To Game or Not to Game? How Using Massively Multiplayer Online Games Helped Motivation and Performance in a College Writing Course: A Mixed Methods Study

Abstract

The use of Massively Multiplayer Online Games or MMOGs is receiving attention in the educational world due to increased availability of such games, a growing consumer base, and the proven benefits of video games as engagement tools. MMOGs that have been known to possess a significantly high capacity to keep users involved over sustained periods, which gives them the potential to enhance learning experiences and performances. However, most available studies on MMOGs do not discuss relationships between MMOG use and performance outcomes in Higher Education. Additionally, majority of such studies focus on examining a single MMOG, providing limited scopes of understanding the benefits of multiple MMOGs as educational tools. Using a sample of 32 students, this mixed-methods study investigates and supports how inserting MMOGs within an undergraduate Online English Composition section helped improve learners’ performance and engagement. Practitioner and future research implications are also discussed.