The creation and implementation of a rubric for the analysis of language learning and teaching videogames

Language teachers, as with other members of the profession, are constantly being reminded of the importance of incorporating the use of technology into their lessons. Videogames potentially offer great opportunities to engage language students in unique and powerful ways. That said, many of the titles which are currently available are based on outdated grammar-translation and behaviourist principles, and it may be difficult to discern which titles are of most use in the classroom setting. This thesis aims to create and test a rubric (The Language Education Videogame Evaluation Rubric, or LEVER) which will be of two-fold benefit to the domain of language teaching and learning. Firstly, it will assist educators in the selection of titles which will be appropriate for use in their own professional contexts. Secondly, it will offer to game designers a list of characteristics which should be incorporated into language education titles. This thesis will discuss both the ludic (gameplay) and pedagogical aspects of language learning and teaching videogames. Both of these aspects are integral to the nature of high-quality, educational titles. Four titles which have been created to teach a foreign language will then be analysed in light of the LEVER, both to test the games for quality and the rubric itself for ease-of-use and rigour.