Representations and Concepts of Borders in Digital Strategy Games and Their Potential for Political Education in Geography Teaching

Abstract

In Germany, 93% of young people between the ages of 10 and 18 play video games daily. Political geography, in particular popular geopolitics, have found that video games can help to establish and develop people’s understanding of geopolitics. Consequently, this affects geography education, providing both challenges and opportunities for teaching. Geography teaching is an integral part of political education as students need to understand how boundaries and territories create spaces with regards to social power and become the object of political conflict. Reflection plays a central role in understanding and deconstructing such spatial constructions. In this article, we examine representations and concepts of borders in digital strategy games and the perception and reflection of these by the players. The results provide an outlook on the potential and the challenges of digital strategy games for political education in geography lessons in secondary schools as well as for teacher training at universities. For this reason, possible approaches for education and training will be outlined on the basis of the results.

How Geogames Can Support Geographical Education?

“…This situation raises the following questions for researchers and geography educators: Educational subject-based game design and implementation; how to use the necessary technology; how to provide widespread and cheap access to these games; how to approach games in pedagogical terms, which games to choose, and teacher training; how games can be updated with feedback, and how necessary cooperation and promotion can be provided; and it raises the questions of how to collect concrete data on learning outcomes of games, and it brings up new research areas. Seidel et al (2020) mentioned that all students may not be able to purchase or access digital games and suggested that these games should be implemented in the classroom under the supervision of a student who is an expert in the game. They stated that if there are no experienced students in the classroom, it is possible to use Let's Play videos on platforms such as YouTube where these games are presented on the Internet.…”

“…They stated that if there are no experienced students in the classroom, it is possible to use Let's Play videos on platforms such as YouTube where these games are presented on the Internet. Seidel et al, (2020) stated that teachers should be aware of the possibilities and challenges of new media, and teachers' media pedagogical support or their pedagogical specialization in media are also important elements in using the learning potential of computer games.…”

“…Indeed considering the studies such as virtual reality games VR-ENGAGE (Virvou, Katsionis, & Manos, 2005), Quest Atlantis applications (Barab, Thomas, Dodge, Carteaux, & Tüzün, 2005), and the application of the Global Village game which about the world continents and countries at the primary school level (Tüzün, Yılmaz-Soylu, Karakuş, Inal, & Kızılkaya, 2009); it was concluded that computer games in geography education increase students' motivation to learn, improve their geographical knowledge and make students active. Seidel, Bettinger, & Budke (2020), noting that 93% of young people between the ages of 10 and 18 in Germany play video games every day; according to them, video games can help create and develop people's understanding of geopolitics in political geography and especially popular geopolitics subjects. Seidel et al (2020)'s work provides insight into the potential and challenges of digital strategy games for politics education in geography classes in secondary schools and teacher training in universities.…”

“…Seidel, Bettinger, & Budke (2020), noting that 93% of young people between the ages of 10 and 18 in Germany play video games every day; according to them, video games can help create and develop people's understanding of geopolitics in political geography and especially popular geopolitics subjects. Seidel et al (2020)'s work provides insight into the potential and challenges of digital strategy games for politics education in geography classes in secondary schools and teacher training in universities.…”

“…The three important concepts that have emerged in digital game classifications in recent years are location-based mobile games, pervasive games, and serious games. Although entertainment and leisure activities are at the forefront of digital games, the fondness of children and young people for digital games (Seidel et al, 2020) encouraged educators to seek innovative learning strategies that blend entertainment with education. As a result of the understanding that game technology can provide an entertainment framework in which serious content can be embedded, serious games have emerged as a separate genre in the world of interactive media (Ratan & Ritterfeld, 2009).…”