This qualitative research study explored levels of social presence in Second Life (virtual world) associated with phases of knowledge construction. The study explored images and data collected from users at two discussion-based activities. The findings revealed the three levels of social presence, according to the Interactional Process Model of…

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…

Courses: Communication Theory, Information Society, Digital Cultures. Objectives: Students will demonstrate an ability to use mobile technologies, understand gaming cultures, and explore how everyday gaming connects to mobile issues.

Let's Play (LP) is the term used to describe the videos of people providing commentary as they play video games that follow either live streaming or pre-edited format uploaded in online video sharing platforms. Previous studies on LP have shown its possible use in literary practice and pedagogical potential. This paper goes deeper into the…

For fans of popular cultural products, digitization has meant the configuration of affinity spaces online and opportunities for learning in the "digital wilds," including incidental language learning and identity development. Through online multiparty written interaction, we explored how 15 Catalan-speaking gamers organized themselves to…

The present study examined the direct and indirect effects (via moral disengagement) of violent video game playing on bullying/cyberbullying perpetration in early adolescents. The study included 479 middle school students aged 11-14 years (M = 13.06, SD = 0.76). Of the participants, 216 (45.1%) were girls and 263 (54.9%) were boys. The measures…

The process of massive multiplayer online gamers and their social environment is analyzed in this context. Video games offer a platform for players to develop essential social and emotional skills with online gamers, such as predicting behaviors, providing support, and building relationships. Gaming serves as a communication channel, and games…

Many universities shifted to Open Distance Learning (ODL) to ensure the continuity of teaching and learning when COVID-19 struck. One of the applications is 'Discord' which has become popular among gamers. Since many university students are gamers themselves, it is vital to investigate the use of Discord in the classroom. Therefore, this paper…

The observations in this paper follow online focus group research involving mothers who play video games as a leisure pursuit. The study utilised an online focus group method within a custom online forum which split the forum into small virtual rooms, replicating small face-to-face focus groups in an online environment. The primary objective of…

Purpose: The purpose of this conceptual paper is to describe how the affinity space concept has been used to frame learning via social media, and call for and discuss a refresh of the affinity space concept to accommodate changes in social media platforms and algorithms. Design/methodology/approach: Guided by a sociocultural perspective, this…

Playing video games engages children and youth and offers a potential for learning in general and situated language learning in particular. The aim of this paper is to explore the situated conditions and affordances for facilitating in-game interaction, as well as to discuss the language learning potential and educational implications of these…

It is a common belief that engagement and motivation are crucial factors in learning and especially in language learning. In particular, increasing motivation can lead to the mobilization of students' personal, cognitive, emotional and behavioral resources and, consequently to better learning results. As digital technology has become more…

This book illuminates the lived experience of a group of primary school children engaged in virtual world play during a year-long after-school club. Shaped by post-structuralist theory and New Literacy Studies, it outlines a playful, participatory and emergent methodological approach, referred to as 'rhizomic ethnography'. This 'hybrid' text uses…

T. L.Taylor is Professor of Comparative Media Studies at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and cofounder and Director of Research for AnyKey, an organization dedicated to supporting and developing fair and inclusive esports. She is a qualitative sociologist who has focused on internet and game studies for over two decades, and her…

Leisure activities shared by grandparents and grandchildren provide important benefits. The health and humanitarian crisis caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has made it necessary to use digital tools to alleviate the lack of contact between adults and children. This paper had as its aim to identify the digital leisure shared by…