The purpose of this non-positivistic mixed-methods study is to examine parental attitudes towards the use of computer and video games in their child’s classroom and to investigate how the sociocultural contexts in which parents live affect those attitudes. The research was conducted using a mixed-methods triangulation design, including both quantitative and qualitative techniques. First, the study tried to identify which groups of parents were better positioned to accept and support digital game-based learning and which groups were less likely to have a positive attitude toward integrating digital games into the classroom. This study tried to determine if socioeconomic status, age, education level, and/or cultural background could serve as a predictor of parental attitudes toward digital game-based learning. Second, the study tried to recognize how social and cultural contexts in which parents live affect their attitudes toward digital games in the classroom. Many researchers agree that parents play an important role in students’ and eventually, educators’ attitudes toward gaming. It has been argued that if parents accept a certain non-traditional (digital) learning tool, then their children would most likely have a similar attitude toward it. Parents might be the support system that educators need in order to ensure that students are able to see the educational value of video games and are willing to think critically and draw connections between what they learn in a gaming environment and core subject areas.

Digitala spel som komplement i undervisningen har blivit allt vanligare med åren. Inte minst inom matematiken finns det en ansenlig mängd digitala lärspel som syftar till att stärka elevernas kunskapsutveckling och bidra till en lustfylld lärmiljö. Syftet med detta examensarbete var att ta reda på hur elever och lärare uppfattar effekter på lärandet och elevers motivation till ämnet matematik när digitala spel används i matematikundervisningen. För att ta reda på detta intervjuades 20 elever och 2 lärare i en årskurs 2. Därtill sammanställdes enkätsvar från 16 yrkesverksamma lärare som svarat på frågor om hur de upplever lärande genom digitala spel i matematikundervisningen. Intervjuerna transkriberades och sammanfattades, enkätsvaren sammanställdes och tillsammans presenterar dem den data som uppkommit under denna undersökning. Resultaten visade att digitala spel i matematikundervisningen påverkar elevernas motivation för ämnet matematik. Resultaten visar även en ganska svag tillit till digitala spels förmåga att utveckla elevernas kunskapsinlärning inom matematik.

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This dissertation considers digital games and simulations as complex systems of information representation and explores their specific aspects influencing the process of knowledge acquisition. It focuses on process of mental model creation, information behavior and situational emotional and cognitive engagement. The methodological approach is grounded in variety of disciplines including information science, educational science, new media studies and computer science. The main method used is educational experiment. The use of digital game-based and non-digital game-based educational intervention is compared to similar program based on traditional schooling methods and classic lectures. The experiment outcomes are divided into four large segments exploring influence of digital games on process of mental models creation, motivation for future information behavior, situational emotional experience and social interaction.