Annotated Bibliography on Should educational videogames be used in high schools to motivate students?

List of Sources (Harvard Anglia Ruskin):

Abrams, S. (2009). A gaming frame of mind: digital contexts and academic implications. Educational Media International, 46(4), pp.335-347.

Griffiths, M. (2002). The educational benefits of video games. Education and Health, 20(3), pp.47-51.

Sabella, A. (2010). Negative potential of video games. Florida Gulf Coast University.

Abrams, 2009:

a.      Source:

Abrams, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Adolescent Education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction in the School of Education at St. John’s University in New York. Her research on video gaming focuses on adolescents' identities and practices developed, maintained, and modified. The source is an academic journal which is published in Educational Media Journal, which is a scholarly journal that publishes research, experimental and developmental studies.

b.      Summary of educational videogames be used in high schools to motivate students

Sandra S. Abrams (2009) conducted an experiment, called ‘A gaming frame of mind: digital contexts and academic implications,’ which involved three students who underperformed academically and found it difficult to concentrate and be involved in a traditional learning environment. The study revealed that when students are subjected to video games related to their history lesson, they manage to understand concepts and theories by playing the video game. Their gaming experience improved their understanding of the Second World War drastically by providing them with more distinct details of the battles.

Theses of educational videogames be used in high schools to motivate students

The results of this study show how game-based learning can provide an interactive simulation that makes the syllabus practical and important to them, specifically for those who generally find it challenging to involve themselves in traditional settings.

c.       Evaluations of educational videogames be used in high schools to motivate students

Abrams, from the perspective of a professor in adolescent education, views videogames as a platform for students to understand concepts through practical learning, such as a simulation. By actively experiencing the environment which they are learning about, students are able to grasp concepts better. Abrams proves this theory through the experiment which she conducted, providing sound evidence. This experiment is current because with the evolution of modern technology, it is vital to test theories with use of this technology in order to investigate whether educational videogames are a future possibility.

d.      Links of educational videogames be used in high schools to motivate students

This source extends Griffiths, 2002 by proving the educational benefits of videogames, which Griffiths lists. This source also agrees with Loo, 2014 which describes the academic benefits of educational videogames. The source contradicts Sabella, 2010 as it focuses on the positive qualities of videogames for education and does not consider the negatives.

e.       Reflection of educational videogames be used in high schools to motivate students

This source assists me in understanding my research topic, as it provides evidence that education videogames are a form of practical learning that have the ability to assist students. This will be used in my literature review in order to provide evidence for videogames being beneficial to students. From the perspective of a professor Abrams in adolescent education views videogames are taken as a platform for students to understand concepts through practical learning, such as a simulation by actively experiencing the environment which they are learning about, students are able to grasp concepts better. Abrams proves this theory through the experiment which she conducted, providing sound evidence. The evolution of modern technology is vital to test theories with use of this technology in order to investigate whether educational videogames are a future possibility.