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The aim of this systematic literature review is to examine the empirical evidence within the field of Digital Game-based Learning (DGBL) concerning teachers’ beliefs and experiences about digital games in relation to the different barriers that prevent them from using them in the classroom. The search yielded a total of 152 results, from which a total of 27 articles were included in the present study. A thematic analysis was used to interpret the data which led to the formation of a variety of codes, sub-themes, and themes. The results go into detail into all of these, detailing different intrinsic and extrinsic barriers, teachers’ positive and negative beliefs in conjunction with the influence of demographic factors as well as education. The discussion is based on the relationships that arose between the themes and sub-themes which is further supplemented by the theories on beliefs and barriers in relation to technology integration which are presented in the background section. The results show that there is a bi-directional relationship between teachers’ beliefs and the barriers they face in the use of digital games in education as compounding barriers lead to or exacerbate negative beliefs while positive beliefs can lead to certain barriers being overcome. Both pre-service education and professional development have proven successful in improving teacher beliefs and confidence, however, the influence of extrinsic barriers results in many teachers believing that the use of digital games is too difficult or impossible in practice. Finally, the influence of demographic factors such as age, gender, and experience are discussed, with the latter being especially influential in terms of teachers’ beliefs.

The impact of the learner flow experience (LFE) on learning outcomes has been studied for over four decades in a variety of formal and informal instructional settings, including the digital game-based learning (DGBL) environment. Since 2011, the examination of the LFE and its impact on learning outcomes has expanded to computer science-related disciplines, as well as other research communities. During this expansion, an increase in the number and definitions of terms related to the LFE has occurred. Likewise, the number of assessment tools used to capture evidence of the flow experience in learners playing DGBLs has increased. This integrative review examined 66 peer-reviewed articles published between 2011 and 2021, which reported the results of empirical studies seeking to identify and measure the learner experience of flow during DGBL gameplay. More specifically, this study sought to understand how the LFE and its dimensions were conceptualized and assessed in those articles. To do this, the relevant data was extracted from the articles, and, via iterative processes of analyses, the information related to the conceptualization and assessment of the LFE during DGBL game play was identified, analyzed, and organized. The study's findings demonstrated that the number of terms used to describe the LFE dimensions increased during the time period studied, and that there is seemingly little consensus with regard to the conceptualization of the terms or their use in the assessment instruments applied. However, this study also revealed that these terms and the methods by which they were assessed may be examined within the theoretical structure defined by Csikszentmihalyi in 1990, in which he codified nine dimensions to explain the flow experience. These dimensions are: (1) balance of skills and challenge; (2) clear goals; (3) swift, unambiguous feedback; (4) merging of action and awareness; (5) concentration on the task at hand; (6) sense of control; (7) distorted sense of time; (8) loss of ego; and (9) autotelic experience. Organizing the research question findings within this structure enabled the identification of themes of and synonyms for the nine flow dimensions with the addition of the construct flow experience. To encourage future researchers' ability to interpret, compare, and contrast studies of the experience of the LFE during gameplay in the DGBL learning environment, a set of researcher guides was developed following an iterative process of comparisons and analysis across the research questions' findings. These guides present a description of each of the flow dimensions, associated key words and/or key phrases, synonyms for the dimension, and statements or questions used to solicit information from learners regarding their experience of each of the flow dimensions, organized by theorist. The goal for these researcher guides is that they will be used as references for future studies of the impact of flow on learning outcomes for DGBL players through providing a common vocabulary and set of assessment items. They also may help encourage and enhance collaboration between instructional designers and DGBL game designers in creating effective DGBLs that increase learning or user engagement and enjoyment through the fostering of conditions that enable the LFE phenomenon. / Doctor of Philosophy / Many adults recall losing track of time during play as children. Achieving the feeling of being in "the zone" during play or competition was anticipated and relished. As adults, the desire to recapture that state of being blissfully unaware of time, focused only in the moment and free from any concerns frequently drives sales of sporting equipment, leisure activities, and electronically-based games. This experience, called the flow state, can happen when engaging in a wide variety of activities, including learning. Research has shown that if a student reaches the flow state while learning, they learn more and derive greater satisfaction throughout the learning process. This has also been found to be the case for students engaging with digital game-based learning (DGBL) applications. But how do we know if a DGBL player has entered the flow state? Researchers in the fields of instructional design and game design have asked and sought to answer this very question. This study examined the works of these researchers to understand specifically how the flow state was defined and measured in their studies. As a result of this study, researcher guides were created to explain how the learner flow experience and its component dimensions are identified and described, as well as to provide questions that could be posed to students to help evaluate if the flow state was achieved during DGBL gameplay. The goal for these guides is that they will be used as references for future studies of the impact of flow on learning outcomes for DGBL players through providing a common vocabulary and set of assessment items. They also may help encourage and enhance collaboration between instructional designers and DGBL game designers to create effective, enjoyable games for learning.

In a digitalized world, learners from the 21st century prefer game-like lessons instead of traditional methods that are preferred by teachers according to previous studies. Creating a fun and engaging environment in the classroom is not an easy task for the teachers. In this study, primary school teachers’ attitudes toward game-based learning are investigated together with the challenges and barriers they encounter when using digital games when teaching English as a second language in a Swedish classroom. A mixed method was used in this study. 30 teachers participated in the online survey and three pre-service teachersfrom public and private primary schools participated in the semi-structured interview in Sweden. The results of this study agree with the findings of previous studies. Teachers are generally very positive to implementing digital games into English language learning and admit the positive effect digital games contribute to the students’ engagement and motivation of learning English. However, due to the challenges teachers encounter with digital games, such as lack of time, knowledge, suitable games, and costs, teachers find it difficult to implement digital game-based learning in their English language teaching.

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.

In the current study, we synthesize recent research on digital game-based learning and itspotential effect on the speaking and interaction skills of young learners of English as a secondlanguage. Various relevant studies enlisting different methodologies are reviewed todetermine how digital games affect speaking and interaction skills and the role of motivationin the process. A common conclusion from the reviewed results is that digital games motivatelearners to develop their speaking and interaction skills. In addition, the studies reveal thatlearners who play digital games tend to have a higher level of proficiency.

Interest in the use of digital games in education has been increasing over the past few decades. Advocates argue that digital games are powerful learning tools with the potential to support increased motivational, cognitive, behavioural, affective, physiological and social outcomes. However, empirical evidence for their effectiveness is mixed. Research has focused primarily on measuring the effect of games on learning in researcher-controlled experiments, whilst relatively less attention has been paid to the role of teachers. The thesis addresses the research gap by investigating how teachers in Swedish compulsory and upper secondary schools use digital games on their own initiative and how they develop their competencies. It also considers the challenges they face. Data from in-depth qualitative interviews and a mixed method survey are used to investigate the research questions. Both the data collection and analysis have been informed by activity theory. This is also used to problematise the adaptation of digital games as teaching and learning tools. In addition, the analysis explores teachers´ self-reported activities in relation to their disposition towards digital games. The findings show that a diversity of digital games and gamification tools have found a foothold in Swedish classrooms. The participating teachers are interested in introducing and further developing digital game-based approaches, though there are limitations in their use of gaming resources and the extent to which they can leverage these to achieve educational outcomes. The research identifies and discusses four general categories of teachers: non-game users, sceptics, curious adopters and advanced adopters. Results indicate that the more positive disposition of game-using teachers tends to be related to a higher level of pedagogical integration, a greater variety of game use, and a wider range of educational outcomes, as well as an interest in professional development. Digital game-based learning is often understood as the use of gamification tools in the form of quizzes, whereas complex games and longer gameplay are less typical. Whilst most teachers agree on the motivational benefits of digital games, not as many perceive them as effective in teaching new knowledge and cognitive skills. The introduction of digital games is hampered by the lack of access to relevant and good-quality products, financial resources, preparation time and adequate technology, as well as contextualised and flexible forms of professional development. These challenges hint at deeper issues with preexisting education structures. Future research should have a twofold focus: the development of adequate game resources that can support collaborative forms of learning and higher-level skills, and flexible and contextualised competence-development solutions for teachers which are relevant to their needs. The thesis contributes to the current literature by mapping the landscape of digital game-based learning in Swedish compulsory and upper secondary schools. It provides a nuanced understanding of the perspectives of teachers on digital game use and the opportunities and challenges presented by digital game-based learning.

Schools in general have been digitized to a large extent and the inclusion of digital tools is becoming more and more common. The purpose of this study is to find out what different studies say about the inclusion of digital games-based learning and the impact they have on students' vocabulary learning and motivation in English teaching. It’ll also mention where the different studies have been implemented and which methods have been used. The method used in this study is a literature review that has been collected from ERIC (EBSCO), JSROR, ERIC (ProQuest), and IEEE Explore. The results showed that the implementation of digital games-based learning focusing on vocabulary learning motivates students to learn and improves their English language more than analog learning. It has also been shown that digital games have been effective in developing students' English language skills. This is because the students experience learning as enjoyable, unlike analog teaching where they feel analog learning takes place within a strict framework. The conclusion of this study shows that the students gain increased motivation and interest in learning English as a foreign/second language through digital games.

The research reported here is a qualitative case study aimed to identify the position of digital game-based learning (DGBL) in the public and private preschools of Stockholm. The research is placed within the broader framework of digital game-based learning and the practical implementation of digital games in education, while the emphasis of the study is given to the role of the teachers in the practical implementation of digital games into the classroom. The research examines the attitude of the teachers towards digital games and investigates the role of these attitudes in the implementation of DGBL. The empirical findings of the study are analyzed and discussed through the prism of the existing literature on the field.The study shows that the perception of teachers on digital games and on the use of technology in early childhood education is the main factor that influences the implementation of digital games in preschools. The attitudes of the teachers can be distinguished in two categories: the positive teachers and the sceptical teachers. Furthermore, there are several other barriers that prevent the spreading of DGBL in the education institutions. Regardless of the teachers’ stance and the existing barriers, teachers are aware of the existence of digital games applicable to the early childhood education and many of them do make use of them. In this study, the ways of implementation of the digital games are also presented. However, teachers do not discuss digital games with the parents, while the discussion among colleagues is limited. The lack of information and appropriate training reveal a gap between the research community and the educational practice of DGBL.

Games are increasingly becoming a powerful and effective tool for training. The use of games as a training tool increase intrinsic motivation which enhances learning. This study concerns why people play and why they continue play. The study consists of two parts; a focus group and a web questionnaire. The results suggest that people prefer playing together with others, and that they play mainly because of entertainment, fellowship and pastime. Results also show that the participants come to an agreement of five different characteristics a game must have in order for the participants to play; a pleasant game feeling  i.e.- effects like sounds, characters and environments, variation in tasks, successively increased difficulty, a exciting story and that the game must be understandable. These findings are important because these are factors that game designers must take into consider when designing training games. After all, entertainment and intrinsic motivation in games is some of the general reasons why people play and why they learn, and therefore, a game only designed for training is doomed to fail.