play with much better than chance success. There were significant differences in the leg behavior of subjects and models. Model behavior did not provide a good basis for interpreting a subject's behavior at this level. At the lowest Deliberate-Act level, we observed overlapping key actions, which the model did not display. Such overlapping key actions also frustrated efforts to identify EEG signals of motor actions. We conclude that the Unit-task level is the appropriate level both for understanding open-ended tasks and for using EEG to track the performance of open-ended tasks.

This cross-sectional observational study sought to examine the environmental correlates of physical activity and screen-time among youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Parents of youth with ASD (n = 1,165) from seven countries/regions provided responses to an online survey form measuring environmental correlates (i.e., physical activity neighborhood environment, social network, social trust and cohesion, bedroom media, social home environment) and outcomes (i.e., physical activity, screen-time). Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to determine environmental predictors of the outcomes. Physical activity neighborhood environment (B = 0.15, p = 0.047), social network (B = 0.16, p = 0.02), and social home environment (B = 1.07, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with physical activity, whereas social trust and cohesion and bedroom media were not. Further, social trust and cohesion (B = -0.14, p = 0.001), bedroom media (B = 0.10, p = 0.001), and social home environment (B = -0.16, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with screen-time while neighborhood environment and social network were not. The identified environmental attributes of physical activity and screen-time behaviors should be targeted for health promotion among youth with ASD.

Inclusion of students with marginalization tendencies has been one of the demands in the field of education over the last decades, but it remains unrealized. At the same time, our daily lives appear to have changed rapidly because of extensive use of digital media. This fact may have both positive and negative consequences. So, we were inspired to investigate the relationship between teenagers who may be marginalized and the use of digital media, as well as the degree to which they promote or prevent inclusion, by the foregoing considerations. We chose mixed methodological approach as the most appropriate. Specifically, sequential exploratory strategy was used to collect the data, while grounded theory was used for their analysis. The quantitative part sample consists of 600 Secondary Education students. Accordingly, the sample of the qualitative part of the research was 138 Secondary Education students. The survey was conducted over a period of three months (from October 2019 to December 2019). By completing the research project, we concluded that the use of digital media and especially the engagement of adolescent students who show marginalizing tendencies with social media, digital games and distance education leads to their inclusion.

Scholars in teacher education have observed that the dichotomy between teachers' professional and personal identities could restrain their pursuits of adopting innovative approaches in the classroom. At the same time, adopting new pedagogical approaches often contests teachers' professional identities and confidence. In this paper, we examine a graduate course on game-based learning, designed for professionals such as teachers and practitioners. While video games and game-based learning have gained attention from researchers and practitioners, they may pose challenges for many teachers. We observed that this course could provide opportunities for participants to construct their narratives in relation to gaming and learning over time. They may also reinterpret and extend their cultural worlds as part of their teacher identity. We conclude that enabling teachers to confront tensions and risks of adopting unfamiliar practices could help them transform their self-narratives. This study could inform design considerations to support teachers' adopting innovative pedagogies in future research and practices on professional learning. It is also important to acknowledge that the study had limited participant diversity and representativeness. There is the need for further exploration of teachers with different backgrounds and experiences in order to better understand the challenges and opportunities of adopting innovative pedagogies.

Introduction: COVID-19 changed the traditional way of educating, confining students to their homes and favoring the excessive use of technology and entertainment such as video games. Precisely, the excessive consumption of the latter altered the behavior of adolescents and increased their levels of aggressiveness. The present study analyzed dependence on video games as a predictor of aggression in adolescents from Eastern Lima during confinement by COVID-19. Method: The study was non-experimental, with a predictive scope, quantitative approach, and cross-section. The sample consisted of 430 high school students from 11 to 17 years old who belonged to educational institutions in Eastern Lima, to whom the Test of Dependence of Videogames (TDV) and the Aggression Questionnaire were applied. Results: The results showed a significant correlation between the variables (r= 0.360**; p= 0.000), which showed that addiction to video games predicts aggressiveness by up to 13 % (R= 0.360; R[superscript 2] = 0.130). Discussion or Conclusion: There is a highly positive potentiation between the variables; therefore, the greater the dependence on video games, the greater the aggressiveness in adolescents. This is due to the high levels of violence in the most popular video games that trigger impulse control, especially in men, who have higher levels of dependence on video games than women.

Although digital game-based vocabulary learning (DGBVL) has received increasing attention in the past two decades, the impacts of DGBVL on the depth of word knowledge are still not well understood, especially in regard to productive vocabulary learning and DGBVL's long-term efficacy. This study leverages a quasiexperimental research design to investigate DGBVL's long-term effects on receptive vocabulary (RV) and productive vocabulary (PV). Forty-eight Chinese English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) university students, assigned to the experimental and control groups, were instructed by a DGBVL approach and PowerPoint (PPT) lecturing, respectively, over the course of 18 weeks. Specifically, a mixed 2×2 repeated measures experimental design was conducted by adopting instruction type (DGBVL and PPT lecturing) and testing time (pretest and posttest) as the independent variables, with RV and PV proficiency as the respective dependent variables. The results suggest that instruction type and teaching time have significant effects on participants' RV and PV learning achievements. However, teaching time's effect size outweighs instruction type. The findings are highly encouraging for the use of DGBVL in the EFL classroom, as it may serve as an effective and long-lasting pedagogical tool within this context.

This study examined a cohort of 12 study abroad participants taking a course on video game topography and narrative in Salamanca, Spain, to determine how inhabiting and co-creating narrative worlds as part of the coursework might impact the experiences of the students inside and outside of the classroom as they engaged in mandated and optional cultural engagement activities, such as museum tours and excursions to historical sites. Students completed two gameful learning activities: 1) they co-created their own narrative game world in a group game proposal assignment drawing upon research from storytelling through game environments, and 2) they created independent digital journals of their experiences through the perspective of a gaming avatar chosen at the beginning of the course. Results from pre- and post-self-report surveys indicate that the game proposal assignment allowed students to develop stronger connections with one another while conducting research that gave them additional context for their cultural surroundings. However, those same students criticized participation in pre-defined environments or activities within the photo journal assignment that they perceived to lack authenticity. Future iterations of similar course designs should establish the course content and context as a foundation before enabling students to co-author the course's game narrative. Assessment of learning outcomes beyond self-reports is also recommended.

We examined whether media use measured using time diaries is related to preschoolers' academic and social/behavioral skills. Children (N = 179) completed direct assessments of academic skills in the fall and spring, and teachers reported on social and behavioral skills. Parents/caregivers completed a 24-hr time diary in the spring, from which children's total media use, nighttime media use, educational media use, and joint media engagement were obtained. Results showed that children who had high levels of media use tended to have smaller social skill gains than children with low or moderate levels of media use. A similar effect was found for nighttime use on assertiveness. Overall, children who used more educational media tended to have larger gains in task orientation and assertiveness, whereas children who used more educational media specifically focusing on social-emotional content tended to have larger gains in task orientation and behavioral control. Children who used more entertainment media tended to have smaller gains in assertiveness, social skills, and task orientation, but these effects mostly emerged at high rather than moderate levels of use. Children who had more joint media engagement with peers tended to have smaller gains in vocabulary skills, whereas no such effect was seen for joint media engagement with adults. These findings suggest that there may be some important links between media use and children's social and behavioral skills, but that in general media use may not be overwhelmingly and uniformly harmful to young children's development.

Today, the use of technology not only affects social relations, but also affects the relations of family members who are part of the society. Technology can negatively affect especially adolescent parent relationships within the family. In this study, it was aimed to examine the roles of social media and digital game addictions, which are technology-based addiction types, in the conflicts in adolescent parent relationships. The sample of the study consists of 686 high school students studying at various high schools in Eskisehir. In the study, personal information form, adolescent-parent conflict scale, social media addiction scale for adolescents and game addiction scale for adolescents were used in order to obtain data. The predictive correlational research design, one of the relational models, was used in the study. According to the results of the study, it was found that both social media addiction and game addiction were positively and statistically significantly correlated with adolescent parent conflict. According to the results of the regression analysis, it was found that social media and game addictions significantly predicted adolescent parent conflict. The findings and results were discussed in the light of the relevant literature and suggestions for future studies were presented.

Television watching and video/computer playing are favorite leisure activities among children and adolescents. Individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have several special characteristics in relation to attention and impulsivity compared with non-ADHD individuals. This study investigates parental perceptions of electronic media use among children and adolescents with ADHD and a control group. A total of 54 participants with ADHD and 51 controls aged 7-15 years old took part in the study. A questionnaire was constructed to collect quantitative data from parents. ADHD children tend to spend more time per day on electronic devices compared to non-referred children. Age but not gender seemed to affect the frequency of children's media play. Inattention, anxiousness and disorganization are more common in the ADHD group in activities such as reading, doing homework, doing sports or playing with toys in comparison to media activities. Parents of both groups worry a lot about their child's habits of videogame playing. Finally, parents of ADHD children recognize some of the benefits of videogames in the areas of memory, attention and motivation but not in the academic area. In conclusion, the present study highlights important aspects of the topic of media use by children with ADHD as well as risk factors to take into account.

Video games, as the most frequent tools of computer technologies, have been integrated into classroom teaching through experimental studies. However, there is still much to investigate if and to what extent video game involvement (VGI) in informal settings can influence students' language learning motivation (LLM) in formal settings. Adopting a survey methodology with the participation of heavy and frequent video game players, this study examined 100 high school students' LLM, both instrumental and integrative, and their VGI. The relationship between LLM and VGI was also examined from various angles. Descriptive, inferential statistics and correlation tests were employed for data analysis. The results revealed that the students had moderate LLM, with stronger and statistically significant integrative motivation (z = -3407, p = 0.001). Despite being negative and weak, VGI in English correlated with LLM (rs = -0.355, p < 0.01), integrative motivation (rs = -0.347, p < 0.01), and instrumental motivation (rs = -0.339, p < 0.01). However, a very strong and statistically significant correlation was found between VGI in English and the time spent doing so (rs = 0.948, p < 0.01). A Mann-Whitney U test showed statistically significant difference in both LLM and integrative and instrumental motivation between VGI in Turkish and VGI in English (p < 0.05). The findings could highlight the significant role of integrative motivation on LLM. The close relationship between VGI in English and the time spent doing so, and also the statistically significant difference between VGI in Turkish and VGI in English, could suggest VGI as an opportunity for learners to interact more easily with English speakers and get to know them more and better.

Digital games can be used as educational tools for tackling structural inequalities and promoting social justice. Designing games with these purposes is a complex task that requires a myriad of combined expertise, including games' mechanics, software development, educational game design, pedagogy and knowledge of the educational topic (which can target specific social issues). Democratising the design of educational games is used to increase the agency and participation of diverse and novice groups throughout design processes and can be used to improve the efficiency of such games as it directly leads to the inclusion of broad voices, knowledge, experiences and perspectives. This research adopted a Design-Based Research methodology to create, evaluate and validate 13 design principles to democratise the design of educational games for social change. Three research phases were implemented in turn: a preliminary, prototyping and evaluation phase. The preliminary phase was based on creating these principles by grounding them on fundamentals of Critical Pedagogy, a theory of education which presents pedagogical techniques to accelerate learning, engagement and social change. The prototyping phase was based on conducting semi-structured interviews to assess and improve these principles with educational and game design experts. During the evaluation phase, these principles were applied and evaluated during two weekend-long game design events, called Game Jams. These were open to anyone interested in creating a digital game to raise awareness of gender inequalities, and 13 of the 23 participants (57%) had no previous experience in game design. This research presents theoretical and practical contributions related to how to democratise educational game design for social change. It evidenced the relevance of facilitating design principles that address "what" could be done to trigger learning in games; "why" this learning could be facilitated, from both pedagogical and gaming perspectives; and "how" to implement these principles into educational games.

This study aims to examine the effects of electronic games on students' academic achievement. The study was conducted on a sample of parents in the city of Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. A questionnaire was used for data collection, with a sample of 76 parents randomly chosen, comprising 64 females (84.2%) and 12 males (15.8%). The study findings revealed that most students who preferred adventure games used electronic games on weekends for entertainment. However, excessive usage of these games had a negative impact on their academic achievement. Games tend to consume students' time, which in turn, affects their achievement. Based on the study results, the researchers recommended raising awareness among families regarding the risks of electronic games for children and their effects on their academic achievement through workshops, lectures, and seminars. Further research studies should be conducted to highlight the effects of electronic games on students' academic achievement from the perspectives of students themselves and their teachers.

The study aimed to identify the reality of the employment of educational electronic games from the point of view of elementary school teachers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The researchers used the descriptive approach; a questionnaire was used to collect the data needed for the research after verifying its validity and reliability. The study population consisted of 649 elementary school teachers in Al-Khobar. The study results concluded that most teachers agreed on employing educational electronic games to a large extent. The results also revealed that female teachers face obstacles to the employment of educational electronic games to a moderate degree. In addition, there were statistically significant differences in the degree of employing educational electronic games in the educational process according to the experience variable for the least experience; however, it did not affect the obstacles to the employment of educational electronic games in the educational process. Besides, there were statistically significant differences in the degree of employing educational electronic games in the educational process according to the qualification variable and came in favor of masters; nevertheless, it did not affect the responses to the obstacles to employing educational electronic games in the educational process. Finally, no statistically significant differences existed in the degree of the employment of educational electronic games in the educational process and their obstacles attributed to the educational stage. In light of the study results, the researchers recommend holding training courses and workshops to educate elementary school teachers about activating educational electronic games in education. Also, female teachers should be encouraged to use educational electronic games, and the administrative work entrusted to them must be reduced. Besides, the school's infrastructure must be improved by providing quick internet services and adequate computers. Finally, students must be redistributed to the classrooms in proportion to the school's capabilities.

Transmedia storytelling has the potential to be an effective approach for non-formal education. Previous research has suggested that there may be a reciprocal relationship between transmedia storytelling and the characteristics of non-formal learners. However, there is limited literature on how to structure and design educational processes using this approach in nonformal settings, and even less literature that integrates the perspectives of stakeholders on the necessary components for instructional design. To address this gap, a qualitative analysis of multiformat focus groups was conducted to describe the necessary items to be considered when developing transmedia educational process (TEP) in non-formal educational proposals when these are designed to families, children, and/or adolescents. Based on the findings, seven important levels were identified for instructional designing of TEPs: level of intentions (1), level of facilitators' indications (2), level of participants' needs (3), level of narrative integrations (4), level of elaboration and production (5), level of means and technological/physical support (6), and level of sharing willingness (7). The study discusses the importance to consider multiple perspectives, including those of facilitators, children and adolescents, and parents, when designing TEPs. Additionally, it is important to use a variety of media platforms, formats, and channels to engage diverse and heterogeneous groups of participants in non-formal educational settings. Further research could focus on developing and validating tools and strategies to guide instructional design in these types of educational processes.

In this study, the mediating role of digital addiction in the relationship between academic motivation and life satisfaction was examined. The present study was quantitative in nature and correlational design was used. The data were collected through Google Forms. 191 university students selected by convenience sampling method participated in the study. Personal Information Form, Academic Motivation Scale, Digital Addiction Scale and Life Satisfaction Scale were used to collect data. Statistical analyses were carried out in two stages. First, the means, standard deviations, skewness and kurtosis coefficients of the variables and correlation coefficients between the variables were calculated. In the second stage, it was examined whether digital addiction plays a mediating role in the relationship between academic motivation and life satisfaction. The PROCESS macro model 4 was used to examine this role. In the analyses made to examine the mediation of digital addiction, 5000 resampling options were preferred with the bootstrap technique. The study has revealed that there is a positive direct and significant relationship between the intrinsic and extrinsic motivation subdimensions of academic motivation and life satisfaction, and a negative direct relationship between amotivation sub-dimension and life satisfaction. In addition, there is a negative direct relationship between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and digital addiction, and a positive direct relationship exists between amotivation and digital addiction. In addition to these results, the study also revealed that digital addiction negatively predicted life satisfaction. These results suggest that digital addiction has a partial mediation effect on the relationship between academic motivation and life satisfaction. Findings were discussed based on the literature and recommendations were made accordingly.

As in any professional field, aspiring video game artists, designers, and developers must acquire the necessary skills and knowledge for a successful career. Higher education institutions offer varying video game Bachelor's degree programs to meet the diverse needs of the industry. Our objective in this study was to explore these curricula to gain insight into and understanding of the contemporary video game higher education landscape. We explored 113 Bachelor's degree curricula in Europe that had publicly available information in English about their courses. We classified the courses within each curriculum using ten devised classifiers based on the IGDA Curriculum Framework 2008 but modified them to suit our interests. The content of the classified curricula was then used to create curriculum profiles -- data vectors that characterize a curriculum based on its contents. These profiles allowed for hierarchical clustering and principal component analysis (PCA) to identify and investigate the three common types of video game curricula: video game art, interdisciplinary video game design, and video game technology/programming. Our results indicate that art and programming curricula are highly specialized, with clear distinctions in yielding Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees. Curricula focused on interdisciplinary video game design do not have such clear distinctions in the degree titles and content specialization. They are more varied in their profiles and tend to bridge the gap between art and programming curricula, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of game design as a profession. Compared to results from previous studies, we found that contemporary curricula place a greater emphasis on graduation projects, internships, and soft skills. Our findings provide an overview of the current state of higher education in video games, which may prove helpful for those working with or interested in these curricula.