A descriptive study of Turkish high school students’ game-playing characteristics and their considerations concerning the effects of games

The purpose of this study is to examine high school students’ preferences, playing habits, expectations, and thoughts concerning computer games. One-thousand two hundred and twenty-four (1224) vocational high school students, studying at eight different schools in six cities within four different regions in Turkey, participated in the study. The results reveal that female students expect games to have instructive elements, while males desire elements that are entertaining, competitive, and multi-player. Females complained about negative aspects of computer games, such as causation of laziness and motivation for aggressive behavior, more than males. The students suggested that computer games might be used in education for Mathematics or History courses, and that they can be used to improve mental skills. Females also stated a preference to play in “convenient” places, such as their homes or schools, rather than in Internet cafés or other outside places, which were more strongly favored by males.