Current state of play: Children’s learning in the context of digital games

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Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health [T32MH019908].

Notes on contributors

Fran C. Blumberg

Fran C. Blumberg is a professor in the Division of Psychological and Educational Services within Fordham University’s Graduate School of Education. Her research concerns the study of children’s problem-solving skills in the context of formal and informal learning settings such as digital game play. She co-organized the first Ethical Games Conference with conference founder Celia Hodent and Sebastian Detterding. Corresponding author: [email protected]

Rachel M. Flynn

Rachel M. Flynn is an assistant professor of child and adolescent development at San Francisco State University. Her primary research examines the impact of digital games on children’s cognitive development. She is interested in studying individual differences factors, such as age, prior exposure, enjoyment, and attention, and game features that differentially impact media effects.

Bruce D. Homer

Bruce D. Homer is a professor of educational psychology at the Graduate Center of CUNY, where he studies the role of digital technologies in children’s lives. His research focuses on social-cognitive development, including theory of mind and executive functions, learning, and children’s wellbeing. Of particular interest is how design features can support development and learning processes in digital contexts, particularly for children with greater needs.

Jakki O. Bailey

Jakki O. Bailey is an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Austin in the School of Information. Dr. Bailey examines the psychological and social impact of immersive and interactive technology on human development. In addition to her academic research and service, Dr. Bailey has advised children’s media company executives and policy makers on the psychological, social, and ethical implications of VR in youth’s lives.

Cassondra M. Eng

Cassondra M. Eng is an NIH-funded T32 sports neuroscience postdoctoral scholar at Stanford University School of Medicine. She investigates the neural mechanisms underlying changes in executive function from active VR interventions with neurodiverse youth. Her interdisciplinary research bridges cognitive neuroscience, learning sciences, developmental psychology, and human-computer interaction to optimize immersive contexts that foster brain and cognitive functioning crucial for academic achievement and over wellbeing.

C. Shawn Green

C. Shawn Green is a professor of psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Cognitive Enhancement and Associate Editor for the journal Technology, Mind, and Behavior. His research focuses on human learning broadly construed, with a particular interest in methods to improve individuals’ perceptual and cognitive skills via either purposefully designed training regimens or commercial off-the-shelf video games.

Michail Giannakos

Michail Giannakos is a professor of interaction design and learning technologies in the Department of Computer Science at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, and the head of the Learner-Computer Interaction Laboratory. His research interests include interaction design, child–computer interaction, learning analytics, and computing education. Giannakos serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction. His work has been awarded multiple best paper awards and distinctions.

Stamatis Papadakis

Stamatis Papadakis is an assistant professor at the Department of Preschool Education, University of Crete, Greece. His expertise lies in educational technology with a specific focus on mobile learning. His research primarily explores mobile learning, particularly leveraging smart mobile devices and associated applications in preschool and primary education.

Douglas A. Gentile

Douglas A. Gentile is distinguished professor of psychology at Iowa State University. He has authored over 150 peer-reviewed scientific journal articles on the positive and negative effects of mass media on youth. He is a fellow of multiple associations, received the distinguished lifetime contributions award to media psychology by the American Psychological Association, and was named one of the Top 300 professors in the U.S. by the Princeton Review.