The use of games as an educational web2.0 technology a survey of motivations for playing computer games at HE level

Abstract

Serious games are considered by some educationalists to be a potentially highly motivating form of supplementary education. In some cases, serious games are stand-alone but if delivered over the web is a subset of Web2.0 technologies. To properly deliver serious games over the web for educational purposes it is important to understand the motivations for playing computer games for leisure and for playing computer games in an educational context. This paper will present the findings of a survey carried out in a Higher Education (HE) institution involving 415 participants to ascertain what motivations and attitudes HE students have towards playing computer games in general, playing computer games when they get progressively more difficult and playing computer games for educational purposes. The results indicate that challenge is the most important motivation for playing computer games when they get progressively difficult and for playing computer games in HE. Challenge is the fourth most important motivation for playing computer games in general.