Video Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education by Travis Patten A project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF EDUCATION IN CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY Ogden, Utah December 1, 2021 Approved ____________________________________ Shirley A. Dawson, Ph.D. ____________________________________ Melina Alexander, Ph.D. ____________________________________ Sean T. Cummings, MLTID Video Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 2 Table of Contents Table of Contents ......................................................................................................................................... 2 List of Figures ............................................................................................................................................... 3 NATURE OF THE PROBLEM ........................................................................................................................... 5 Literature Review ......................................................................................................................................... 6 Video Games Have Transferable Skills for Students in and Out of the Classroom ................................... 7 Video Gaming Use Has Grown in Society.................................................................................................. 8 Students with Disabilities Can Struggle to Learn .................................................................................... 11 PURPOSE .................................................................................................................................................... 14 METHODS ................................................................................................................................................... 15 Participants and Sample Size .................................................................................................................. 15 Procedures ............................................................................................................................................. 15 Instruments ............................................................................................................................................ 16 Data Analysis .......................................................................................................................................... 17 RESULTS ..................................................................................................................................................... 20 Findings .................................................................................................................................................. 29 DISCUSSION ................................................................................................................................................ 30 Limitations ............................................................................................................................................. 32 Future Research ..................................................................................................................................... 33 Summary .................................................................................................................................................... 34 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................................... 35 APPENDICES ............................................................................................................................................... 38 Appendix A ............................................................................................................................................. 39 Appendix B ............................................................................................................................................. 41 Video Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 3 List of Figures Figure 1 Students Perception of Becoming a Better Self-starter ................................................. 21 Figure 2 Students Perception of Becoming Better at Goal Setting .............................................. 22 Figure 3 Students Perception of Becoming a More Persistent Person ......................................... 23 Figure 4 Students Perception of Becoming a Better Problem Solver .......................................... 24 Figure 5 Other Skills Student Perceive They Gain ...................................................................... 25 Figure 6 Do These Skills Help You Make Friends? .................................................................... 26 Figure 7 Do Video Games Make you a Better Student? .............................................................. 27 Figure 8 Can These Skills be Applied to Real Life? .................................................................... 28 Figure 9 How Often do you Play Video Games? ......................................................................... 29 Video Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 4 Abstract Students with learning disabilities (SLD) have a greater need for skill development. Video game growth has provided new ways to learn academic and social development skills. Using a mixed methods approach, SLD from a rural high school in the western United States were given a self-reporting survey regarding improved academic and social skills from video game experience. Although students identified several skills, they can gain using video games such as persistence and problem solving. The study found that the correlation between time played, and perceived skills gained was not significant. Future study with a larger sample size is suggested to explore these perceived skills. Keywords. Students with learning disabilities, video games, perceived, skills, survey Video Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 5 NATURE OF THE PROBLEM The purpose of education is to help students obtain skills that will help them succeed both in and out of the classroom. Students with learning disabilities (SLD) have a greater need for academic and social skill development to help them succeed than do general education students. Students can learn skills that will help them succeed both in the classroom and out by playing video games. With traditional teaching techniques, students can get overwhelmed, shut down, and stop learning. By playing video games, students can learn skills to help them self-start, self-engage, and self-motivate. The skills learned by playing video games can be transferred to academic settings and to real life. (Rapeepisarn et al., 2006; Vaegs et al., 2010). SLD have the same struggles as general education students with the addition of a learning disability. They face unique challenges in classroom learning and social interactions (Schwab et al., 2015). SLD can take advantage of the virtual nature of video game social interactions to gain practice and gain confidence in their social skills. Learning social skills in this environment can also be beneficial to students and SLD who prefer virtual learning over face to face. Video Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 6 Literature Review Although not all classrooms and teaching methods are the same, the goal is for all students to learn the material presented. Students can progress to the next grade by building upon knowledge received from previous grades. Technology has changed the way students learn in school. Video games are a possible method of learning that can keep students’ focus while simultaneously acquiring skills that will help them succeed in the future. Students Need Skills Inside and Outside the Classroom From books and blackboards to laptops and smart boards learning has come a long way from its beginnings. Traditional classroom lectures have been utilized to teach students basic subjects such as reading, writing, and math. Although lectures are an efficient method for teaching many students a large amount of information. Advancements in technology has changed learning from lectures in a classroom to interactions with screens. Students today must also have technology skills to learn in classrooms (Larson & Miller, 2011). For example, it would be difficult to for a college student to complete an assignment without a laptop and knowing how to connect to the internet. Technological changes have taken place at a rapid pace and students find themselves unmotivated by traditional teaching styles (Roberson & Hagevik, 2008). Traditional teaching methods result in students who are less engaged, lack motivation, and struggle to learn. The effective lessons and attention getters that worked in the past may no longer have the same engagement effect. For some students it can be hard to self-start, achieve objectives, and progress toward goals (Voskoglou, 2020). There are skills that students learn that apply outside the classroom. Skills such as punctuality, resilience, and how to interact socially with peers in a positive way are examples of skills that are not always learned in the classroom but have application in and outside a Video Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 7 classroom setting. Other needed skills in school and real life include self-starting, goalsetting, persistence, and problem solving. Students who pursue a career will need these skills to both perform their work duties as well as interact with colleagues (Robles, 2012). Video games can be used to improve these life skills. Given their wide appeal, video games can be used to both provide learning and motivation for students. Many skills learned from playing video games can help a students learn skills needed in and out of the classroom. Video Games Have Transferable Skills for Students in and Out of the Classroom Video games were once only thought of as a source of entertainment, but they can be used to help students learn in ways that will excite and engage them (Rapeepisarn et al., 2006). However, most commercially available entertainment games are widely considered a waste of time because it is thought that they offer no benefit to student learning (Siyahhan & Gee, 2018). This is not the case. Video games are an unexpected bridge between teachers who want to engage their students and students who struggle learning. Because teenage students, particularly high school students, are so drawn to video games, they and their teachers have the most to gain from using video games as a learning tool. Video games can help students in their learning (Dickey, 2005; Griffiths, 2002; Tannahill et al., 2012). Many commercial off the shelf games provide both entertainment and education. Video games are designed to help students maintain enthusiasm and engagement throughout a lesson (Rapeepisarn et al., 2006). Commercially available games can help students learn skills, including problem solving, strategic planning, and goal setting. Entertainment games have been linked to increased student motivation and increased teacher variation in learning methodologies (Tannahill et al., 2012). Video games help maintain students’ interest and bypass self-starting struggles that come with learning in a school environment. Educators can use video games to Video Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 8 enhance content for which students already have a deep interest or to spark interest in a topic while providing an educational and entertaining experience (Tannahill et al., 2012). Video games for the most part do not require prior instruction on how to use them. Some video games do have tutorials for beginners but after the initial instruction, the video game itself reinforces self-initiative and goal achievement. This is achieved by teaching the gamer how to play with continued engagement. The gamer develops skills and abilities that allow them to independently accomplish goals set forth in the game (Griffiths, 2002;Squire, 2003). Video games can develop and reinforce critical skills such as self-starting, goal-oriented learning, and self-determination which can help students succeed in the classroom. Video Gaming Use Has Grown in Society A video game is defined as a game where individuals interact with a screen using a controller interface (Blomberg, 2018). Video games offer the player the ability to learn skills and collaborate with others while leveraging the capabilities of cutting-edge technologies. The increasing popularity and availability of video games, propelled with advent of the Internet, means video games have become a part of daily life (Yang et al., 2011). Most people who play video games are drawn to them as a source of entertainment. From the first commercially successful video game of Pong®, people have been fascinated by using screen interaction as a form of entertainment (Siyahhan & Gee, 2018) Just as families used to play tabletop games such as cards and checkers, families today use video games as a means of fostering positive family interactions (Siyahhan & Gee, 2018). There are several reason students play video games. The wide range of player motivation is appealing to students around the world. A study of over 18,000 League of Legions® players and over 18,000 players from the Chinese equivalent Chevalier’s Romance Online 3® showed Video Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 9 that most players’ motivation for playing video games falls into six categories: socializer, completionist, competitor, escapist, story driven, and smarty-pants. Socializers are players who care about social interactions other players. Completionists like to explore every aspect of a game. The competitor likes to win whether it be against computer adversaries or other players. Escapists play video games to escape from real life. Story driven players immerse themselves in the story of the game. Finally, smarty-pants players play video games with the goal of improving brain power and enhancing intellect (Kahn et al., 2015). There are Professions That Utilize Video Games Playing video games as a vocation is rising. Negative stigmas of video game playing are being replaced with views of gamers as very skilled individuals who have the potential of making money through e-sports or as a streamer (Griffiths, 2017). While pursuit of a gaming career can lead to a hyper focus and even addiction to a specific game (Vaegs et al., 2010), the professional rewards of being a video gamer are attractive. The first ever Fortnite World Cup gave three million dollars to the winner. This was more money than the winners of the Master, and the PGA Championship golf tournaments (Viger, 2020). Because of the growing possibility of making video games a career, some colleges in the United States have e-sports leagues where players can compete against other players for scholarships. There are tournaments for games like League of Legends®, World of Warcraft®, and Fortnight® that fill up entire stadiums of fans and have multimillion-dollar prizes for the winners (Hope, 2014). Just as some young people dream of playing for the Nation Basketball Association or the National Football League, many gamers dream of making a career out of playing video games. Twitch® is a popular streaming platform where fans can watch gamers playing video games, give commentary, or interact with other audience members. Viewers can Video Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 10 subscribe for access to perks or donate money to have a message displayed on a live stream. Platforms such as this provide a way for gamers to make a career out of doing something they enjoy (Griffiths, 2017). Schools should continue to promote and provide support for students wanting to use video games in their profession, just as they do with other vocations. Video Games Can be Social Recently Massive Multiplayer Online games have become increasingly popular (Suznjevic & Matijasevic, 2010). In these games, players can interact with hundreds of other players across the world via the internet. The game Second Life® is one such game. Second Life® is an online multi player world where players create avatars and interact with other players in a virtual world. It is not necessarily a traditional game because there is no conflict or objective set by the creator. In this game players interact through an avatar and can choose what role to play in an on-line economy. In virtual games students who have social anxieties or deficits can communicate more effectively through an avatar with peers (Hobbs et al., 2006). Players are free to play individually or in group activities. They can build, create, shop, and trade in an entirely virtual setting. The game designer does not decide what the user does but it is left up to the player to decide how they want to engage with the community. Students enjoy figuring out the game, how it works, and what its objectives are as they develop and practice social skills (Stevens et al., 2008). Video Games Can Help Higher Education Students Learn Benefits of playing video games have been studied for various groups of children or students. Playing video games helps families connect and build a family learning culture. Children and parents take turns being the expert or teacher (Siyahhan & Gee, 2018). Students Video Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 11 with severe developmental needs have shown increased growth in language, math, and social skills from playing video games (Griffiths, 2002). Playing video games can help higher education students engage in learning, accomplish goals, and give instantaneous feedback (Dickey, 2005). Manley & Whitaker (2011) used an active video game, a game that requires the player to use more than just hand eye coordination, in two learning sessions and a non-active video game, a game that only requires the use of hand eye coordination, in two other learning sessions with an undergraduate class of university students enrolled in a sports psychology class to investigate the effects of video game use on learning. Students then completed a three-page paper qualitatively describing their experience and if they felt game playing helped them learn better and be more engaged. The study found that when higher education students engaged in an active video game, they retain more information and do better on tests than peers who did not engage in an active video game (Manley & Whitaker, 2011). Students with Disabilities Can Struggle to Learn During teenage years, engagement and self-discipline can be low for students (Tannahill et al., 2012). Friends, phones, and video games usually motivate teenage students; schoolwork and future planning typically do not (Roberson & Hagevik, 2008). The struggles associated with engagement and motivation are not limited to a specific group of students. SLD have just as hard and sometimes harder time learning than their general education peers (Schwab et al., 2015). The additional struggles that SLD experience can include, but are not limited to, limited social interactions, shyness, slow processing speed, reading limitations, and auditory and visual processing disabilities (Thomson & McKenzie, 2005). The combination of disengagement and disability may make it even more difficult to learn, fully access curriculum, or feel included in Video Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 12 social aspects of the classroom. SLD can feel ostracized or left out because of their disabilities (Kirby, 2017). Such feelings can negatively affect SLD abilities to interact socially with other students or even teachers. They struggle to make friends and feel accepted in groups. They are unable to navigate certain social situations. The struggle to socially interact can become a barrier to academic learning for SLD (Schwab et al., 2015). Video games provide both a place to meet new friends as well as a place to practice skills. Some SLD can have a hard time maintain a conversation or a friendship when it is face to face. Inside a video game they bypass the face-to-face interaction in lieu of screen. Video games offer an engaging way for students with disabilities to learn skills that will help them in their lives now and in the future. Some of the transferrable skills and benefits gained from video gaming that show promise for SLD include goal setting, overcoming challenges, learning leadership skills, receiving instant feedback (Dickey, 2005), staying engaged, staying goal focused, self-starting, self-esteem building (Griffiths, 2002), gaining confidence (Hobbs et al., 2006) and increasing social skills (Vaegs et al., 2010). Many gamers feel that playing video games is a positive aspect in their lives and helps them achieve goals (Williams et al., 2008). Video games, especially virtual video games, have morphed into social interactions. Gamers can interact with other players across the room or around the world. In these interactions, players must learn and use social skills to complete game goals and objectives. Several players worldwide feel that playing video games helps them become more successful in their careers, relationships, and social life (Vaegs et al., 2010). For SLD, video gaming can be a time when they do not feel socially outcast thus they are able to participate in learning new skills on the same level as their peers (Thomson & McKenzie 2005). Video games can be a positive source of help for SLD to overcome feelings of anxiety in Video Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 13 social situations and learn new skills (Williams et al., 2008). This self-motivated exploration of environments offers SLD, who might struggle in real world social situations, an opportunity to interact in a less confrontational environment (Hobbs et al., 2006). Video games are an underutilized resource that can be used to enhance SLD abilities to learn and provides opportunities to learn transferable skills. Video Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 14 PURPOSE The benefits of playing video games have been shown for all students including general education students and college students. However, there is a lack of gaming research done with students who have mild to moderate learning disabilities. Little is currently known about how or if skills from video game playing can be an asset to SLD in and out of the classroom. The purpose of this research is to better understand the perception of skills SLD gain from playing video games. Research question proposed to address the purpose were: 1. What do students with learning disabilities self-report as perceived skills gained from experiencing video games? 2. Which if any of these reported skills are transferable to academic settings or real-life settings? 3. Is there a correlation between the amount of time playing video games and skill attainment? The hypotheses were that video games have played a positive role in skill development and that transfer of these skills helps SLD in academic and life skills. Because the experience of playing video games is beneficial to students with no disabilities it stands to reason that video games will also help SLD. Video Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 15 METHODS To answer the research questions, a mixed methods research design using a self-reporting survey was selected to explore the problem and better understand the skills SLD gain from playing video games. Survey research allows for both quantitative and qualitative data to be gathered. Survey research is preferred when a large amount of information from a select group of participants is needed quickly to efficiently investigate a specific phenom (Alderman & Salem, 2010). Using responses from a self-reporting survey, answers were analyzed to determine which, if any, of the perceived skills gained are transferable to an academic or cognitive setting. Participants and Sample Size The subjects of this research study are from a rural high school in the western United States. Students have been classified with a learning disability and have an individualized education program. The high school enrollment is approximately 800 students, and the demographics are that 85% of students are white and 15% of students are of other races. Of a total 37 students given the opportunity to participate in the study there were 17 students who had consent, assent, and were eligible to participate. Assent along with consent was required because the students were all under 18 years old. Participant student age ranges from 14 to 17 with a mode of 15 and mean age of 15.3 years, suggesting a normal distribution of ages. Procedures Permission for the researcher to conduct the study was gained from WSU IRB, the school district IRB, and the school before recruitment information was shared with students and parents. Participants were recruited from the researcher’s special education classes taught at the high school. Recruitment was initially done by verbal invitation provided in the first month of the new school year. All students enrolled in the researcher’s classes were invited to participate. As a new Video Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 16 teacher in the school, the researcher was not known to the students. The verbal recruitment in class was accompanied with written study information for students and parents. The written information was sent to students and parents via either hardcopy or electronically. Students were invited during regular scheduled class time to participate in the study. Written consent forms were given to parents and students after invitations to participate were extended. Consent forms were distributed from the first week of school until the end of the first month of school to allow students who were absent the first week to have the opportunity to participate in the study. Parent consent was required for all students under age 18 to participate in the study. Students were invited to join the study and participate upon their own choosing. Witten assent for all students was also required. For students or parents who choose not to participate, no penalty nor coercion occurred. Once consent forms were obtained, students were given a survey during class to fill it out in a classroom setting. Students were given the opportunity to complete the survey via Qualtrics link; however, no students selected this option. The researcher read directly from a script (see Appendix A) and students answered the survey via paper copy. Students were given an overview and explanation of how to complete the survey. Students were given time during class to complete the survey independently. All students were given as much time as they wanted to fill out the survey to the best of their ability. Data collection ended the second month of school. Instruments To explain the connection between video games and skill attainment for SLD a survey was developed by the researcher and then vetted with the entire Master’s Committee. (See Appendix B). After feedback from the committee changes were made to ensure the research Video Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 17 questions and procedures could be carried out. Specific language was used in the survey that students would better understand, such as the use of “become a better student” rather than “cognitive ability”. The survey included questions designed to gather both quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data was collected using questions asking participants to rate skills and how often the participant played video games as well as identification of their favorite video games. Qualitative data were collected using open ended survey questions asking participants to describe their ability to perform certain tasks or how diligent they are at a skill. Further qualitative data were collected by asking students to further describe these skills and how they might be used in academic or real-life settings. Initial items on the survey were determine the demographics of the participant. Asking the student about their favorite video game got students thinking about what video games they enjoyed. This was done to help students start thinking about a video game that they play. This would jump start the students thought process (Crano et., al 1995). The skills inquired about in the survey include self-starting, goal setting, persistence, and problem solving. All surveys were included in the study, even ones that indicated that they did not like or play video games. This was done because the researcher wanted to present a complete data set of the study. Data Analysis Demographic data were reported based on participant response. Data analysis was first completed using visual inspection. Secondary analysis occurred using Excel software. The researcher entered student responses by hand into an excel spreadsheet using tally counts and data entry. Data entry was checked for accuracy by the researcher with help from another in Excel formatting. Confirmation of analyses was performed by the committee chair Quantitative data was analyzed using tally counts, and the data analysis tool pack in Microsoft Excel to Video Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 18 complete a correlation and significance. Student yes or no responses were coded as 1 or 0. The number of yes responses for skills (self-starting, goal setting, persistence, making friends, being a better student) where combined to provide a total skill attainment score. Results are available to the committee, interested colleagues, and interested students while maintaining anonymity and confidentiality of participants. Qualitative data was analyzed using a thematic analysis. Reponses for each survey question were read initially as responses were entered into the spreadsheet. Individual responses were reread four times by the primary researcher to familiarize himself with the data. Initial codes were created by grouping responses into alike categories and reviewed further. These codes were broken down into five themes. These themes are Real world social skills, Academics, Quick thinking skills, Life skills, and IDK (I don’t know.) The responses for Real world social skills were “how to survive and to pretend (sic) yourself, “real world experience from realistic games.” “fighting skills,” “anger,” “people skills,” “trust,” “there is some people you can’t trust,” “sense of justice,” “how to help,” and “one is thinking of another through a problem.” Academics responses were “history,” “storytelling,” “some games use math too,” “gun mechanics,” “I’ve learned the lanes of the road and some signals,” and “creativity.” Quick thinking skills responses were “Fast reaction time,” “a good reaction time,” “my hands move quicker and got better,” “good accuracy,” “the only thing it helps is your fingers,” “some other skills are is that (sic) I can play different video games.” Life skills responses were “organization,” “organizing goals,” “time management,” “probably more concentration,” and “focusing.” Video Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 19 All results were then reviewed, and quantitative data were calculated by the primary researcher and committee chair. Calculations were performed using formulas in Excel and theming was also organized in Excel. Video Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 20 RESULTS Following data analyses, quantitative results were reviewed for accuracy and results were reviewed for integrity by the researcher and committee chairman. In survey question eight students were asked what their favorite video game is. This item does not answer any of the research questions. It was used to help the participants provide context to the survey. The largest percentage of participants, 11 students (65%) listed one game as their favorite, while three students (18%) responded that they had no favorite game. The remaining 3 students (18%) listed more than one game. Students who said they had a favorite game provided 19 mentions of a game name. The most frequently listed video games were Minecraft® or Grand Theft Auto® with three mentions each (16%), and Call of Duty® with 2 mentions (11%). Video games with one mention were Fortnight®, Mortal Kombat®, Skyrim®, Legend of Zelda®, War Zone®, Devil May Cry®, Destiny 2®, Roblox®, and Fable®. Results from the other survey items are presented by research questions. Research question #1 What do SLD self-report as perceived skills gained from experiencing video games? This research question was answered using survey questions four, five, six, seven, and eight. Question four was regarding self-starting, 11 students (65%) said yes with 1 student (6%) responding Yes/No and five students (29%) said no (see Figure 1). One student said, “Yeah cause I do things differently after I started gaming.” Another said, “yes because it's a nice felling (sic) when you finish something you've started on you won.” Another student stated that, “I don't do enething withowt bing told to do so (sic).” Video Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 21 Figure 1 Students’ Perception of Becoming a Better Self-starter Note. Student wrote in yes/no on the survey. The responses to question five were narrowly positive with nine students (53%) responding yes and eight students (47%) saying no that experiences in playing video games help students become better at setting goals (see Figure 2). Whether students responded yes or no, most students acknowledged that video games have built in goals. However, those who responded negatively didn’t particularly like following the goals and liked to play games the way they wanted to play. One student wrote, “Nah goals are like mission's (sic) I don't do them I just do what I want lol.” 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 Yes Yes No Yes/no Yes/no Yes/no Number of StudentsNumber of StudentsNumber of StudentsNumber of StudentsNumber of Students Do you think your experience with video games has helped to Do you think your experience with video games has helped to Do you think your experience with video games has helped to Do you think your experience with video games has helped to Do you think your experience with video games has helped to Do you think your experience with video games has helped to Do you think your experience with video games has helped to Do you think your experience with video games has helped to Do you think your experience with video games has helped to Do you think your experience with video games has helped to Do you think your experience with video games has helped to Do you think your experience with video games has helped to Do you think your experience with video games has helped to Do you think your experience with video games has helped to Do you think your experience with video games has helped to Do you think your experience with video games has helped to Do you think your experience with video games has helped to Do you think your experience with video games has helped to Do you think your experience with video games has helped to Do you think your experience with video games has helped to Do you think your experience with video games has helped to Do you think your experience with video games has helped to Do you think your experience with video games has helped to become a better self become a better selfbecome a better self become a better selfbecome a better self become a better self become a better selfbecome a better self become a better self become a better self -starter? starter? starter? ResponseResponseResponseVideo Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 22 Figure 2 Students’ Perception of Becoming Better at Goal Setting Question six asked students if their experiences with video games have helped them become more persistent. Thirteen students (76%) responded yes that video games helped them become more persistent. One yes response was, “Yes cause no matter what I never give up on a mission I'll do it tell I pass even if it takes hours or even day's so yeah but I'm more stubborn than persistent.” Two responses (12%) were no, one (6%) maybe and one (6%) yes/no (see Figure 3). One of the no responses was, “Videogames aren't bad but they are not good.” 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 Yes Yes No Number of StudentsNumber of StudentsNumber of StudentsNumber of StudentsNumber of Students Do you think your experience with video games has helped set Do you think your experience with video games has helped set Do you think your experience with video games has helped set Do you think your experience with video games has helped set Do you think your experience with video games has helped set Do you think your experience with video games has helped set Do you think your experience with video games has helped set Do you think your experience with video games has helped set Do you think your experience with video games has helped set Do you think your experience with video games has helped set Do you think your experience with video games has helped set Do you think your experience with video games has helped set Do you think your experience with video games has helped set Do you think your experience with video games has helped set Do you think your experience with video games has helped set Do you think your experience with video games has helped set Do you think your experience with video games has helped set Do you think your experience with video games has helped set Do you think your experience with video games has helped set Do you think your experience with video games has helped set Do you think your experience with video games has helped set Do you think your experience with video games has helped set Do you think your experience with video games has helped set Do you think your experience with video games has helped set goals? goals? goals? goals? ResponsesResponsesResponsesVideo Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 23 Figure 3 Students’ Perception of Becoming a More Persistent Person Note. Student wrote in maybe and yes/no on the survey. Question seven asked if experiences with video games helped with problem solving skills 12 students (71%) responded yes. A student responding yes said, “Yes cause I’ve played all types of games and puzzles games help you a lot to be a better problem solver.” There were five students (39%) who responded no (see Figure 4). “It dosen't help enything it's just fun (sic)” Some students see video games as only something to entertain yet others who have played a wide range of games have experienced more problem solving. 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 Yes Yes No Maybe Maybe Yes/No Yes/No Yes/NoYes/No Numbe of StudentsNumbe of StudentsNumbe of StudentsNumbe of Students Do you think your experiences with video games has made a Do you think your experiences with video games has made a Do you think your experiences with video games has made a Do you think your experiences with video games has made a Do you think your experiences with video games has made a Do you think your experiences with video games has made a Do you think your experiences with video games has made a Do you think your experiences with video games has made a Do you think your experiences with video games has made a Do you think your experiences with video games has made a Do you think your experiences with video games has made a Do you think your experiences with video games has made a Do you think your experiences with video games has made a Do you think your experiences with video games has made a Do you think your experiences with video games has made a Do you think your experiences with video games has made a Do you think your experiences with video games has made a Do you think your experiences with video games has made a Do you think your experiences with video games has made a Do you think your experiences with video games has made a Do you think your experiences with video games has made a Do you think your experiences with video games has made a Do you think your experiences with video games has made a Do you think your experiences with video games has made a more persistent person? more persistent person? more persistent person? more persistent person? more persistent person? more persistent person? more persistent person? more persistent person? ResponsesResponsesResponsesVideo Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 24 Figure 4 Students’ Perception of Becoming a Better Problem Solver Question eight gives students an opportunity to express any other skills from their experience with video games. The students listed a total of 30 skills. These skills were divided into five themes real world skill, academic, quick-thinking skills, life skills, and IDK (I don’t know) (see Figure 5). The five themes from the data analysis with typical responses are as follows: Real world skill was the highest with 10 responses (33%) “Real world experience from realistic games.” Academics had six responses (20%) “History.” Quick thinking skills also had six responses (20%) “My hands move quicker and got better.” Life skills had 5 responses (17%) “Organization.” The IDK category had three responses (10%) “I don’t know.” 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 Yes Yes No Number of StudentsNumber of StudentsNumber of StudentsNumber of StudentsNumber of Students Do you think your experience with video games has helped Do you think your experience with video games has helped Do you think your experience with video games has helped Do you think your experience with video games has helped Do you think your experience with video games has helped Do you think your experience with video games has helped Do you think your experience with video games has helped Do you think your experience with video games has helped Do you think your experience with video games has helped Do you think your experience with video games has helped Do you think your experience with video games has helped Do you think your experience with video games has helped Do you think your experience with video games has helped Do you think your experience with video games has helped Do you think your experience with video games has helped Do you think your experience with video games has helped Do you think your experience with video games has helped Do you think your experience with video games has helped Do you think your experience with video games has helped Do you think your experience with video games has helped Do you think your experience with video games has helped Do you think your experience with video games has helped become a better problem solver? become a better problem solver? become a better problem solver? become a better problem solver? become a better problem solver? become a better problem solver? become a better problem solver? become a better problem solver? become a better problem solver? become a better problem solver? become a better problem solver? become a better problem solver? become a better problem solver? ResponsesResponsesResponsesVideo Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 25 Figure 5 Other Skills Student Perceive They Gain Note. These teams are found in the qualitative data analysis. Research question #2 Which if any of these reported skills are transferable to academic/cognitive settings? This research question was answered using survey questions nine, ten, and eleven. Question nine asked if any of these skills help them make friends 11 students (65%) responded yes. The majority said having a common interest in a specific video game gives them an activity to participate in together and something to talk about and relate to when in casual conversation (see Figure 6). One student said that “Games are really popular amung (sic) guys and kids I make friends every day in real life and Online.” The no responses were six students (35%), “Because, I mostly keep to myself if im (sic) around people I don't know and talking about it is awkward for me!” 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 Real worldReal worldReal worldReal world Real world skills skillsskills Academics AcademicsAcademics Academics AcademicsAcademics Quick thinking Quick thinking Quick thinking skills skillsskills Life skills Life skills Life skills Life skills IDK IDK Number of StudentsNumber of StudentsNumber of StudentsNumber of StudentsNumber of Students What other skills have you gained by playing video games? What other skills have you gained by playing video games? What other skills have you gained by playing video games? What other skills have you gained by playing video games? What other skills have you gained by playing video games? What other skills have you gained by playing video games? What other skills have you gained by playing video games? What other skills have you gained by playing video games? What other skills have you gained by playing video games? What other skills have you gained by playing video games? What other skills have you gained by playing video games? What other skills have you gained by playing video games? What other skills have you gained by playing video games? What other skills have you gained by playing video games? What other skills have you gained by playing video games? What other skills have you gained by playing video games? What other skills have you gained by playing video games? What other skills have you gained by playing video games? What other skills have you gained by playing video games? What other skills have you gained by playing video games? What other skills have you gained by playing video games? What other skills have you gained by playing video games? What other skills have you gained by playing video games? What other skills have you gained by playing video games? What other skills have you gained by playing video games? What other skills have you gained by playing video games? Skill ThemesSkill Themes Skill Themes Skill Themes Skill Themes Skill ThemesVideo Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 26 Figure 6 Do These Skills Help You Make Friends? Question ten asked the students if these skills help them become a better student. There were eight students (47%) who said no, seven students (41%) said yes one student (6%) responded yes/no and one student (6%) responded IDK (I don’t know) (see Figure 7). The students noted that video games can be distracting and take away from schoolwork. “When I do play video games I get distracted from what I am supposed to do.” One student was able to make a connection to skills learned playing video games and becoming a better student. “Yes because it taught me to not give up and be determined and to be able to turn in homework by deadline and be able to apply what you know to complete assignments or get stuck (sic).” 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 Yes Yes No Number of StudentsNumber of StudentsNumber of StudentsNumber of StudentsNumber of Students Do any of these skills help you make friends? Do any of these skills help you make friends? Do any of these skills help you make friends? Do any of these skills help you make friends? Do any of these skills help you make friends? Do any of these skills help you make friends? Do any of these skills help you make friends? Do any of these skills help you make friends? Do any of these skills help you make friends? Do any of these skills help you make friends? Do any of these skills help you make friends? Do any of these skills help you make friends? Do any of these skills help you make friends? Do any of these skills help you make friends? ResponsesResponsesResponsesVideo Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 27 Figure 7 Do Video Games Make you a Better Student? Note. Student wrote in yes/no and IDK on the survey. The final survey question, number 11, asked if any of the mentioned skills could be applied to real life, ten students (59%), responded yes. Two students responded, “Time management, focusing, organizing goals, Trust, patients, focus, problem solving, teams. You need all of these to make it in life, and you need all of these for video games.” And “Absolutely, there’s all sorts of video games that include real life scenarios, that could teach us for future references.” However, seven students (41%) responded no (see Figure 8). When responding “no” the students focused on the fact that video games are not real life and the things learned cannot be applied to each other. “I can’t see myself using any of the skills a game has taught me.” The highest percentage of students, 11 (65%) marked that video games help them make friends, ten 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 Yes Yes No Yes/No Yes/No Yes/NoYes/No IDK (I don't know) IDK (I don't know) IDK (I don't know) IDK (I don't know) Number of StudentsNumber of StudentsNumber of StudentsNumber of StudentsNumber of Students Do you think your experience playing video games has helped Do you think your experience playing video games has helped Do you think your experience playing video games has helped Do you think your experience playing video games has helped Do you think your experience playing video games has helped Do you think your experience playing video games has helped Do you think your experience playing video games has helped Do you think your experience playing video games has helped Do you think your experience playing video games has helped Do you think your experience playing video games has helped Do you think your experience playing video games has helped Do you think your experience playing video games has helped Do you think your experience playing video games has helped Do you think your experience playing video games has helped Do you think your experience playing video games has helped Do you think your experience playing video games has helped Do you think your experience playing video games has helped Do you think your experience playing video games has helped Do you think your experience playing video games has helped Do you think your experience playing video games has helped Do you think your experience playing video games has helped Do you think your experience playing video games has helped Do you think your experience playing video games has helped Do you think your experience playing video games has helped Do you think your experience playing video games has helped Do you think your experience playing video games has helped Do you think your experience playing video games has helped Do you think your experience playing video games has helped become a better student? become a better student? become a better student? become a better student? become a better student? become a better student? become a better student? become a better student? become a better student? become a better student? ResponsesResponsesResponsesVideo Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 28 (59%) marked that the skills they learned could be applied to real life scenarios and seven students (41%) marked that it helped them become better students. Figure 8 Can These Skills be Applied to Real Life? Research question #3 Is there a correlation between the amount of time playing video games and skills attainment? This research question was answered using survey question three, four, five, six, seven, nine, ten and eleven. Question three asked students how often they played video games. The options to respond were specified time frames of 0 to 5 hours per week, 5 to 10 hours per week, 11 to 15 hours, and more than 16 hours. The most frequent response 0 to 5 hour per week, the lowest possible, was chosen by 10 students (59%). The time frame of 6 to 10 hours was chosen by five students (29%). Only 1 student (6%) responded playing 11 to 15 hours per week., And only one 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 Yes Yes No Number of StudentsNumber of StudentsNumber of StudentsNumber of StudentsNumber of Students Do you think the skills have learned playing video games could Do you think the skills have learned playing video games could Do you think the skills have learned playing video games could Do you think the skills have learned playing video games could Do you think the skills have learned playing video games could Do you think the skills have learned playing video games could Do you think the skills have learned playing video games could Do you think the skills have learned playing video games could Do you think the skills have learned playing video games could Do you think the skills have learned playing video games could Do you think the skills have learned playing video games could Do you think the skills have learned playing video games could Do you think the skills have learned playing video games could Do you think the skills have learned playing video games could Do you think the skills have learned playing video games could Do you think the skills have learned playing video games could Do you think the skills have learned playing video games could Do you think the skills have learned playing video games could Do you think the skills have learned playing video games could Do you think the skills have learned playing video games could Do you think the skills have learned playing video games could be applied to real life? be applied to real life? be applied to real life? be applied to real life? be applied to real life? be applied to real life? be applied to real life? be applied to real life? be applied to real life? be applied to real life? be applied to real life? be applied to real life? be applied to real life? ResponsesResponsesResponsesVideo Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 29 student (6%) responded 16 or more hours per week (see Figure 9). These two students who played more 11 hours a week answered yes to 93% of the questions about skill attainment. Figure 9 How Often do you Play Video Games? Findings The results suggest the following answers to the research questions. First, SLD students identify persistence and problem solving as skills perceived to have gained from playing video games. The skills of self-starting and goal setting were identified as skills found in a video game but not at the same rate as persistence and problem solving. Second, SLD self-report the ability to make friends and application to real life as the most transferable skills to academic or real-life settings. Most students responded positively that playing video games helped them gain skills in self-starting, setting goals, becoming persistent, problem solving, and more. SLD students who 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 0 to 5 6 to 10 11 to 15 16+ Number of StudentsNumber of StudentsNumber of StudentsNumber of StudentsNumber of Students How many hours per week do you spend playing video How many hours per week do you spend playing video How many hours per week do you spend playing video How many hours per week do you spend playing video How many hours per week do you spend playing video How many hours per week do you spend playing video How many hours per week do you spend playing video How many hours per week do you spend playing video How many hours per week do you spend playing video How many hours per week do you spend playing video How many hours per week do you spend playing video How many hours per week do you spend playing video How many hours per week do you spend playing video How many hours per week do you spend playing video How many hours per week do you spend playing video games? games? games? Number of Hours Number of HoursNumber of Hours Number of HoursVideo Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 30 indicated they play video games more frequently also self-identified as gaining more skills. Third, there is not a correlation between time spent playing video games and skill attainment. When correlating self-reported average hours per week playing time with total skill attainment there was weak positive finding, but it was not significant (r = 0.434, p > .05). No correlation with statistical significance was found for any of the listed individual skills in the study. DISCUSSION The data results in this study shows that some SLD perceive they gain skills from experiencing video games and that these skills are transferable to academic and cognitive settings (Rapeepisarn et al., 2006; Vaegs et al., 2010). However, the connection is not a very strong one. The connection was greatest when students were asked about becoming more persistent and problem solving. It may be that persistence was the skill as most improved by video game playing as students were able to understand that to advance in a video game, they need to continually try to solve the problem after they failed. Failure is not necessarily the end of the video game, so they preserved. Through perseverance students can learn that they can get better at solving problems and eventually succeed. Problem-solving was the second most reported skill gained through video game playing and one of the most important gaming skills transferable to real life. A perseverance and problem-solving mindset are key to success in school and out of school. These are skills the student will need while pursuing a career (Robles, 2012). The improvement of skills from playing video games was seen but to lesser degree when students were asked about goal setting and self-starting. Students often have low engagement and self-discipline (Tannahill et al., 2012). In the survey, students who reported that they played the most, also responded they perceived gaining more skills from video game playing. It may be that Video Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 31 the students who played the most video games responded the most frequently that they were learning skills. The fact that all students reported to improving in at least one skill area may indicate that SLD are likely to respond positively to using video games as a learning tool. Just as other technologies have improved the learning experience for students, introducing learning though video games are a natural step in the evolution of today’s classrooms (Tannahill et al., 2012). The study findings that SLD do report gaining academic skills from gaming may support the need to use technology skills to overcome their learning disability (Larson & Miller, 2011) The students in the study indicated that the perceived skills learned from their video game experience helped them most in their social interactions (Hobbs et al., 2006). Video games provide a platform for students to interact with friends and facilitate an environment to interact socially with others. These are important skills for students to learn to transition into jobs and careers. Because some SLD struggle with face-to-face interactions video games provide social situations where they can overcome the feelings of anxiety towards social interactions (Williams et al., 2008). By a slim margin most students responded that video games did not help them with their schoolwork. Students who self-report that they do not play video games are not likely to mark that they gained skills from gaming. As over half of the respondents said they play games less than five hours a week, it is presumable that they do not gain skills from an activity in which they are not participating (Rapeepisarn et al., 2006; Tannahill et al). On the other hand, there were students who marked that they play a lot of video games. Although they did indicate more often that they gained skills these were only two students and not large enough to draw a meaning full conclusion as to if the skills learned in video games transferred to outside video games situations. One possibility is that students may prefer to learn in ways other than video Video Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 32 games. For some students, traditional classroom setting is a preferred learning environment that works for them. Video games have held the stigma that they are for entertainment and not education. This may have played into the thoughts of the students as they filled out the survey. The concept of video games being a key part of learning is still in its infancy. Connecting the skill learned from playing video games and real-life situations needs to be explicitly taught. As past thoughts and stigmas will have to continue to change for this to happen on a bigger scale. Limitations Limitations in this study include sample size, time to complete the study, and perceptions about video games. The researcher acknowledges that this study had a very limited sample but believes that conclusion can still be made from the data gained. The limited time to complete the study presented constraints in contacting several parents and seemed to be the limiting factor in student participation. Conducting finding activities during school registration could have possibly yielded more participation. Most students indicating that they played 0 to 5 hours per week which may have confounded the results. Further break down of this time could have given more precise data as to video game playing habits. Perceptions of video games may have influenced the study. Mobile and old generation video games were not mentioned. The question regarding favorite video game was left up to the students’ interpretation of what a video game was and could have narrowed the data received. Giving a definition of a video game and giving several broad answers would have possibly given more in-depth data as to video game habits and perceptions from the students. Video Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 33 A negative perception of video games may still exist with teachers, parents, and students. If video games are going to have a more prominent role in teaching attitudes and perceptions of video games being a waste of time need to continue to change. More meaningful connections between video game playing and learning need to be researched and shared (Tannahill et al., 2012). The student in the survey have been diagnosed with learning disabilities. The researcher did his best to accommodate all special need of the subjects; However, it is very difficult to know how much the students understood and if that effected the data in anyway. Future Research Future suggested research could bring more information on the skills SLD learn and transfer to academic settings. Further qualitative research in this is suggested to ascertain if the students’ perceptions of skills gained is indeed reality. Conducting a quantitative study on the relation to student grades compared to time playing video games would also show more definitively if the experience playing video games translates to better learning. Additional study would be finding how many of the subject’s friends play the same video game thus finding a possible correlation to the size of the friend group interested in a video game rather than time spent. Comparisons can then be made if video games are simply a preferred learning environment for students or if it is a way to spend time with friends. Students in the study also marked that video games help them with real life situations. This subject can be explored further to determine if this is job related, skill building, or other aspects of “real life” (Schwab et al., 2015). Video Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 34 Summary The purpose of education is to teach students skills that they will need to succeed after graduation. The skills needed to succeed are changing at a rapid pace because of technology. Along with technology video games have become a growing part of society. The nature of video games is such that the user must learn to be persistent, pursue goals, solve problems, and self-start. Video games may help students with learning disabilities learn better. To gain a large variance of data a mixed method approach was used by giving students a self-reporting survey. Qualitative results were obtained by first visual review and second using Excel software, quantitative results were obtained using tally counts and statistical analysis. The strongest self-reported skills perceived to have gained from playing video games was persistence and problem solving. Reported skills that are transferable to real life settings are the ability to make friends and real-life skills. The data obtained shows a weak positive but insignificant correlation between time played and skills attained. This study helps to better understand how students with disabilities perceive the skills they gain from playing video games. Futures studies are suggested to better ascertain if these perceptions are indeed reality. Video Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 35 REFERENCES Alderman, A. K., & Salem, B. (2010). Survey research. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 126(4), 1381-1389. Blomberg, J. (2018). The semiotics of the game controller. Game Studies, 18(2), 3. Crano, W. 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Similarities and differences between" learn through play" Meridian Middle School Computer Technologies Journal 2(11). Robles, M. M. (2012). Executive perceptions of the top 10 soft skills needed in today’s workplace. Business communication quarterly, 75(4), 453-465. Schwab, S., Gebhardt, M., Krammer, M., & Gasteiger-Klicpera, B. (2015). Linking self-rated social inclusion to social behaviour. An empirical study of students with and without special education needs in secondary schools. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 30(1), 1-14. Siyahhan, S., & Gee, E. (2018). Families at play: Connecting and learning through video games. Massachusetts Institute of Technology Press. Squire, K. (2003). Video games in education. International Journal of Intelligent Simulations and Games, 2(1), 49-62. Stevens, R., Satwicz, T., & McCarthy, L. (2008). In-game, in-room, in-world: Reconnecting video game play to the rest of kids’ lives. The Ecology of Games, 9, 41-66. Video Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 37 Suznjevic, M., & Matijasevic, M. (2010). Why MMORPG players do what they do: Relating motivations to action categories. International Journal of Advanced Media and Communication, 4(4), 405-424. Tannahill, N., Tissington, P., & Senior, C. (2012). Video games and higher education: What can “Call of Duty” teach our students? Frontiers in Psychology, 3, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2012.00210. Thomson, R., & McKenzie, K. (2005). What people with a learning disability understand and feel about having a learning disability? Learning Disability Practice, 8(6). Page numbers missing Vaegs, T., Dugosija, D., Hackenbracht, S., & Hannemann, A. (2010). Learning by gaming: facts and myths. International Journal of Technology Enhanced Learning, 2(1-2), 21-40. Viger, T. (2020). Professional Gamers Are Today's Professional Athletes. Georgia State University Law Review, 3(8) 1001-1043. Voskoglou, M. G., & Salem, A. B. M. (2020). Benefits and Limitations of the Artificial with Respect to the Traditional Learning of Mathematics. Mathematics, 8(4), 1-15. Williams, D., Yee, N., & Caplan, S. E. (2008). Who plays, how much, and why? Debunking the stereotypical gamer profile. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13(4), 993-1018. Yang, Y., Li, H., & Deng, G. (2011, July). A case study: behavior study of Chinese users on the internet and mobile internet. In International Conference on Internationalization, Design and Global Development (pp. 585-593). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. Video Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 38 APPENDICES Appendix A: Survey Script Read by the Researcher Appendix B: Survey Video Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 39 Appendix A Survey Script Read by the Researcher Thank you for your participation in today’s survey. This survey will ask you general question about your video game habits and skills you may have. Please answer completely and honestly. I will read the questions out loud to the class and then I will give you time to give your answer. Please stay with me and do not move on to the next question before I have read it. Your answers will be kept confidential which means no one will know what you have written. Please do not put your name on the survey. When you are finished, please save, and exit the survey. If you are doing the survey on paper, please put the completed survey on my desk faced down and return to your desk and sit quietly and allow everyone else to finish. Are there any questions before I begin? I will now read each question on the survey. 1. How old are you? 2. What is your favorite video game? 3. How much time per week do you spend playing video games? Thinking about playing video games, which of the following skills do you think you have learned? How would you describe your skills? 4. Self-starting is the ability to start doing something without having to have someone tell you to do so. Do you think your experience with video games has helped you to become a better self-starter? If yes how if no, why not? 5. Goal setting is the process of identifying something that you want to accomplish and a time you want it done. Do you think your experience with video games has helped you set goals? If yes how if no, why not? 6. Persistence is the ability to try again after you have failed at something. Do you think your experiences with video games has made you a more persistent person? If yes how if no, why not? Video Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 40 7. Problem solving is the process of finding solutions to difficult or complex issues. Do you think your experience with video games has helped you become a better problem solver? If yes how if no, why not? 8. What other skills have you gained by playing video games? 9. Do any of these skills help you make friends? If yes, how? If no, why not? 10. Do you think your experience playing video games has helped you become a better student? If yes, how? If no, why not? Do you think the skills you have learned playing video games could be applied to real life? If yes, how? If no, why not? Video Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 41 Appendix B Survey 11. How old are you? 12. What is your favorite video game? 13. How much time per week do you spend playing video games? Thinking about playing video games, which of the following skills do you think you have learned? How would you describe your skills? 14. Self-starting is the ability to start doing something without having to have someone tell you to do so. Do you think your experience with video games has helped you to become a better self-starter? If yes how if no, why not? 15. Goal setting is the process of identifying something that you want to accomplish and a time you want it done. Do you think your experience with video games has helped you set goals? If yes how if no, why not? 16. Persistence is the ability to try again after you have failed at something. Do you think your experiences with video games has made you a more persistent person? If yes how if no, why not? 17. Problem solving is the process of finding solutions to difficult or complex issues. Do you think your experience with video games has helped you become a better problem solver? If yes how if no, why not? 18. What other skills have you gained by playing video games? 19. Do any of these skills help you make friends? If yes, how? If no, why not? 20. Do you think your experience playing video games has helped you become a better student? If yes, how? If no, why not? Video Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 42 Do you think the skills you have learned playing video games could be applied to real life? If yes, how? If no, why not? Video Games: An Unlikely Hero of Education 43