Abstract:

Video gaming has now become very popular among children and adolescents. Because of the increasing use of videogames, the debate concerning the effects of video games has been ongoing, particularly in terms of gamers’ social lives. This study explores the impact of heavy gaming students on their peers and teachers in the school environment. For this purpose, focus-group and face-to-face interviews have been carried out using semi-structured interview forms developed by the research team. The data have been collected from 21 participants comprised of three heavy gaming students, 16 peers, and two teachers. The findings indicate heavy gamers to display problematic behaviors including communication and behavioral problems within the school environment. Results also show heavy gaming students to prefer staying at home and playing videogames rather than attending school activities. Heavy gamers mostly prefer spending time with other heavy gamers or with male peers because they have mutual topics they can talk about (video games, their game talents, soccer, outdoor games etc.), which they are unable to with girls. According to the teachers, heavy gamers have low-school performance. However, the English teacher emphasized the positive effects of video gaming on students’ English vocabulary.

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