Game Studies and Education Series

Welcome to Track 1: Game Studies!

Welcome to Track 1 of the #Metagame Book Club, which runs from November 1, 2014 to November 23, 2014! I am Sherry Jones, your facilitator and guide to current literature and trending topics in the academic field of Game Studies. During the summer '14 edition of the book club, we covered a variety of introductory reading materials that address the theme of "what games are." We explored such topics as the definitions of play and games, the famous narratology vs. ludology debate, the cultural and social implications of games, and the rhetoric of games (or how games express persuasive ideas). Essentially, we examined some fascinating theories about how games "speak." So, in this fall '14 edition of the book club, we will read articles that address the theme of "what games are saying to us," particularly about certain cultural consciousness, such as the representation of gender and race in games, the emergence of gaming communities and the gamergate controversy, and, if time permits, the expression of political ideologies in games. I will offer a variety of open access academic articles, videos, and even digital games to engage you on this reading journey.

What is Game Studies?

To entice you to join this reading track/adventure, I hereby offer you a brief and interesting definition of Game Studies:

The phrase, Game Studies, refers to the growing, interdisciplinary field of studying the meaning and implications of analog and digital games via various disciplinary lenses. Academic disciplines such as Computer Science, Literary Studies, Film Studies, Cultural Studies, Engineering, Political Science, Philosophy, History, Anthropology, Semiotics, Rhetoric Studies, Religious Studies, Physics, Psychology, Neuroscience, Media Studies, UX Design, Game Design, and more are developing theories and methods, and even sub-disciplines, that focus on understanding the game phenomenon, and on exploring the issues raised by the mass proliferation of analog and digital games on a global scale. The interdisciplinary nature of Game Studies promotes a collaborative and critical examination of games through traditional as well as modern methods, and allows for interdisciplinary scholarship on games to flourish.

Although the phrase, “Game Studies,” contains the word, “Game,” it is not equivalent to the discipline of Game Design nor Game Theory, each is its own unique discipline. Game Studies is also not an epistemic method that applies game thinking to education, such as Game-Based Learning or Gamification. Rather, Game Studies is a field term that encompasses all disciplines and methods that focus on understanding games as part of its greater field.

How Does the Field of Game Studies Relate to Teaching Practices?

If you are an educator, and you are considering using games as part of your teaching practices, you may find that the field of Game Studies offers a wealth of theories and methods for employing games to achieve various pedagogical goals. According to the Dutch historian and cultural theorist Johan Huizinga, the act of playing contributes to the formation of human cultures and expressions, such as speech, language, and myths, and games are the "possibility spaces" that allow for the act of playing to occur. We as educators can consider incorporating games in teaching as a way to create a learning culture that is conducive to innovation, one where students are afforded the freedom to play, explore, and create new ideas. Although the field of Game Studies does not just address educational concerns, it is a field where scholars from various disciplines contribute great theories about playing and gaming that can be applied to invigorate our own teaching practices. Games, analog or digital, can make your teaching and student learning fun, after all.