2013 Summit Programme - The Centre for Excellence in Media ...

Friday 20th 11.30 - 12.15. Cantor Atrium
Can digital games be developed for the social and emotional
learning of children
Philip Wilkinson
Educational games are now common place in the classroom. Similarly as the lives of children
are becoming increasingly screen-centric, there is a growing industry seeking to alleviate the
concerns of parents through the production of educational content. Although the efficacy of educational
games is still debated in academia, there is an interest in the use of gaming elements in
the social and emotional development of children. This is the focus of my research; answering the
question can we develop digital games for the social and emotional learning of children Through
exploration of multiple areas of academic enquiry from affective computing to development psychology,
it is my aim to understand how digital games affect children’s mental representations
of themselves and others. As such this poster will present insights I have uncovered through my
engagement with academic literature, educational practice and commercial production of digital
games.
poster presentations
Keywords: affective education, game-based learning.
Philip Wilkinson is a doctoral student at Bournemouth University researching the developing
of digital games for the social and emotional, funded by the Centre for Digital Entertainment,
working with industrial partners and supported by Centre for Excellence in Media Practice.
Media Education Summit 2013 47