The Fusion of Literacy and Games: A Case Study in Assessing the Goals of a Library Video Game Program

Recent developments suggest video games will be critical tools for engaging twenty-first-century learners. One indication of this shift is the growing number of video game clubs being instituted in libraries across the country. Participant observation was conducted on a library’s video game club to determine the impact it made in the lives of the youth and to evaluate how the program met its goals. Using a grounded theory framework, data were analyzed for dimensions and themes related to the program’s two primary goals: improved learning and improved behavior. Three overarching themes emerged from the data analysis: staff, game club members, and assessment. Staff had a positive impact on youth using their strengths to create an innovative game program. Game club members improved academic, life, and game skills through game club interactions. Library video game programs have unique opportunities as informal learning environments. These programs have the potential to reengage disinterested learners in the educational process through a reward-based system of play. In addition to tracking attendance information, newer assessment tools could explore reading, library anxiety, and information literacy. Video game programs might be improved with respect to measuring literacy and learning. This case study builds on the foundation of previous work by suggesting additional measures that programs might track.