Adventures with Anxiety: Gender bias in using a digital game for teaching vocational English

Abstract

Background

In Norway, games were introduced into the 2020 English curriculum; acknowledging games as language learning resources alongside other text-based material. However, little is known about the type of games selected by English teachers, reasons for doing so, or how games are actually used in teaching. This is particularly relevant in gendered vocational classes, with mainly girls or boys respectively in different programmes, as national surveys show that while most teenage boys play digital games, comparatively few girls do.

Objectives

The primary aim was to investigate how the digital commercial game Adventures with Anxiety was used during naturally occurring English teaching in four gendered vocational classes: one Technological and Industrial Production class (boys only) and three Healthcare, Childhood and Youth development classes (girls mainly).

Methods

Participants involved 36 students (aged 16–17) and two English teachers. Using a mixed methods design (Brevik, 2022), we combined quantitative and qualitative analyses of classroom video recordings (5.5 h), student screen recordings during gameplay (8 h) and retrospective teacher interviews (1.5 h). Analyses relied on the validated PLATO observation protocol (Grossman, 2015) and reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2022).

Results and Conclusions

English teachers expressed a dual aim in using the game for teaching English; to improve students' language skills and provide experiences of how to live with anxiety. Although the game offered relevant vocabulary and virtual experiences with anxiety; anxiety emerged as a professional component of caring professions in the girls-mainly classes, while being used to help boys acknowledge anxiety in their own lives.