Video Games as Digital Learning Resources: Implications for Teacher-Librarians and For Researchers

Abstract

For many teens of both genders in industrialized countries, video gaming is an integral part of their play and of their informal learning. This qualitative study explored the learning experiences of adolescents as they played recreational video games of their choice in their homes, with the intent of understanding how they came to believe in their ability to learn in informal learning situations. These teens perceived their learning as evolutionary, constructive, embedded in context, and most satisfying when self-solved. This report concludes with implications for teacher-librarians and implications for further research on bridging the gap between formal and informal learning.