Media Education and Video Games: An Action-research Project with Adolescents in an Out-of-school Educational Context

The penetration of video games in media consumption behaviors is statistically very significant all over the world. Education and media education cannot ignore this phenomenon, as it is so relevant for such a considerable part of the population, especially youth. The application of media education principles and goals to video games is very recent, because these electronic media are relatively young, and because of some deeper pedagogical and organizational reasons. In fact, media literacy has to deal with the cultural prejudice that video games, considered just like toys, don't deserve to become the subject of a discipline and to be present in school curricula. Furthermore, media literacy activities about video games require technological facilities, which are not necessarily expensive, but which are not generally available in schools and educational centers; last, these activities require staff with specific video game skills, a background that teachers and educators usually lack. The aim of the research is designing and experimenting a course about video game literacy, including the production of an action game by youth people, in Public Educational Youth Centers, between the years 2007-2008.