Syftet med studien är att undersöka elevers uppfattningar om Massive Multiplayer Online-spels (MMO-spel) inverkan på engelskkunskaper. Studien, likt tidigare forskning inom om-rådet, grundar sig i ett sociokulturellt perspektiv. En kvalitativ metod i form av semistruk-turerade intervjuer har använts för att intervjua deltagare i årskurs 6. Följande frågeställ-ningar har legat som grund för studien: Hur beskriver elever sitt eget och klasskamraters spelande av MMO-spel i förhållande till engelskinlärning? Hur beskriver elever att de och andra lär sig engelska i MMO-spel? Hur ser elever på MMO-spel som ett möjligt verktyg för språkinlärning i engelskundervisning?Intervjuerna analyserades med en fenomenografiskt inspirerad modell i sju steg för att få fram ett resultat. Resultatet visar att eleverna är medvetna om MMO-spels inverkan på eng-elskkunskaper. Medvetenheten hos deltagarna berör inte enbart utvecklingen av engelsk-kunskaper utan även spelvanor och vad i spelen det är som utvecklar engelska. Resultatet visar även att eleverna påstår att det är den sociala sidan i spelen som utvecklar och inte själva spelandet. Flertalet av deltagarna är skeptiska till en potentiell användning av MMO-spel i engelskundervisningen. / The purpose of this study is to inquire into the perceptions of the influence which Massive Multiplayer Online games (MMOs) have on the English language skills of those who play them. This study, like other studies in the same field, departs from a sociocultural perspec-tive. This qualitative study employed semi-structured interviews with participants aged be-tween 12 and 13. The study asked the following questions: How do participants perceive the influence MMOs have on their own and others’ English? How do participants describe the experience of learning English through MMOs? How do participants regard the idea of using MMOs as a tool for English language teaching in a formal educational setting?The interviews were analysed with a fenomenographically inspired model to find a result. The results indicate that participants are aware of the impact MMOs have on their English language skills. This awareness encompassed not only the improvement of English lan-guage skills, but also an awareness of their gaming habits and how they also improve English language skills. Furthermore, participants perceived that it is the social aspect of MMOs which improves English skills, as opposed to the game play mechanics. The majority of the participants are, however, skeptical of the use of MMOs in formal English education.

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The possibility of co-creation exists for all media, but game design has developed a culture that is unusually open to co-creation. This dissertation investigates significant cases of co-creation in mainstream games in order to explore how games can be co-created as alternative or critical media by their players. The core argument in the dissertation is that players co-create the design of a game only if certain conditions are met, namely: (1) player creation of a text or communication infrastructure that modifies the properties of the game and from which play emerges; (2) that this is done for a considerable group of players who share a particular practice of play; (3) that this is done not only by playing the game but by changing how others play it in a distinct creative activity, and (4), with the potential to subvert or contest the original design of the game. This situation where player creators have influence over the design of the game (but little power to enforce their interests) is problematic from the perspective of alternative or critical media, as alternative, local, production is seen as one reason for why a medium can have an alternative message. The industrial production of games as cultural commodities does limit the potential of co-creative game design for subversion because it reduces the level of participation in the creation process, thus keeping player creators relatively disempowered. Player creators do have influence on the design of the game, while at the same time having very little power to enforce their interests and design visions. The influence of player creators comes from the consumer power of millions of players who use co-created assets and who want to them to continue exiting, and this creates a mutually dependent relationship (and even partnership), between co-creators and commercial owners. The dissertation concludes that co-creative game design, despite limitations related to the industrial production of games as cultural commodities, is already happening, and shows a potential for turning games into alternative media.

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