JultikaUniversity of Oulu repository

Abstract

The advancement in information technology has contributed to growth in different industries. One such industry that has gained prominence in recent years is the gaming industry. The game industry today has become a major platform of entertainment, amassing a large community of players across the globe. As most people consider video game play only as a form of entertainment, the existential educational benefits are missed. While it is true that violent games could negatively affect the psychological health of its players, playing games right can contribute positively to the improvement of skills and academics. The objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between video game play, problem-solving, and academic performance on Information Technology (IT) students and to understand the kinds of video games that affect their problem-solving skills in their studies. A quantitative research method was used, collecting quantitative data from students of the Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering (ITEE) of the University of Oulu through an online survey. The results of the study indicate that strategy and puzzle games significantly improve the problem-solving skills of students through analytical, logical, and creative thinking. The results of this study can be used in the future to investigate other phenomena such as how video games differently affect students with IT background from other students and how video games could be used as an effective educational tool for IT students.