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ERIC Number: EJ873510
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2008
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1741-8887
EISSN: N/A
Gameplay, Gender, and Socioeconomic Status in Two American High Schools
Andrews, Gillian
E-Learning, v5 n2 p199-213 2008
In a study of 195 high school students, differences by gender and socioeconomic status (SES) were found in their gaming habits and game literacy practices. Low-SES students generally preferred console video games, particularly those in the sports genre. They expressed frustration with the controls involved in long-form computer games such as those in the role-playing and first-personshooter genres. Girls overwhelmingly rejected being identified as gamers, though they actively engaged in playing casual games in isolation. Very few students in any demographic group were found to participate in the game literacy practices described by Steinkuehler, and high-SES males were most likely to engage in these practices. These findings suggest cautious further research when generalizing from recommendations of how to harness games for education, such as those presented by Gee. Also, it appears that more attention to sports-themed digital games is warranted, particularly for those interested in reaching low-SES populations, as both boys and girls at the low-SES school played these games. (Contains 5 tables, 1 figure and 7 notes.)
Symposium Journals. P.O. Box 204, Didcot, Oxford, OX11 9ZQ, UK. Tel: +44-1235-818-062; Fax: +44-1235-817-275; e-mail: subscriptions@symposium-journals.co.uk; Web site: http://www.wwwords.co.uk/elea
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: High Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Connecticut; New York
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A