This interesting book discusses why, as an activity, topic and metaphor, play and game have become an integral part of modern life. Empirically exemplary and theoretically grounded, this book discusses the developments and expansions in gaming, from easily accessible casual games to the galaxy-spanning gaming worlds of Massively Multiplayer Online…

In the field of education, the quick progression of technologies poses both unprecedented challenges and unparalleled opportunities. As our classrooms undergo a large shift, traditional practices are being questioned, demanding a reevaluation of how we teach, learn, and prepare the leaders of tomorrow. The consensus is clear: for our students to…

In this excerpt from the author's new book, "Watch Me Play: Twitch and the Rise of Game Live Streaming," (Princeton University Press, 2018), she discusses some of the work game live streamers undertake to convert their private play into public entertainment. She details the layers involved in a typical broadcast and argues that this…

Background/Context: Sociocultural research on young people's literate practices with digital media has generally focused on literacy events and practices that are grounded in distinct online locations, such as affinity spaces, specific websites, particular videogames, or virtual worlds. Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study:…

Background: Research into digital practices and cultures repeatedly calls attention to the complexity of communication spaces and meaning-making practices. With the blurring of boundaries between online and offline, these entangled practices involve the interweaving of human, material, semiotic, and discursive practices. Purpose: This introductory…

Virtual reality, although it is in the real world, is a three-dimensional simulation model that brings users to a different environment with computer-generated graphics, video and audio, and enables communication with the media. Virtual reality is the imitation of the physical structure from a real world or an imaginary world in a…

The authors systematically searched the internet for information on African Digital Games (ADGs). They then applied a lens of serious games where they defined serious games created to have an impact on the target audience, which is beyond the pure entertainment aspect. They found a wide variety of ADGs and grouped them according to two broad main…

The informal setting of online multiplayer video games may offer safe spots for speakers of other languages learning English to practice their communication skills and reduce their anxiety about using a second language. In this study, the author examined the relationship between both these concerns and the time spent playing such games by basic…

eSports is a rising modality of sports entertainment in the United States and has growing implications for education. Providing competitive eSports teams in schools satisfies the growing desire to train and educate students on the skills emphasized in STEM and Career Technical Education (CTE) education, as well as in programs such as English and…

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder with different levels of severity. Although the exact causes of ASD is not yet known, nor is there a medical cure for ASD to date, special facilities and schools have been established to help individuals coping better and becoming more independent. With the advancement in Virtual Reality…

Background: Videogames and virtual worlds have frequently been studied as learning environments in isolation; that is, scholars have focused on understanding the features of games or virtual worlds as separate from or different than "real world" environments for learning. Although more recently, scholars have explored the teaching and…

This article addresses the need for changes in current views on adolescent development. It presents observations of adolescent behavior in the online game Dragon Nest that were conducted by specialists from the Crossroads Center for Social and Psychological Adaptation and Adolescent Development, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education,…

Students with special needs in mathematics lessons can be specifically supported through virtual reality (VR) if they are offered virtual learning environments that offer real benefits through their implementation in VR. In addition to learning by doing, the visualization of mathematical facts in 3D for the training of imagination can offer added…

This qualitative study utilized video games and virtual reality in an eighth-grade public middle school media literacy elective classroom in which the head researcher was also the official teacher for the students in the study. The nineteen students and their teacher used video games in small groups for five consecutive weeks. The teacher and…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to discuss the use of stereoscopic virtual technology in textile and fashion studies in particular to the area of chemical experiment. The development of a designed virtual platform, called Stereoscopic Chemical Laboratory (SCL), is introduced. Design/methodology/approach: To implement the suggested…