The Design, Development and Evaluation of a Digital Literacy Game for Preteens

The goal of our research is to develop an effective and empirically validated persuasive digital literacy game for tweens, meant for classroom use. Our secondary goal is to explore whether procedural rhetoric is an effective approach for designing digital literacy games. We developed the game in collaboration with MediaSmarts, a not-for-profit organization. The game, A Day in the Life of the JOs, is available in both English and French, and accessible on desktop computers and tablets. Thus far, the game has been launched in over 300 Canadian elementary schools. We conducted two user studies to evaluate the usability and effectiveness of the game with children and teachers. We found that the game was usable, effective at improving children's digital literacy, and was positively received. Our study with teachers show similar trends, and indicate that the game meets curriculum requirements, and can be used in classrooms. We also provide a model to conceptualize issues that teachers identify with children's use of digital media, and how they help them resolve these issues.