The role of video games in developing civic and ethical skills in Mexico: the case of This War of Mine

Abstract

The article examines the civic actions of higher education students, which are informed by simulated ethical dilemmas presented in the video game This War of Mine. It utilizes the citizenship typology proposed by Westheimer and Kahne to identify the development of civic and ethical competencies among students. It starts with the idea that video games can be tools for socializing the learning of civic and ethical competencies through interaction, as well as critical and creative thinking. The study employs a mixed-methods approach to conduct self-assessment questionnaires across three levels of civic engagement: personally responsible citizenship (PR), participatory citizenship (P), and justice-oriented citizenship (JO). Following this, the study analyzes the gaming experiences and decision-making processes of 24 male and female higher education students. The results indicate specific actions corresponding to three citizenship profiles, with the personally responsible and participatory profiles being consistent. However, discrepancies were found between the characteristics and actions of the justice-oriented profiles. In conclusion, the video game effectively develops civic and ethical competencies by fostering awareness, empathy, and critical consciousness about the realities of conflict situations.