We asked Huddersfield student Sidra Akram, from the School of Education and Professional Development to talk to us about their research and article in our 7th Edition of FIELDS. Read what Sidra had to say about this here:

This study explores the extent to which game design features impact children’s engagement on digital education games (DEG’s). Research has highlighted that the topic of digital game-based learning (DGBL) is becoming increasingly complex, with benefits such as the acquisition of 21st century skills as central to its implementation. However, in this field of literature a void is presented around experiences of gaming platforms and how engagement can be heightened. To investigate this, an empirical, qualitative study was undertaken, utilising mixed methods and a sample of 6 children aged 10-12. The findings of this study generally supported existing literature. However, there were two emerging themes, the mode of questioning and characterisation through reward mechanisms and avatars which were made sense of, through a synergy between the disciplines of teaching and game-design. These arguments stressed recommendations that if tweaks were made to the way a child is both questioned and rewarded, their engagement would be prolonged, possibly heightening the long-term benefits of DEG’s.

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