While video gaming has pervaded society, dearth research exists investigating the ramifications of incorporating sport video gaming into sport-based physical activity courses. The purpose of this study was two-fold: 1) Determine whether direct instruction or video gaming (or a combination of both) is more effective in learning about a new sport; and 2) Examine to what extent does physically playing or playing a sport video game (or a combination of both) impact one’s intention to want to watch or physically play the sport in the future. This study employed a mixed methods pre/mid/post intervention design with two quasi-experimental groups. Participants included two classes of American university students with little prior knowledge of cricket enrolled in a “Global Games” course.
Data was collected across two semesters with students enrolled in this course. During the first semester of data collection, participants first took a demographics questionnaire and cricket pre-test. This “Video Gaming First” (VGF; n = 17) group then played two 50-minute sessions of the video game Don Bradman Cricket, and then took a cricket mid-test. Next, participants partook in two 50-minute direct instruction physical activity lessons on cricket and then took the cricket post-test. Finally, the group participated in a 50-minute focus group session. The subsequent semester, to account for the order effect, all methods were replicated with the second class, except the two video gaming sessions were preceded by the two direction instruction sessions for this “Direct Instruction First” (DIF; n = 17) group. Results indicated that cricket knowledge significantly increased for the VGF from mid-test to post-test (p < .05, η2 = 0.71), while the pre-test to mid-test did not significantly differ. For the DIF group, there was a significant increase in cricket knowledge from pre-test to mid-test (p < .05, η2 = 0.77), while the mid-test to post-test did not significantly differ. No significant results were found regarding future intention to play or watch cricket. Overall, findings indicated that both groups significantly increased cricket knowledge from direct instruction but not from the cricket video gaming. However, while not statistically significant, the video game sessions did further increase cricket knowledge. Higher education physical activity course instructors may consider using a combination of video games and traditional instruction to teach sports to beginners, but the amount of video gaming equipment available and student training on how to use it should be considered.
While video gaming has pervaded society, dearth research exists investigating the ramifications of incorporating sport video gaming into sport-based physical activity courses. The purpose of this study was two-fold: 1) Determine whether direct instruction or video gaming (or a combination of both) is more effective in learning about a new sport; and 2) Examine to what extent does physically playing or playing a sport video game (or a combination of both) impact one’s intention to want to watch or physically play the sport in the future. This study employed a mixed methods pre/mid/post intervention design with two quasi-experimental groups. Participants included two classes of American university students with little prior knowledge of cricket enrolled in a “Global Games” course.
Data was collected across two semesters with students enrolled in this course. During the first semester of data collection, participants first took a demographics questionnaire and cricket pre-test. This “Video Gaming First” (VGF; n = 17) group then played two 50-minute sessions of the video game Don Bradman Cricket, and then took a cricket mid-test. Next, participants partook in two 50-minute direct instruction physical activity lessons on cricket and then took the cricket post-test. Finally, the group participated in a 50-minute focus group session. The subsequent semester, to account for the order effect, all methods were replicated with the second class, except the two video gaming sessions were preceded by the two direction instruction sessions for this “Direct Instruction First” (DIF; n = 17) group. Results indicated that cricket knowledge significantly increased for the VGF from mid-test to post-test (p < .05, η2 = 0.71), while the pre-test to mid-test did not significantly differ. For the DIF group, there was a significant increase in cricket knowledge from pre-test to mid-test (p < .05, η2 = 0.77), while the mid-test to post-test did not significantly differ. No significant results were found regarding future intention to play or watch cricket. Overall, findings indicated that both groups significantly increased cricket knowledge from direct instruction but not from the cricket video gaming. However, while not statistically significant, the video game sessions did further increase cricket knowledge. Higher education physical activity course instructors may consider using a combination of video games and traditional instruction to teach sports to beginners, but the amount of video gaming equipment available and student training on how to use it should be considered.