On 11 April 2024, The Game-n-Science Institute and DiGRA-K hosted the “2024 Game-n-Science Sympo... more On 11 April 2024, The Game-n-Science Institute and DiGRA-K hosted the “2024 Game-n-Science Symposium: Understanding Esports in the Post-digital Era” on-site at Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea. Among the entities that endorsed the academic event were the Yonsei University Esports Lab, the Korea e-Sports Association (KeSPA), Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, and the Esports Research Network (ERN). ERN Board Member Yaewon Jin, Ph.D., (Yonsei University, The Game-n-Science Institute) facilitated in organizing the symposium, while ERN Board Chair Tobias Scholz, Ph.D., (University of Agder, Norway) gave the keynote presentation titled: “Esports for Transferable Skills Development in Post-digital World.” ERN member Miia Siutila (Aalto University, Finland) and Rune Andersen (University of Agder, Norway) were also in attendance. The conference was bi-lingual in Korean and English.
The purpose of this article is for the editors to solicit interest from esports SCHOLARS and espo... more The purpose of this article is for the editors to solicit interest from esports SCHOLARS and esports INDUSTRY personnel who would like to be considered for writing, co-writing, or peer reviewing chapters in this book.
Sport and Physical Culture in Global Pandemic Times , 2023
From an outside perspective, it may be believed that the video gaming and esports industry thrive... more From an outside perspective, it may be believed that the video gaming and esports industry thrived during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns due the capacity for online gaming and many media reports citing surging player and viewer statistics. However, little attention was paid to actual economic ramifications of the pandemic, particularly with mid-size and smaller esports-related companies. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the pandemic’s economic impact on the esports industry, taking into account varying types of stakeholders (i.e., primary esports activities performed, legal status, business size). An online survey was disseminated to esports industry stakeholders in France (n = 86 complete responses). Overall, 89.5% of the sample reported the pandemic negatively impacted income, demonstrating an estimated French esports loss of revenue between 13% and 26% compared to the previous year, primarily explained by event cancellations and sponsorship losses. Discussed findings reveal areas that may facilitate the sustainability of the esports industry and related stakeholders.
Background: Participation in esports (excluding active video games) has raised concerns due to it... more Background: Participation in esports (excluding active video games) has raised concerns due to its sedentary nature and the potential negative effects this may have on player health. As well, research suggests that physical activity (PA)/exercise improves specific cognitive skills that have been identified as positive contributors to esports performance. The aim of this systematic review was to assess whether evidence supports that PA/exercise positively impacts esports player performance. Methods: The systematic literature search comprised PubMed, SPORTDiscus, PsycINFO, and Web of Science up until March 31, 2022. An additional search included reference list searching, citation searching, and hand searching. Results: Emerging evidence suggests that PA/exercise as an intervention may have a positive effect on esports performance. While it appears that the majority of esports players believe PA/exercise to be beneficial to esports performance, only a minority currently undertake PA/exercise for the purpose of improving esports performance. Conclusion: Although further controlled experimental research is necessary, results highlight that PA/exercise may positively correlate with esports performance. These effects are consistent with the majority of player perceptions that PA/exercise is beneficial to esports performance. Qualified fitness and health professionals should be utilized to implement training to enhance esports performance, improve health, and extend player career length.
The two-pronged purpose of this study was to determine: 1) whether playing a sedentary sport vide... more The two-pronged purpose of this study was to determine: 1) whether playing a sedentary sport video game (SSVG) is more effective than traditional hands-on instruction in learning a new sport, and 2) whether playing a SSVG motivated the future viewing or playing intentions of the authentic sport. A mixed-method multi-phase intervention was conducted with two quasi-experimental groups. Participants (n = 38) were college students enrolled in an undergraduate physical activity course with little prior knowledge of rugby. The first semester of data collection included the Instruction First (IF; n = 19) group taking a rugby pre-test, performing two rugby instruction sessions, taking a mid-test, performing two rugby gaming sessions, taking a post-test, and finished with a focus group session. The next semester, the Video Gaming First (GF; n = 19) group replicated these procedures, but the order of gaming and instruction sessions were switched. Results indicated the gaming sessions alone significantly (p <.05) increased overall rugby knowledge test scores for the GF group. Focus group findings revealed the SSVG motivated intentions to watch rugby, but not to physically play it. Overall, SSVGs might be used to augment, but certainly not replace, traditional sport instruction.
Exergaming technologies have emerged in physical education in recent years as an attempt at revit... more Exergaming technologies have emerged in physical education in recent years as an attempt at revitalizing physical activity levels among youth. Research on the effects of exergaming is increasing; however, there is no research on practicing physical education teachers' implementation in the United States. Studies indicate that physical educators have low levels of confidence with regard to technology integration, particularly exergames. Due to exergaming technology's potential impact, it is essential to understand the extent to which physical education teachers implement these technologies. Self-efficacy beliefs, influenced by prior experiences, are powerful motives of behavior. Thus, grounded in self-efficacy theory, this study investigated pedagogical exergaming experiences, attitudes, and self-efficacy beliefs of a nationwide sample of U.S. kindergarten through 12th-grade physical education teachers. Study participants included 402 in-service physical education teachers from 35 states who completed the online Physical Educators’ Exergaming Technology Integration, Attitudes, and Self-Efficacy Inventory. Participants reported moderate to high levels of attitude and self-efficacy beliefs, and Pearson correlation coefficients suggested strong, positive relationships between attitude and self-efficacy beliefs (r = .56, n = 402, p < .001) toward integrating exergaming technology in PE. Teachers’ prior exergaming integration into PE experiences was positive overall, yet limited because of barriers such as budget, equipment, training, and administrative support. Overall, results suggest that physical education teachers feel confident and have positive attitudes toward implementing exergaming in physical education, with self-efficacy regarding implementing exergaming in PE correlating strongest with prior successful mastery experience.
International Journal of Human Movement Science, Aug 2022
While video gaming has pervaded society, dearth research exists investigating the ramifications o... more While video gaming has pervaded society, dearth research exists investigating the ramifications of incorporating sport video gaming into sport-based physical activity courses. The purpose of this study was two-fold: 1) Determine whether direct instruction or video gaming (or a combination of both) is more effective in learning about a new sport; and 2) Examine to what extent does physically playing or playing a sport video game (or a combination of both) impact one's intention to want to watch or physically play the sport in the future. This study employed a mixed methods pre/mid/post intervention design with two quasi-experimental groups. Participants included two classes of American university students with little prior knowledge of cricket enrolled in a “Global Games” course. Data was collected across two semesters with students enrolled in this course. During the first semester of data collection, participants first took a demographics questionnaire and cricket pre-test. This “Video Gaming First” (VGF; n = 17) group then played two 50-minute sessions of the video game Don Bradman Cricket, and then took a cricket mid-test. Next, participants partook in two 50-minute direct instruction physical activity lessons on cricket and then took the cricket post-test. Finally, the group participated in a 50-minute focus group session. The subsequent semester, to account for the order effect, all methods were replicated with the second class, except the two video gaming sessions were preceded by the two direction instruction sessions for this “Direct Instruction First” (DIF; n = 17) group.2 = 0.71), while the pre-test to mid-test did not significantly differ. For the DIF group, there was a significant increase in cricket knowledge from pre-test to mid-test (p < .05, η 2= 0.77), while the mid-test to post-test did not significantly differ. No significant results were found regarding future intention to play or watch cricket. Overall, findings indicated that both groups significantly increased cricket knowledge from direct instruction but not from the cricket video gaming. However, while not statistically significant, the video game sessions did further increase cricket knowledge. Higher education physical activity course instructors may consider using a combination of video games and traditional instruction to teach sports to beginners, but the amount of video gaming equipment available and student training on how to use it should be considered.
This study aims to discuss the purpose of higher education esports academic programs, offer the f... more This study aims to discuss the purpose of higher education esports academic programs, offer the first known comprehensive worldwide inventory, and conduct a comparative content analysis of their curricula. Data was collected through structured internet searches, global esports academic research networks, and personal correspondence. Underpinned by Diffusion of Innovations Theory&#39;s construct of innovation adoption (Rogers, 2003), data was analyzed through a systematic iterative comparative content analysis. Findings revealed 95 esports bachelor&#39;s degree, master&#39;s degree, technical degree (i.e., diploma), certificate, or undergraduate minor programs delivered by 74 higher education institutions, primarily located in North America and Europe. The vast majority of these programs (80%) focused on esports business (e.g., management, marketing) and, on average, these programs required 5.7 (SD = 3.4; range 1-15) esports-specific courses (i.e., modules). Moreover, findings also revealed that there are at least 16 other higher education institutions that provide stand-alone esports courses that do not also offer esports academic programs. Current trends and ideas around esports content being taught and career opportunities regarding future directions of esports academic curriculum are presented. Program content and structure discussed are important for esports industry job hiring decision-makers, prospective esports students, esports faculty members, esports researchers, and higher education administrators.
International Journal of Technology in Teaching and Learning
With the increase of childhood obesity and sedentary behavior, it is essential to discover innova... more With the increase of childhood obesity and sedentary behavior, it is essential to discover innovative ways to motivate youth to be more active. Many Hispanic children in the United States in obesogenic environments particularly lack opportunities for physical activity (PA). Exergames (i.e., motion-based video games) may enhance PA among at-risk populations. This study investigated the impact of exergaming on at-risk, Hispanic high school students with respect to physical activity self-efficacy (PA-SE), PA enjoyment, and intention to be physically active through a 10-week Exergaming Activity Program. Instrumentation included the PA-SE Questionnaire and the PA Enjoyment Scale. Paired-samples t-tests, confirmed by Wilcoxon signed rank tests for paired data, revealed that PA-SE, PA enjoyment, and PA intention increased from the beginning to the end of the program, but PA intention was the only measure that was statistically significant. Results provide insight for physical educators and...
A coaching philosophy is a personal doctrine, or individual set of experiences and values, that g... more A coaching philosophy is a personal doctrine, or individual set of experiences and values, that guides a coach's beliefs, actions, and coaching style (Huber, 2013). The humanistic coaching philosophy involves a collaborative coach/athlete process which considers individual athlete differences, abilities, and goals, with the long-term aim of developing a self-confident and self-regulated athlete (Lyle, 1999). Opposite of the traditional model where success is determined by wins or losses, within the humanistic approach winning is redefined so that the process is emphasized and achievement of individual athlete goals indicates success. Through coach interviews, athlete interviews, training session observations, and artifact collection, the aim of this case study was to explore the coaching philosophy and methods of a successful men's NCAA Division I cross country coach and explore to what extent they are humanistic. Definition of success emerged as a primary theme where result...
In order to achieve success, there is little doubt that sport coaches must overcome a plethora of... more In order to achieve success, there is little doubt that sport coaches must overcome a plethora of challenges beyond simply designing and implementing effective training schedules and competition strategies. The United States high school interscholastic sports environment is no different. The purpose of this short essay is to provide a personal coaching narrative from a United States high school boys and girls cross country coach as he discusses the challenges confronted in overcoming administrative obstacles to successfully prepare his student-athletes for competition. In particular, this paper chronicles how the coach successfully negotiated the political landscape of having his team being permitted to be dismissed from school in adequate time to arrive at away weekday cross country meets in order to adequately warm-up and prepare for competition. Oftentimes, these coaching stories exist, but are rarely recorded. It is the hope of the author that other coaches in similar situations...
ObjectiveThe effect of prolonged sitting on executive function and performance in competitive esp... more ObjectiveThe effect of prolonged sitting on executive function and performance in competitive esports players are unknown. This study aimed to evaluate executive function following a 6 min bout of walking or rest during prolonged gaming in competitive esports players.Methods12 men and 9 women completed three separate 2-hour gaming session days assigned in randomised order consisting of a 6 min walk break, 6 min rest break and continuous before and after each session. Postintervention participant exit survey data were also collected.ResultsThe walk condition produced a significantly faster mean solution time (7613.6±3060.5 min, p=0.02) and planning time (5369.0±2802.09, p=0.04) compared with the resting condition (9477±3547.4; 6924±3247.7) and continuous play (8200.0±3031.6; 5862.7±2860.7). The rest condition resulted in the slowest mean solution time (9477.0±3547.4) and planning time (6924.0±3247.7), with the continuous play resulting in a faster mean solution time (8200.1±3031.6) a...
The purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate differences between the flow experiences... more The purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate differences between the flow experiences of NCAA Division I team athletes versus individual athletes. A volunteer sample of 104 collegiate athletes completed a 42-item flow questionnaire. Multiple linear regressions showed mean flow scores for team athletes were significantly higher than individual athletes (β = -1.66, p = 0.004), with an R2 value of 0.03. The type of sport was a significant predictor of three of the nine dimensions of flow, with the largest difference explaining 9% of the variance. The results of this study are unique and answer the repeated call in the literature for team flow research. In summary, team sport athletes experienced total flow at a higher overall rate than individual sport athletes, allowing for the conclusion that team sport athletes can and do experience flow.
While discussion and media coverage of esports (i.e., organized competitive video gaming) has dra... more While discussion and media coverage of esports (i.e., organized competitive video gaming) has dramatically increased since 2016, the use of esports by established consumer brands has not been emphasized in the sport marketing and sponsorship literature. Though appearing in limited sport management research, esports is a non-traditional sport form that generated just under $1.2 billion in revenue as an industry in 2019. However, many non-endemic traditional consumer brands have resisted capitalizing on esports brand-building opportunities. This paper provides a literature review of the past and current esports and sport marketing literature, resulting in the creation of a figure depicting the esports endemic and non-endemic company evolution of esports brand utilization. The evolution of the competitive video game market details how endemic companies are more apt to establish themselves in the esports space before non-endemic companies because of the way that the industry moves and h...
Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 2022
With a growing, national emphasis on the importance of educating the whole child, the purpose of ... more With a growing, national emphasis on the importance of educating the whole child, the purpose of this feature aims to empower health and physical educators to confidently aid in the implementation of the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) Model within their schools. The articles in this feature will provide relevant information specific to how health and physical education teachers can become leaders within their schools to confidently promote, implement, and support each of the 10 WSCC components: health education; physical education and physical activity; nutrition environment and services; health services; counseling, psychological, and social services; social and emotional climate; physical environment; employee wellness; family engagement; and community involvement.
Esports is growing at an exponential rate. While there are benefits to playing esports, little is... more Esports is growing at an exponential rate. While there are benefits to playing esports, little is known about the long-term health implications. This article reviews the current state of esports health-related research, focusing on physical health (i.e., physical activity, musculoskeletal injuries, eye health), sleep, nutrition, performance-enhancing drugs, and mental health (i.e., gaming disorder, emotional regulation). It identifies areas of interest with a call to action for all stakeholders within the esports ecosystem, providing a short list of recommendations to consider based on the current literature. Future research should utilize both quantitative and qualitative methods, with a particular emphasis on longitudinal and large-scale studies using validated tools to fully explore the association between esports and health.
Highlights:
• Much of the current esports health-related research focuses on players’ physical activity and sedentary behavior patterns.
• Other major, but under researched, esports health concerns surround player injuries,
sleep, nutrition, and performance-enhancing drug use.
• Many of the health concerns such as performance enhancing drugs require input from game publishers and tournament organizers for regulation to take place
• The health issues present in esports suggest significant value in regular health checks for competition level players.
On 11 April 2024, The Game-n-Science Institute and DiGRA-K hosted the “2024 Game-n-Science Sympo... more On 11 April 2024, The Game-n-Science Institute and DiGRA-K hosted the “2024 Game-n-Science Symposium: Understanding Esports in the Post-digital Era” on-site at Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea. Among the entities that endorsed the academic event were the Yonsei University Esports Lab, the Korea e-Sports Association (KeSPA), Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, and the Esports Research Network (ERN). ERN Board Member Yaewon Jin, Ph.D., (Yonsei University, The Game-n-Science Institute) facilitated in organizing the symposium, while ERN Board Chair Tobias Scholz, Ph.D., (University of Agder, Norway) gave the keynote presentation titled: “Esports for Transferable Skills Development in Post-digital World.” ERN member Miia Siutila (Aalto University, Finland) and Rune Andersen (University of Agder, Norway) were also in attendance. The conference was bi-lingual in Korean and English.
The purpose of this article is for the editors to solicit interest from esports SCHOLARS and espo... more The purpose of this article is for the editors to solicit interest from esports SCHOLARS and esports INDUSTRY personnel who would like to be considered for writing, co-writing, or peer reviewing chapters in this book.
Sport and Physical Culture in Global Pandemic Times , 2023
From an outside perspective, it may be believed that the video gaming and esports industry thrive... more From an outside perspective, it may be believed that the video gaming and esports industry thrived during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns due the capacity for online gaming and many media reports citing surging player and viewer statistics. However, little attention was paid to actual economic ramifications of the pandemic, particularly with mid-size and smaller esports-related companies. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the pandemic’s economic impact on the esports industry, taking into account varying types of stakeholders (i.e., primary esports activities performed, legal status, business size). An online survey was disseminated to esports industry stakeholders in France (n = 86 complete responses). Overall, 89.5% of the sample reported the pandemic negatively impacted income, demonstrating an estimated French esports loss of revenue between 13% and 26% compared to the previous year, primarily explained by event cancellations and sponsorship losses. Discussed findings reveal areas that may facilitate the sustainability of the esports industry and related stakeholders.
Background: Participation in esports (excluding active video games) has raised concerns due to it... more Background: Participation in esports (excluding active video games) has raised concerns due to its sedentary nature and the potential negative effects this may have on player health. As well, research suggests that physical activity (PA)/exercise improves specific cognitive skills that have been identified as positive contributors to esports performance. The aim of this systematic review was to assess whether evidence supports that PA/exercise positively impacts esports player performance. Methods: The systematic literature search comprised PubMed, SPORTDiscus, PsycINFO, and Web of Science up until March 31, 2022. An additional search included reference list searching, citation searching, and hand searching. Results: Emerging evidence suggests that PA/exercise as an intervention may have a positive effect on esports performance. While it appears that the majority of esports players believe PA/exercise to be beneficial to esports performance, only a minority currently undertake PA/exercise for the purpose of improving esports performance. Conclusion: Although further controlled experimental research is necessary, results highlight that PA/exercise may positively correlate with esports performance. These effects are consistent with the majority of player perceptions that PA/exercise is beneficial to esports performance. Qualified fitness and health professionals should be utilized to implement training to enhance esports performance, improve health, and extend player career length.
The two-pronged purpose of this study was to determine: 1) whether playing a sedentary sport vide... more The two-pronged purpose of this study was to determine: 1) whether playing a sedentary sport video game (SSVG) is more effective than traditional hands-on instruction in learning a new sport, and 2) whether playing a SSVG motivated the future viewing or playing intentions of the authentic sport. A mixed-method multi-phase intervention was conducted with two quasi-experimental groups. Participants (n = 38) were college students enrolled in an undergraduate physical activity course with little prior knowledge of rugby. The first semester of data collection included the Instruction First (IF; n = 19) group taking a rugby pre-test, performing two rugby instruction sessions, taking a mid-test, performing two rugby gaming sessions, taking a post-test, and finished with a focus group session. The next semester, the Video Gaming First (GF; n = 19) group replicated these procedures, but the order of gaming and instruction sessions were switched. Results indicated the gaming sessions alone significantly (p <.05) increased overall rugby knowledge test scores for the GF group. Focus group findings revealed the SSVG motivated intentions to watch rugby, but not to physically play it. Overall, SSVGs might be used to augment, but certainly not replace, traditional sport instruction.
Exergaming technologies have emerged in physical education in recent years as an attempt at revit... more Exergaming technologies have emerged in physical education in recent years as an attempt at revitalizing physical activity levels among youth. Research on the effects of exergaming is increasing; however, there is no research on practicing physical education teachers' implementation in the United States. Studies indicate that physical educators have low levels of confidence with regard to technology integration, particularly exergames. Due to exergaming technology's potential impact, it is essential to understand the extent to which physical education teachers implement these technologies. Self-efficacy beliefs, influenced by prior experiences, are powerful motives of behavior. Thus, grounded in self-efficacy theory, this study investigated pedagogical exergaming experiences, attitudes, and self-efficacy beliefs of a nationwide sample of U.S. kindergarten through 12th-grade physical education teachers. Study participants included 402 in-service physical education teachers from 35 states who completed the online Physical Educators’ Exergaming Technology Integration, Attitudes, and Self-Efficacy Inventory. Participants reported moderate to high levels of attitude and self-efficacy beliefs, and Pearson correlation coefficients suggested strong, positive relationships between attitude and self-efficacy beliefs (r = .56, n = 402, p < .001) toward integrating exergaming technology in PE. Teachers’ prior exergaming integration into PE experiences was positive overall, yet limited because of barriers such as budget, equipment, training, and administrative support. Overall, results suggest that physical education teachers feel confident and have positive attitudes toward implementing exergaming in physical education, with self-efficacy regarding implementing exergaming in PE correlating strongest with prior successful mastery experience.
International Journal of Human Movement Science, Aug 2022
While video gaming has pervaded society, dearth research exists investigating the ramifications o... more While video gaming has pervaded society, dearth research exists investigating the ramifications of incorporating sport video gaming into sport-based physical activity courses. The purpose of this study was two-fold: 1) Determine whether direct instruction or video gaming (or a combination of both) is more effective in learning about a new sport; and 2) Examine to what extent does physically playing or playing a sport video game (or a combination of both) impact one's intention to want to watch or physically play the sport in the future. This study employed a mixed methods pre/mid/post intervention design with two quasi-experimental groups. Participants included two classes of American university students with little prior knowledge of cricket enrolled in a “Global Games” course. Data was collected across two semesters with students enrolled in this course. During the first semester of data collection, participants first took a demographics questionnaire and cricket pre-test. This “Video Gaming First” (VGF; n = 17) group then played two 50-minute sessions of the video game Don Bradman Cricket, and then took a cricket mid-test. Next, participants partook in two 50-minute direct instruction physical activity lessons on cricket and then took the cricket post-test. Finally, the group participated in a 50-minute focus group session. The subsequent semester, to account for the order effect, all methods were replicated with the second class, except the two video gaming sessions were preceded by the two direction instruction sessions for this “Direct Instruction First” (DIF; n = 17) group.2 = 0.71), while the pre-test to mid-test did not significantly differ. For the DIF group, there was a significant increase in cricket knowledge from pre-test to mid-test (p < .05, η 2= 0.77), while the mid-test to post-test did not significantly differ. No significant results were found regarding future intention to play or watch cricket. Overall, findings indicated that both groups significantly increased cricket knowledge from direct instruction but not from the cricket video gaming. However, while not statistically significant, the video game sessions did further increase cricket knowledge. Higher education physical activity course instructors may consider using a combination of video games and traditional instruction to teach sports to beginners, but the amount of video gaming equipment available and student training on how to use it should be considered.
This study aims to discuss the purpose of higher education esports academic programs, offer the f... more This study aims to discuss the purpose of higher education esports academic programs, offer the first known comprehensive worldwide inventory, and conduct a comparative content analysis of their curricula. Data was collected through structured internet searches, global esports academic research networks, and personal correspondence. Underpinned by Diffusion of Innovations Theory&#39;s construct of innovation adoption (Rogers, 2003), data was analyzed through a systematic iterative comparative content analysis. Findings revealed 95 esports bachelor&#39;s degree, master&#39;s degree, technical degree (i.e., diploma), certificate, or undergraduate minor programs delivered by 74 higher education institutions, primarily located in North America and Europe. The vast majority of these programs (80%) focused on esports business (e.g., management, marketing) and, on average, these programs required 5.7 (SD = 3.4; range 1-15) esports-specific courses (i.e., modules). Moreover, findings also revealed that there are at least 16 other higher education institutions that provide stand-alone esports courses that do not also offer esports academic programs. Current trends and ideas around esports content being taught and career opportunities regarding future directions of esports academic curriculum are presented. Program content and structure discussed are important for esports industry job hiring decision-makers, prospective esports students, esports faculty members, esports researchers, and higher education administrators.
International Journal of Technology in Teaching and Learning
With the increase of childhood obesity and sedentary behavior, it is essential to discover innova... more With the increase of childhood obesity and sedentary behavior, it is essential to discover innovative ways to motivate youth to be more active. Many Hispanic children in the United States in obesogenic environments particularly lack opportunities for physical activity (PA). Exergames (i.e., motion-based video games) may enhance PA among at-risk populations. This study investigated the impact of exergaming on at-risk, Hispanic high school students with respect to physical activity self-efficacy (PA-SE), PA enjoyment, and intention to be physically active through a 10-week Exergaming Activity Program. Instrumentation included the PA-SE Questionnaire and the PA Enjoyment Scale. Paired-samples t-tests, confirmed by Wilcoxon signed rank tests for paired data, revealed that PA-SE, PA enjoyment, and PA intention increased from the beginning to the end of the program, but PA intention was the only measure that was statistically significant. Results provide insight for physical educators and...
A coaching philosophy is a personal doctrine, or individual set of experiences and values, that g... more A coaching philosophy is a personal doctrine, or individual set of experiences and values, that guides a coach's beliefs, actions, and coaching style (Huber, 2013). The humanistic coaching philosophy involves a collaborative coach/athlete process which considers individual athlete differences, abilities, and goals, with the long-term aim of developing a self-confident and self-regulated athlete (Lyle, 1999). Opposite of the traditional model where success is determined by wins or losses, within the humanistic approach winning is redefined so that the process is emphasized and achievement of individual athlete goals indicates success. Through coach interviews, athlete interviews, training session observations, and artifact collection, the aim of this case study was to explore the coaching philosophy and methods of a successful men's NCAA Division I cross country coach and explore to what extent they are humanistic. Definition of success emerged as a primary theme where result...
In order to achieve success, there is little doubt that sport coaches must overcome a plethora of... more In order to achieve success, there is little doubt that sport coaches must overcome a plethora of challenges beyond simply designing and implementing effective training schedules and competition strategies. The United States high school interscholastic sports environment is no different. The purpose of this short essay is to provide a personal coaching narrative from a United States high school boys and girls cross country coach as he discusses the challenges confronted in overcoming administrative obstacles to successfully prepare his student-athletes for competition. In particular, this paper chronicles how the coach successfully negotiated the political landscape of having his team being permitted to be dismissed from school in adequate time to arrive at away weekday cross country meets in order to adequately warm-up and prepare for competition. Oftentimes, these coaching stories exist, but are rarely recorded. It is the hope of the author that other coaches in similar situations...
ObjectiveThe effect of prolonged sitting on executive function and performance in competitive esp... more ObjectiveThe effect of prolonged sitting on executive function and performance in competitive esports players are unknown. This study aimed to evaluate executive function following a 6 min bout of walking or rest during prolonged gaming in competitive esports players.Methods12 men and 9 women completed three separate 2-hour gaming session days assigned in randomised order consisting of a 6 min walk break, 6 min rest break and continuous before and after each session. Postintervention participant exit survey data were also collected.ResultsThe walk condition produced a significantly faster mean solution time (7613.6±3060.5 min, p=0.02) and planning time (5369.0±2802.09, p=0.04) compared with the resting condition (9477±3547.4; 6924±3247.7) and continuous play (8200.0±3031.6; 5862.7±2860.7). The rest condition resulted in the slowest mean solution time (9477.0±3547.4) and planning time (6924.0±3247.7), with the continuous play resulting in a faster mean solution time (8200.1±3031.6) a...
The purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate differences between the flow experiences... more The purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate differences between the flow experiences of NCAA Division I team athletes versus individual athletes. A volunteer sample of 104 collegiate athletes completed a 42-item flow questionnaire. Multiple linear regressions showed mean flow scores for team athletes were significantly higher than individual athletes (β = -1.66, p = 0.004), with an R2 value of 0.03. The type of sport was a significant predictor of three of the nine dimensions of flow, with the largest difference explaining 9% of the variance. The results of this study are unique and answer the repeated call in the literature for team flow research. In summary, team sport athletes experienced total flow at a higher overall rate than individual sport athletes, allowing for the conclusion that team sport athletes can and do experience flow.
While discussion and media coverage of esports (i.e., organized competitive video gaming) has dra... more While discussion and media coverage of esports (i.e., organized competitive video gaming) has dramatically increased since 2016, the use of esports by established consumer brands has not been emphasized in the sport marketing and sponsorship literature. Though appearing in limited sport management research, esports is a non-traditional sport form that generated just under $1.2 billion in revenue as an industry in 2019. However, many non-endemic traditional consumer brands have resisted capitalizing on esports brand-building opportunities. This paper provides a literature review of the past and current esports and sport marketing literature, resulting in the creation of a figure depicting the esports endemic and non-endemic company evolution of esports brand utilization. The evolution of the competitive video game market details how endemic companies are more apt to establish themselves in the esports space before non-endemic companies because of the way that the industry moves and h...
Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 2022
With a growing, national emphasis on the importance of educating the whole child, the purpose of ... more With a growing, national emphasis on the importance of educating the whole child, the purpose of this feature aims to empower health and physical educators to confidently aid in the implementation of the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) Model within their schools. The articles in this feature will provide relevant information specific to how health and physical education teachers can become leaders within their schools to confidently promote, implement, and support each of the 10 WSCC components: health education; physical education and physical activity; nutrition environment and services; health services; counseling, psychological, and social services; social and emotional climate; physical environment; employee wellness; family engagement; and community involvement.
Esports is growing at an exponential rate. While there are benefits to playing esports, little is... more Esports is growing at an exponential rate. While there are benefits to playing esports, little is known about the long-term health implications. This article reviews the current state of esports health-related research, focusing on physical health (i.e., physical activity, musculoskeletal injuries, eye health), sleep, nutrition, performance-enhancing drugs, and mental health (i.e., gaming disorder, emotional regulation). It identifies areas of interest with a call to action for all stakeholders within the esports ecosystem, providing a short list of recommendations to consider based on the current literature. Future research should utilize both quantitative and qualitative methods, with a particular emphasis on longitudinal and large-scale studies using validated tools to fully explore the association between esports and health.
Highlights:
• Much of the current esports health-related research focuses on players’ physical activity and sedentary behavior patterns.
• Other major, but under researched, esports health concerns surround player injuries,
sleep, nutrition, and performance-enhancing drug use.
• Many of the health concerns such as performance enhancing drugs require input from game publishers and tournament organizers for regulation to take place
• The health issues present in esports suggest significant value in regular health checks for competition level players.
The Routledge Handbook of Esports offers the first fully comprehensive, interdisciplinary study o... more The Routledge Handbook of Esports offers the first fully comprehensive, interdisciplinary study of esports, one of the fastest growing sectors of the contemporary sports and entertainment industries. Global in coverage, the book emphasizes the multifaceted nature of esports and explores the most pressing issues defining the competitive video gaming landscape today.
Featuring the work of 93 leading esports academics and industry specialists from around the world, and rigorously peer-reviewed, the book is structured around ten key themes: 1) Introduction to Esports, 2) Esports Research, 3) Esports Players, 4) Esports Business and Management, 5) Esports Media and Communication, 6) Esports Education, 7) Critical Concerns in Esports, 8) Global Esports Cultures, 9) Esports Future Directions, and 10) Key Terms Definitions. Examining the current state of esports, emerging areas of interest and the ongoing debates shaping the esports industry, each of the 62 chapters offers key highlights, an assessment of the latest research, practical esports examples and recommendations, and is complemented by enlightening case studies or industry interviews. For further academic and professional depth, chapters also include a guide to recommended additional resources.
Explaining technical terms and gaming jargon in a user-friendly manner, and maintaining a balanced tone throughout, this handbook is essential reading for any student or researcher with an interest in esports, gaming, or sport studies, and for any practitioner or policy-maker working in the esports industry.
This chapter offers a brief overview of the “Introduction to Esports” section of the Routledge Ha... more This chapter offers a brief overview of the “Introduction to Esports” section of the Routledge Handbook of Esports, which includes chapters on Defining and Spelling Esports (1.2), Global History of Esports (1.3), Esports Ecosystems and Stakeholders (1.4), Esports Genres and Games (1.5), Esports Developers, Publishers, and Game Design Considerations (1.6), and Esports Equipment and Infrastructure (1.7).
Keywords: defining esports, esports history, esports stakeholders, esports genres, video games, game design, publishers, equipment, infrastructure
This chapter discusses how to form a definition in general and whether there can be a single defi... more This chapter discusses how to form a definition in general and whether there can be a single definition of esports. The chapter also examines a variety of esports definitions that researchers from varying fields have previously offered, while identifying frequently recurring elements across these definitions, ultimately resulting in a proposed operational definition of esports. Furthermore, this chapter illustrates the various ways of spelling “esports” and addresses the issue of whether there is only one correct spelling. Key highlights include: 1) Twenty definitions of esports proposed in past academic literature or laws are provided and synthesized, 2) While it is understood there are varying definitions globally, the Routledge Handbook of Esports takes a broad approach and defines esports as “organized and codified competition between human players using video games”, and 3) Although spellings vary globally, the Routledge Handbook of Esports spells it “esports” in the middle of a sentence and “Esports” to start a sentence or in a title or heading.
This chapter offers a brief introduction to the “Esports Research” section of the Routledge Handb... more This chapter offers a brief introduction to the “Esports Research” section of the Routledge Handbook of Esports, which includes chapters on Current Status and Key Topics Esports in Research (2.2), Organizations, Labs/Centers, and Journals Related to Esports Research (2.3), General Recommendations for Esports Research (2.4), Qualitative Esports Research Methodology (2.5), Survey Esports Research Methodology (2.6), and Experimental/Intervention Esports Research Methodology (2.7).
Keywords: esports research, journals, research labs, research centers, research method, survey, qualitative, experimental
Esports research encompasses a vast array of interdisciplinary foundations and investigates a div... more Esports research encompasses a vast array of interdisciplinary foundations and investigates a diverse range of research questions concerning various aspects of the ecosystem. Research on esports addresses broad social and economic questions, organizational and institutional level concerns, and individual-level factors related to participants and fans. As an emerging context with broad application, esports researchers are drawn from a wide array of academic fields, employing theoretical and methodological approaches native to their disciplinary home. This chapter provides a comprehensive analysis of the current state of research on esports, including its historical development, the diverse disciplinary and contextual perspectives it encompasses, and the possibilities for future research. Key highlights include: 1) A brief review of the history of esports research, 2) A high-level overview of esports research as a multi-disciplinary field, 3) An analysis of the evolution of the number of esports publications per year over the last 20 years, 4) The introduction of the “Esports Research Matrix,” which organizes existing and future esports research into 10 major field categories based on research scope, perspective, and domain, 5) A discussion about the various designs and methodologies used for esports research, and 6) A brief assessment the current state of esports scholarship.
The chapter offers a non-exhaustive inventory of global esports research organizations, esports r... more The chapter offers a non-exhaustive inventory of global esports research organizations, esports research labs or centers, esports-related professional conferences, esports research databases, and esports and gaming-related academic journals. Brief descriptions are provided for each. The aim is to provide these resources to stimulate networking, collaboration, and community building within the esports research community as well as with the esports industry by bringing awareness of such entities. While not intentional, this inventory is not limited to, but heavily favors English-language entities. Key highlights include: 1) Few professional organizations exist globally dedicated to esports research, 2) There are minimal academic journals devoted exclusively to disseminating esports research, yet many journals will publish esports research if it relates to the journal’s scope and purpose, 3) Research labs and centers dedicated to esports research prevail primarily in Europe, Asia, and the United States, and 4) There are several esports research professional conferences, yet many are offshoots or esports tracks within computing or games conferences.
Esports science research is still in its infancy. This chapter will offer practical recommendatio... more Esports science research is still in its infancy. This chapter will offer practical recommendations for conducting esports research and provide a roadmap for future fruitful empirical avenues. Given the inter and multidisciplinary nature of esports science a key challenge for future research is a grounding in the melting pot of esports. We discuss how to implement greater research designs, embracing open science initiatives, how to understand participant sampling, understanding skill level identification and a thorough understanding of human computer interaction and especially high performance human computer interaction. The weight of evidence and empirical advancements in the respective areas of esports are discussed and offer strategies for advancing the field, with key considerations in how to achieve this included. Key highlights include: 1) A discussion surrounding implementing more rigor in esports research specifically addressing theory/frameworks, randomized controlled trials, and robustness, replicability, and reproducibility, 2) An inventory of ten current critical issues in esports research accompanied by multiple practical suggestions for how to solve each, 3) A brief discussion of six future challenges for esports research with recommendations for each, and 4) An insightful interview with an early career esports researcher.
This chapter offers a brief introduction to the “Esports Players” section of the Routledge Handbo... more This chapter offers a brief introduction to the “Esports Players” section of the Routledge Handbook of Esports, which includes chapters on Esports Players (3.2), Esports Performance Skills (3.3), Esports Player Analytics (3.4), Esports Coaching (3.5), Applied Esports Psychology (3.6), Esports Player Health and Wellness (3.7), Esports Ergonomics and Injuries (3.8), Esports Parental and Family Support (3.9), and Esports Professional Player Career Process (3.10).
Keywords: esports players, skills, analytics, coaching, psychology, health, ergonomics, family support, esports career
This chapter describes the skills necessary for esports performance. First, physical skills invol... more This chapter describes the skills necessary for esports performance. First, physical skills involved in esports are highlighted, with particular emphasis on hand-eye coordination, actions per minute (APM), accuracy, reaction time, and warming up for esports gameplay. Visual and mental skills are discussed next, focusing on visual attention, cognitive/game knowledge and decision-making, and emotional control skills necessary for esports performance. Moreover, team skills involved in team-based esports are discussed. A case example of the performance skills necessary for the first-person shooter (FPS) game Counter-Strike Global Offensive (CS:GO) is offered. In essence, this chapter reinforces the notion that esports performance requires skill and is contingent on skill acquisition and development. Key highlights include: 1) How esports fulfills the four key features of physical skills is provided, 2) League of Legends (LoL) and CS:GO attentional focus examples are given, 3) The level at which esports skills should be measured is discussed, 4) Example esports performance skills, including objective game measures, objective experience measures, physical skills, visual attention skills, cognitive skills, game knowledge, and team skills are presented.
The aim of this chapter is to examine the roles and responsibilities of esports coaches, includin... more The aim of this chapter is to examine the roles and responsibilities of esports coaches, including prerequisite coaching knowledge, sources of coach learning, and steps for professionalization. First, the typical duties and common career paths of esports coaches are described. Next, fundamental elements of coaching practice within the context of esports are outlined. Finally, the importance of, and variety of methods to, develop esports coaches are discussed. Key highlights include: 1) Who esports coaches are and what they do are provided, with justification for why esports coaches are needed, 2) Fundamentals for developing an esports coaching philosophy are offered, with descriptions of varying coach leadership styles, 3) Esports coaching challenges along with practical tips and recommendations are offered, and 4) Ideas for esports coaching education, certification, and the professionalization of esports coaches are discussed.
Ergonomics is the applied science of designing structures and environments for safe and efficient... more Ergonomics is the applied science of designing structures and environments for safe and efficient use and is used to decrease injury risk and improve performance. Esports injuries are usually overuse injuries which can be prevented with appropriate preparation and preventative strategies. Although gaming is lower impact than traditional sports, injuries from esports are prevalent. Most esports injuries or gaming-related pain occur in the eyes, neck, back, arms, wrists, and hands. This chapter discusses common ergonomic and injury concerns associated with esports. Ultimately, esports ergonomics and injuries merits attention not just from players and medical professionals, but from all stakeholders for sustainability of the industry. Key highlights include: 1) An overview of esports ergonomics is provided, including ergonomic recommendations for varying mouse grips and controller types, 2) A checklist for major points of emphasis regarding posture ergonomics in gaming is offered, 3) Empirical research evidence regarding gaming-related pain and injury sites are reported, and 4) Descriptions, symptoms, and common treatments are discussed for varying types of proximal, musculoskeletal, peripheral nerve-related, and peripheral tendon-related esports injuries. Note: This chapter is for informational or educational purposes only and does not substitute professional medical advice or consultations with healthcare professionals.
This chapter offers a brief introduction to the “Esports Education” section of the Routledge Hand... more This chapter offers a brief introduction to the “Esports Education” section of the Routledge Handbook of Esports, which includes chapters on Esports Education (6.2), Competitive Collegiate Esports Programs (6.3), and Competitive Primary and Secondary School Esports Programs (6.4).
The aim of this chapter is to provide a short overview of the global secondary and higher educati... more The aim of this chapter is to provide a short overview of the global secondary and higher education academic esports education. Esports education’s purpose and potential benefits are discussed. Current perceptions of esports education are also offered. A brief analysis of the current esports academic landscape across all education levels is also provided. Finally, recommendations for secondary and higher education esports educators and prospective esports education students are offered. Key highlights include: 1) The value of esports education is still questioned by some within the esports industry, 2) At least 115 esports academic programs are offered by 92 different higher education institutions across 14 countries worldwide, 3) Most higher education academic esports programs are esports business-related, and 4) All levels of esports education should have qualified faculty, esports industry connections, experiential learning opportunities, evidence-based teaching, an esports team, and an esports facility.
This chapter provides an overview of stakeholders in the collegiate (i.e., higher education) comp... more This chapter provides an overview of stakeholders in the collegiate (i.e., higher education) competitive esports environment, including students; faculty, staff, and administrators; game studios; sponsors; tournament organizers, leagues; regulatory bodies; and venues for competition. It relays ongoing concerns regarding integrating esports into higher education institutions concerning diversity, equity, and inclusion; existing traditional sports; and scholarships. Along with interviews with the founders of two successful programs, the chapter concludes with advice on how to start a collegiate esports team. Key highlights include: 1) Despite esports’ significant growth in universities, integrating esports into the broader collegiate ecosystem is not without costs and infrastructural effort, 2) Collegiate esports appeals to numerous on and off campus stakeholders, 3) There are many types of competitive esports programs, including varsity, junior varsity, competitive and recreational clubs which are housed and operated differently based on institutional investment and interest, 4) Ongoing issues in collegiate esports stem from student and academic life: diversity, equity, and inclusion; integrating into existing sports structures; and difficulties surrounding scholarships and promotion, and 5) Preparing proper academic and competitive institutional scaffolding while retaining an entrepreneurial and flexible mindset is necessary for collegiate esports program success.
This chapter aims to discuss the history of integrating video gaming, virtual sports, and esports... more This chapter aims to discuss the history of integrating video gaming, virtual sports, and esports within the Olympic Movement. This chronology is organized across five stages: 1) early stages, 2) catalyst, 3) connecting and designing strategy, 4) implementing strategy, and 5) adjusting. Emphasis is also paid to past and upcoming game title selections, with additional discussions surrounding example barriers that must be overcome within esports. While esports is not currently an official Olympic sport, future developments within the Olympic Movement may lead to its inclusion. Key highlights include: 1) An overview of official International Olympic Committee (IOC) news reports on video gaming and esports, 2) Considerations for selecting specific esports game titles for future Olympic programming, and 3) An interview with Vincent Pereira, the IOC’s Head of Virtual Sport and Gaming.
This chapter offers a brief introduction to the “Global Esports Cultures” section of the Routledg... more This chapter offers a brief introduction to the “Global Esports Cultures” section of the Routledge Handbook of Esports, which includes chapters on esports cultures in the Middle East and Africa (8.2), Asia (8.3), Europe (8.4), Oceania (8.5), North America (8.6) and South America (8.7).
Keywords: esports, culture, ecosystems, North America, Asia, Europe, MENA, Oceania, South America
The aim of this chapter is to stimulate discourse by offering an overview of potential future tre... more The aim of this chapter is to stimulate discourse by offering an overview of potential future trends within esports, highlighting what is needed for the industry to thrive. After discussing past predictions on the future of esports, The Future of Sustainable Esports Model is proposed that, if followed, would help the industry grow and prosper. The four components of this model include esports economic, governance, social, and environmental sustainability, with crossover sub-components of: accountable, equitable, responsible, and viable. Strategies, challenges, and opportunities within the esports ecosystem are discussed across each of the four esports sustainability components that will affect whether esports thrives in the future. Key highlights include: 1) A broad overview of recent future of esports research, 2) Clear and concise definitions of esports sustainability, including esports economic, governance, social, and environmental sustainability, 3) An insightful interview with Alban Dechelotte, CEO of G2 Esports and member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Esports Commission, forecasting many facets of esports in the future, and 4) An argument for a morphogenetic approach regarding future interdisciplinary esports research.
This chapter is a compilation of key terms utilized and bolded throughout the Routledge Handbook ... more This chapter is a compilation of key terms utilized and bolded throughout the Routledge Handbook of Esports, along with other added gaming and esports-related terminology. This chapter can be used as a helpful guide for anyone wanting to know what an esports-related term means, as well as can be employed as an academic resource for scholars to cite terms in other publications. Key terms defined in this chapter primarily relate to the other sections of this handbook, including: 1) Introduction to Esports, 2) Esports Research, 3) Esports Players, 4) Esports Business and Management, 5) Esports Media and Communication 6) Esports Education, 7) Critical Concerns in Esports, 8) Global Esports Cultures, and 9) Esports Future Directions. This chapter represents the current understanding of these terms, primarily through the lens of esports or video gaming, as terminology can come in and out of popularity, meanings can change, and new words will be created to keep up with the latest emerging technologies. Overall, there are 390+ terms defined in this chapter.
A wide variety of technology is available to physical educators, health teachers, and coaches—but... more A wide variety of technology is available to physical educators, health teachers, and coaches—but technology is only helpful if people know how to use it effectively. This text will help health and physical education teachers and coaches improve their abilities by learning to effectively use technology in the areas of instruction, assessment, management, communication, professional development, and advocacy. Practical uses for technology provided in this book can enhance your ability to teach and coach, improve student and athlete performance and assessment, and motivate active and healthy lifestyles.
Technology for Physical Educators, Health Educators, and Coaches is a clearly written, engaging, and practical text that will help teachers and coaches more effectively use technology. Readers will be guided in improving: · Teaching and coaching effectiveness · Motivating with technology · Management efficiency · Communication with stakeholders · Concept and skill instruction · Assistive technology skills with special populations · Online instructional effectiveness · Assessment abilities · Digital video recording and editing skills · Advocacy skills · Professional development opportunities, and much more...
This is a highly valuable resource for all physical educators, health instructors, and coaches who want to take full advantage of the available technology to help them improve in their professions.
26th ACM Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education (ITiCSE-WGR ’21), 2021
Esports has generated an industry of increasing economic and cultural importance. In recent years... more Esports has generated an industry of increasing economic and cultural importance. In recent years, universities and other higher education institutions have responded to its growth by establishing programmes of study which aim to satisfy the needs of innovators operating in the area. However, there is not yet consensus on what an esports curriculum should include. Despite being a technology-driven sector with ethical and professional dimensions that intersect computing, current ACM and IEEE curricula do not mention esports. Furthermore, existing courses tend to provide teaching and training on a wide variety of topics aside from those traditionally in computer science. These include: live events management; psychological research; sports science; marketing; public relations; video (livestream) production; and community management; in addition to coaching and communication. This working group examined the requirements for developing esports studies at universities with a focus on understanding career prospects in esports and on the challenges presented by its interdisciplinary complexity. Thereby, paving the way for a framework to support the design of esports curricula in higher education.
Esports has generated an industry of increasing economic and cultural importance. In recent years, universities and other higher education institutions have responded to its growth by establishing undergraduate courses to satisfy the needs of innovators operating in the area. However, there is not yet consensus on what an esports curriculum should include. Despite being a technology-driven sector with ethical and professional dimensions that intersect computing, current ACM and IEEE curricula do not mention esports. Furthermore, existing courses tend to provide teaching and training on a wide variety of topics aside from those traditionally in computer science. These include: live events management; psychological research; sports science; marketing; public relations; video (livestream) production; and community management; in addition to coaching. This working group seeks to examine the requirements for developing esports studies at universities with a focus on understanding career prospects in esports and on the challenges presented by its disciplinary complexity. The group will identify key learning outcomes and assess how they align with industry needs, paving the way for a framework to support the design of esports curricula in higher education.
Permission to make digital or hard copies of part or all of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. Copyrights for third-party components of this work must be honored. For all other uses, contact the owner/author(s).
Past esports books focus on specific areas of esports (e.g., esports medicine, esports business/m... more Past esports books focus on specific areas of esports (e.g., esports medicine, esports business/management, esports history, collegiate esports, etc.). A reference source is lacking in the literature that provides a broad overview of esports. The editors on this panel propose to address this gap with the creation of a wide-reaching, interdisciplinary Handbook of Esports, intended for publication with a well-established global publisher. The purpose of this interactive panel discussion is for the editors of the proposed Handbook of Esports to receive feedback on this project’s content outline, to discuss the expectations for chapter structure and style, and to solicit interest from the Esports Research Network (ERN) membership and conference attendees who would like to be considered for writing, co-writing, or peer reviewing chapters.
Planned as an overall reference text, the objectives of the Handbook of Esports are for readers to be able to: 1) Describe a global overview of esports, 2) Utilize the handbook as an all encompassing esports reference tool, 3) Understand the interdisciplinary nature of esports, 4) Evaluate the current issues surrounding the esports ecosystem, and 5) Immediately implement practical evidence-based strategies and recommendations regarding a plethora of areas relating to esports.
The number of esports education programs continue to rise globally (Jenny et al., 2021; Jenny, Ga... more The number of esports education programs continue to rise globally (Jenny et al., 2021; Jenny, Gawrysiak et al., 2021). Quality programs teach transferrable skills which are needed within the esports ecosystem and other job sectors (Scott et al., 2021). Esports can be used as a tool to motivate students and teach knowledge, skills, and competencies within a holistic learning experience. There are six papers presented within this “Esports and Education” track at the 2022 Esports Research Network Conference. First, Trotter and colleagues offer an examination of the impact of school esports program participation on student health and psychological development. Next, Becka and colleagues discuss how an esports training space may impact students, teachers, and graduates, as well as complement the higher education, at a public university in Argentina. In addition, Rusk and Ståhl provide an analysis of gaming inside and outside of school from the Finnish student player perspective. Fesharaki and colleagues then describe the development of a dual career higher education program being launched at Jönköping University in Sweden that aims to offer opportunities for student athletes in both esports and traditional sports. Moreover, King and Burton examine varying perspectives regarding mental health, burnout, and performance with a United States collegiate Overwatch esports team through single case design. Last, Gortari and colleagues research the motivations to enroll in high school esports programs in Norway while investigating gaming habits and potential mediators for motivations and risk factors.
Overall, much of the general media reports on gaming and esports during the pandemic glorified su... more Overall, much of the general media reports on gaming and esports during the pandemic glorified surges in player and viewer statistics (e.g., Geyser, 2021) or entire video gaming industry sales (e.g., Dealessandri, 2021) with little attention to the objective economic impact of COVID-19 lockdown regulations on companies within the esports ecosystem. For example, as early as May 2020, economic journalist Stefan Brambilla Hall reported that the COVID-19 pandemic "is taking esports to the next level" (Brambilla Hall, 2020). Likewise, in France, the media narrative was similar. For instance, in March 2020, Le Midi Libre headline read "Esport, the big winner of this crisis" (Gounel, 2020), while in July 2020, Europe 1 titled its column La Rétro Sport: "E-Sport, the lockdown’s big winner" (Europe 1, 2020). Therefore, from an outside perspective, it may be believed that the video gaming and esports industry thrived during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns due the capacity for online gaming at home (i.e., social distancing) and the enhanced media attention. However, little attention was paid to actual economic ramifications of the pandemic, particularly with mid-size and smaller esports-related companies.
Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the pandemic’s economic impact on the esports industry, taking into account varying types of stakeholders (i.e., primary esports activities performed, legal status, business size), using France as a case example. Guiding research questions included: What were the economic consequences of the pandemic upon the esports market? Did the additional media exposure that esports received during the prime pandemic period (i.e., March 2020 to February 2021) have a positive effect upon esports market revenue? Has the pandemic had the same or varied impact on the different types of esports stakeholders, based upon their activities, legal status, or size?
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Papers by Seth E Jenny
Overall, results suggest that physical education teachers feel confident
and have positive attitudes toward implementing exergaming in physical
education, with self-efficacy regarding implementing exergaming in
PE correlating strongest with prior successful mastery experience.
Highlights:
• Much of the current esports health-related research focuses on players’ physical activity and sedentary behavior patterns.
• Other major, but under researched, esports health concerns surround player injuries,
sleep, nutrition, and performance-enhancing drug use.
• Many of the health concerns such as performance enhancing drugs require input from game publishers and tournament organizers for regulation to take place
• The health issues present in esports suggest significant value in regular health checks for competition level players.
Overall, results suggest that physical education teachers feel confident
and have positive attitudes toward implementing exergaming in physical
education, with self-efficacy regarding implementing exergaming in
PE correlating strongest with prior successful mastery experience.
Highlights:
• Much of the current esports health-related research focuses on players’ physical activity and sedentary behavior patterns.
• Other major, but under researched, esports health concerns surround player injuries,
sleep, nutrition, and performance-enhancing drug use.
• Many of the health concerns such as performance enhancing drugs require input from game publishers and tournament organizers for regulation to take place
• The health issues present in esports suggest significant value in regular health checks for competition level players.
Featuring the work of 93 leading esports academics and industry specialists from around the world, and rigorously peer-reviewed, the book is structured around ten key themes: 1) Introduction to Esports, 2) Esports Research, 3) Esports Players, 4) Esports Business and Management, 5) Esports Media and Communication, 6) Esports Education, 7) Critical Concerns in Esports, 8) Global Esports Cultures, 9) Esports Future Directions, and 10) Key Terms Definitions. Examining the current state of esports, emerging areas of interest and the ongoing debates shaping the esports industry, each of the 62 chapters offers key highlights, an assessment of the latest research, practical esports examples and recommendations, and is complemented by enlightening case studies or industry interviews. For further academic and professional depth, chapters also include a guide to recommended additional resources.
Explaining technical terms and gaming jargon in a user-friendly manner, and maintaining a balanced tone throughout, this handbook is essential reading for any student or researcher with an interest in esports, gaming, or sport studies, and for any practitioner or policy-maker working in the esports industry.
Keywords: defining esports, esports history, esports stakeholders, esports genres, video games, game design, publishers, equipment, infrastructure
Keywords: esports research, journals, research labs, research centers, research method, survey, qualitative, experimental
Keywords: esports players, skills, analytics, coaching, psychology, health, ergonomics, family support, esports career
Keywords: esports, education, collegiate esports, scholastic esports, esports pedagogy, teaching
Keywords: Esports, Olympic Games, Olympics, virtual sports, Olympic Movement, Olympic Virtual Series
Keywords: esports, culture, ecosystems, North America, Asia, Europe, MENA, Oceania, South America
Technology for Physical Educators, Health Educators, and Coaches is a clearly written, engaging, and practical text that will help teachers and coaches more effectively use technology. Readers will be guided in improving:
· Teaching and coaching effectiveness
· Motivating with technology
· Management efficiency
· Communication with stakeholders
· Concept and skill instruction
· Assistive technology skills with special populations
· Online instructional effectiveness
· Assessment abilities
· Digital video recording and editing skills
· Advocacy skills
· Professional development opportunities, and much more...
This is a highly valuable resource for all physical educators, health instructors, and coaches who want to take full advantage of the available technology to help them improve in their professions.
higher education.
https://doi.org/10.1145/3502870.3506566
https://www.academia.edu/66131117/Foundations_for_Esports_Curricula_in_Higher_Education
Esports has generated an industry of increasing economic and cultural importance. In recent years, universities and other higher education institutions have responded to its growth by establishing undergraduate courses to satisfy the needs of innovators operating in the area. However, there is not yet consensus on what an esports curriculum should include. Despite being a technology-driven sector with ethical and professional dimensions that intersect computing, current ACM and IEEE curricula do not mention esports. Furthermore, existing courses tend to provide teaching and training on a wide variety of topics aside from those traditionally in computer science. These include: live events management; psychological research; sports science; marketing; public relations; video (livestream) production; and community management; in addition to coaching. This working group seeks to examine the requirements for developing esports studies at universities with a focus on understanding career prospects in esports and on the challenges presented by its disciplinary complexity. The group will identify key learning outcomes and assess how they align with industry needs, paving the way for a framework to support the design of esports curricula in higher education.
Permission to make digital or hard copies of part or all of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. Copyrights for third-party components of this work must be honored. For all other uses, contact the owner/author(s).
Planned as an overall reference text, the objectives of the Handbook of Esports are for readers to be able to: 1) Describe a global overview of esports, 2) Utilize the handbook as an all encompassing esports reference tool, 3) Understand the interdisciplinary nature of esports, 4) Evaluate the current issues surrounding the esports ecosystem, and 5) Immediately implement practical evidence-based strategies and recommendations regarding a plethora of areas relating to esports.
Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the pandemic’s economic impact on the esports industry, taking into account varying types of stakeholders (i.e., primary esports activities performed, legal status, business size), using France as a case example. Guiding research questions included: What were the economic consequences of the pandemic upon the esports market? Did the additional media exposure that esports received during the prime pandemic period (i.e., March 2020 to February 2021) have a positive effect upon esports market revenue? Has the pandemic had the same or varied impact on the different types of esports stakeholders, based upon their activities, legal status, or size?