"The world of esports in education is booming on an international scale, as evidenced by a proliferation of teams and competitions across numerous platforms such as Twitch, Discord, Youtube, and more, his book presents empirical studies to help us understand how esports is developing within and around learning institutions and what the impact may be on students and their contemporary educational experiences"--

The world of esports in education is booming, and the field needs empirical studies to help ground much of what is going on in the field. Over the last couple years, there appears to be a large amount of anecdotal evidence surrounding esports and its role in education, but researchers, teachers, coaches, and organizations need peer-reviewed, research-based evidence so they can evolve the field at large. As the amount of esports teams and organizations continues to rise, so will the need for the field to provide empirical research about esports and education and the effect it has on students and those who partake in it. Esports Research and Its Integration in Education is an essential reference source for those interested in educational research related to esports topics as they are approached through multiple ages of schooling and infused throughout a variety of content areas and research methodologies. The book covers empirical studies that help practitioners to understand how esports is developing within and around learning institutions and what the impact may be on students and their contemporary educational experiences. Covering topics such as college and career readiness, literacy practices, and urban education, this text is essential for stakeholders involved in the rise of esports, administrators, teachers, coaches, researchers, students, and academicians.

"This book explains areas of specialization that intersect and align with eSports and why these are appropriate fields of specialization around eSports, how the fields are developing within the realm of eSports, and what research has already occurred (as well as what research opportunities and needs exist) as current gaps in practice, as well as future-leaning considerations"--

Esports is a global phenomenon that has attracted the attention of multiple interested parties—from investors to K-12 schools and universities. This text chronicles the multitude of ways that people are making meaning within and around the esports ecosystem. Literacies that occur in the esports ecosystem are the result of a collision of diverse experiences, actions, peoples, games, software, hardware, and roles. These literacies are multifaceted, multilayered, and multifarious. By acknowledging the call that these literacies hold, stakeholders can argue for their appreciation at all levels of the ecosystem. Literacies of the Esports Ecosystem answers this call. Contributors are: Anthony Betrus, Andrew Cochran, Luis E. Pérez Cortés, Jason Engerman, Thorkild Hanghøj, Ryan Rish and Kevin Sweeney.

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.

Positioning esports programs as spaces for social inclusion within our schools, this work provides educators with practical strategies for removing barriers to participation and belonging for students with disabilities and neurological differences to make school a place where all students want to be.

Gamification is an increasingly popular technology that has been utilized across a number of fields such as business, medicine, and education. As education continues to turn toward online teaching and learning, gamification is one of many new technologies that have been proven to assist educators in providing holistic and effective instruction. Additional research is required to ensure this technology is utilized appropriately within the classroom. The Handbook of Research on the Influence and Effectiveness of Gamification in Education considers the importance of gamification in the current learning environment and discusses the best practices, opportunities, and challenges of this innovative technology within an educational setting. Covering a wide range of critical topics such as engagement, serious games, and escape rooms, this major reference work is essential for policymakers, academicians, administrators, scholars, researchers, practitioners, instructors, and students.

Emerging technologies are becoming more prevalent in global classrooms. Traditional literacy pedagogies are shifting toward game-based pedagogy, addressing 21st century learners. Therefore, within this context there remains a need to study strategies to engage learners in meaning-making with some element of virtual design. Technology supports the universal design learning framework because it can increase the access to meaningful engagement in learning and reduce barriers. The Handbook of Research on Acquiring 21st Century Literacy Skills Through Game-Based Learning provides theoretical frameworks and empirical research findings in digital technology and multimodal ways of acquiring literacy skills in the 21st century. This book gains a better understanding of how technology can support leaner frameworks and highlights research on discovering new pedagogical boundaries by focusing on ways that the youth learn from digital sources such as video games. Covering topics such as elementary literacy learning, indigenous games, and student-worker training, this book is an essential resource for educators in K-12 and higher education, school administrators, academicians, pre-service teachers, game developers, researchers, and libraries.

As new technologies and professional profiles emerge, traditional education paradigms have to be adapted to new scenarios, creating favorable conditions for promoting transversal skills among students. Consequently, there is a growing demand for training in emergent skills to solve problems of different natures, distributive leadership competencies, empathy, ability to control emotions, etc. In this sense, one of the challenges that educators of all different educational levels and training contexts have to face is to foster these skills in their courses. To overcome these obstacles, innovative and disruptive methodologies, such as game-based learning activities like escape rooms, can be a great ally for teachers to work on transversal skills and specific knowledge at the same time. The Handbook of Research on Using Disruptive Methodologies and Game-Based Learning to Foster Transversal Skills gathers knowledge, skills, abilities, and capabilities on innovative and disruptive methodologies that can be applied in all educational levels to foster transversal skills. This publication contains different contributions focused on the description of innovative educational methods, processes, and tools that can be adopted by teachers to promote transversal skills such as creativity, critical thinking, decision-making, and entrepreneurial skills. This book is ideal for teachers, instructional designers, educational software developers, academics, professionals, students, and researchers working at all levels in the educational field and provides valuable background information to professionals who aim to overcome traditional paradigm obstacles and meet student needs by means of innovative and disruptive methodologies.

"Digital Athletics: The Convergence of Esports and Traditional Sports" likely explores the fascinating intersection between the digital realm of competitive gaming and the physical world of traditional sports. This book presumably delves into how esports is increasingly adopting structures, training regimens, and business models similar to traditional sports, while also examining how traditional sports are embracing digital elements and esports-style engagement. It may analyze the shared challenges and opportunities in areas such as athlete development, fan engagement, media rights, and sponsorships. The book probably investigates how the lines between digital and physical athletics are blurring, with esports athletes requiring physical fitness and traditional athletes honing their skills in video game versions of their sports. It likely discusses the potential for crossover events, hybrid sports, and the integration of esports into major sporting institutions like the Olympics. By examining this convergence, the book aims to provide insights into the future of competitive entertainment and athletics in an increasingly digital world.