Teaching Videogames

Newman's aim for the volume was to position videogames both as an object of study in their own right with distinctive contours and qualities, and to provide a case study that could crystallise issues of wider relevance to Media Studies students (e.g. by drawing on the media violence, representations of gender, or models of audience and reception).

Newman was able to identify a number of case studies that highlighted key areas of game studies scholarship that could be used to developed game specific knowledge and draw upon the existing skills and knowledge possessed by students. The case studies, along with the introductory and contextual material, provide an accessible overview of the discipline and traditions of game studies, discuss them in relation to media studies approaches, and present original research upon which to draw. The case study on fan cultures, creativity and productivity, for instance, draws on Newman's current research in this field and presents many of the findings of his Capability Funded project. Second, these principles and areas of research were translated into lesson plans, worksheets and electronic materials that encouraged students to consider, debate and conduct their own research into these issues thereby empowering them as independent learners and embedding their existing scholarly and informal knowledge into the learning process. This required drawing on Newman's learning and teaching research and scholarship as well as close collaboration with his writing and editorial colleagues.

References
Newman, J. (2004, July). 'Serious Fun: Studying Computer and Videogames'. Paper presented at The Media Studies Conference, British Film Institute: London