Gaming at home vs. gaming at school

Abstract

The aim of this thesis is to investigate how and whether pupils’ previous experience with video games matter in game-based learning, i.e. lessons that incorporate the use of video games. In this, it examines the belief that all pupils are competent “digital natives” due to their engagement with available technology in their daily lives. Using the term “preconditions” as a general term to encompass a series of factors that may be of relevance, the study seeks to find connections between out-of-school gaming and pupils’ opportunities to learn from and enjoy in-school gaming activities. The study uses a mixed-methods approach where 40 pupils from 6th and 7th grade completed a questionnaire and created a product in Minecraft Education. The findings show that most pupils were able to build a product connected to the given topic, and that their previous gaming had minimal impact. However, the findings also indicate that there are differences among the pupils and that everyone has different preconditions for game-based lessons. The study highlights the need for nuancing the idea that all pupils are digitally competent and supports the need to differentiate game-based instruction based on pupils’ previous experiences with gaming.