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Fun and games in higher education: an analysis of UK student perspectives

Whitton, Nicola; Langan, Mark

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Authors

Mark Langan



Abstract

In an increasingly neoliberal Higher Education sector, there is increased pressure on institutions to enhance learner engagement and student satisfaction. Many academics believe that students expect their university learning experiences to be enjoyable, and discourses of game-based learning reflect this, with a dominant narrative highlighting the fun of educational games. Whether students expect learning to be fun or see a relationship between fun and games is under-explored. To address this, we investigated student perceptions of fun in Higher Education using a thematic network analysis based on data from 37 in-depth interviews with undergraduate students. Here, we highlight five themes that encapsulate what students perceive to be a fun learning experience: stimulating pedagogy; lecturer engagement; a safe learning space; shared experience; and a low-stress environment. These aspects are not unique to games, and we conclude by considering the relationship between educational games and fun, and alternative playful approaches.

Citation

Whitton, N., & Langan, M. (2019). Fun and games in higher education: an analysis of UK student perspectives. Teaching in Higher Education, 24(8), 1000-1013. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2018.1541885

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Oct 19, 2018
Online Publication Date Nov 8, 2018
Publication Date 2019
Deposit Date Jun 18, 2019
Publicly Available Date May 8, 2020
Journal Teaching in Higher Education
Print ISSN 1356-2517
Electronic ISSN 1470-1294
Publisher Taylor and Francis Group
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 24
Issue 8
Pages 1000-1013
DOI https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2018.1541885
Public URL https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1328488

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