Good luck have fun: The need for video game pedagogy in teacher education

Abstract

In education, the shift to emergency remote teaching found teachers working to increase student engagement in the online environment while still relying on face‐to‐face pedagogical approaches in the absence of sufficient Professional Development opportunities (DeCoito & Estaiteyeh, 2022). In response to the growing interest in video games in education, this article reconsiders the data collected for a single case of primary/junior preservice teachers (PTs) enrolled in a science education methods classroom to answer (a) How can video games be used as a learning object in a teacher education program? (b) How does using a video game in a science education class impact PTs' intent and understanding of using video games in their future classroom? (c) How PTs can be supported to understand how video games can be used? Results found video games acted as significant springboards for learning as PTs worked together to make meaning of STEM and reflected—both during and after gameplay—on video game use with their future students. Additionally, exposure to digital game‐based learning increased both intent and confidence of using video games as deep learning objects for their future classrooms. Recommendations and implications are discussed regarding the introduction and integration of video games in a teacher education program.