Select games for skills interventions by prioritising co-operative multiplayer modes¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · 2 claims (1 for, 1 against) · 2 studies (1 associational, 1 theoretical), q2 · 0 of 2 report an effect size · 2 claims rest on one study

Description¶

The author recommends that future work and implementations attend to game features, arguing that "a game features a co-operative multiplayer mode is probably a more important consideration than the nature of the game play involved", particularly where communication is involved. The study's own titles were carefully selected to ensure a focus on multiplayer co-operation, and future work should identify which specific game types or features are most effective.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Games must be selected with the target skills and multiplayer co-operation in mind

Constraints¶

• The specific game features most effective for raising scores were not isolated in this study; a multi-group design varying games would be needed

Target Learners¶

• higher education students

Target Learning Goals¶

• communication skill
• adaptability
• resourcefulness

Claims¶

• Playing games in a variety of modes (local and online multiplayer; cooperative and team-based) is associated with higher adaptability and communication scores [+W]
• Gamers' collaboration skills are specialized to the game environment and do not straightforwardly transfer to school learning [-W]

Related Strategies¶

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Matthew Barr. (2017). Video games can develop graduate skills in higher education students: A randomised trial. Computers & Education. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2017.05.016