[ecrea] cfp: The Power of Play: Motivational Uses and Applications of Digital Games

CALL FOR PAPERS AND WORKSHOPS

The Power of Play: Motivational Uses and Applications of Digital Games

Pre-Conference to the 63rd International Communication Association (ICA) 
Annual Conference, London, UK

17 June 2013

Venue: Hilton London Metropole Hotel, London, UK

Jointly organized by:

·        ICA Game Studies Special Interest Group

·        ECREA Digital Games Research Temporary Working Group

Ever since their public appearance some four decades ago, digital games 
have been considered to be a unique medium that provides a specific type 
of experience which evokes high levels of motivation: Motivation to play 
repeatedly to gratify a need, and motivation to change attitudes, 
beliefs, and behaviors. On the one side, this motivational aspect of 
digital games has led to claims of them being addictive, and evoking 
anti-social tendencies due to their contents. On the other side, digital 
games are seen as tools that could radically improve learning and 
training outcomes, modify perceptions and behaviors, and consequently 
could be used in various types of interventions. For the player, the 
motivation to play a digital game, and the motivation to let its 
contents and features change their real life beliefs, perceptions, and 
even behavior do not have to be mutually exclusive. Hence, the ways in 
which digital gaming experience could be shaped to evoke motivation to 
play, and their various applications for entertainment and other 
purposes need to be better understood.

The goal of the pre-conference, “The Power of Play,” is to shed light on 
the motivational aspects of digital games and gameplay, how they relate 
to the ways in which games are used for entertainment and other 
purposes, the domains in which they are applied, the challenges in their 
design and application, and the ways in which they are studied. In order 
to tackle these questions, the pre-conference welcomes extended 
abstracts and/or workshop submissions with different theoretical 
backgrounds, methods and perspectives. Possible pre-conference topics 
include but are not restricted to:

·        Digital games as a motivational medium

·        Digital game theories to explain motivation

·        Game content and design considerations to evoke motivation

·        Gaming experience, solo and social play for motivation

·        Motivation to play vs. motivation to change beliefs, attitudes, 
and behaviors

·        Innovative methods for studying motivational uses and 
applications of games

·        Effects of motivational uses of digital games

·        The mechanism of digital game motivation

·        The process and challenges of

o   Using digital games for commercial profit

o   Using digital games to facilitate learning, to raise awareness, or 
to change behavior

Further information on the pre-conference can be found at: 
http://icagames.org, and on the ICA main conference at www.icahdq.org.



Extended Abstracts

Anyone interested in presenting a paper at the pre-conference is invited 
to submit an extended abstract of 1000-1500 words in APA 6th style to 
the pre-conference organization committee before 23:59 EST, 1 December 
2012. The abstracts will be subject to a double blind peer review 
process, therefore all identifying author information should be removed 
from the abstract. Notification of acceptance will be sent by 1 February 
2013.

To submit, please e-mail a PDF version of your extended abstract as an 
attachment to <(icaprecon2013 /at/ digital-games.eu)>. When submitting the 
abstract, please also include a separate cover page including your 
title, name, department/organization, address and e-mail.

The extended abstracts submitted for the pre-conference should not have 
been submitted to any other competitions in the ICA's main conference or 
any other venue. The pre-conference submissions will be refereed and 
programmed separately from ICA’s main conference.

All those who are accepted to present their extended abstract should 
register for the ICA pre-conference by 3 May 2013.

Please note that accepted extended abstracts may be published in the 
on-line pre-conference proceedings. Those who wish to be considered for 
publication should let the pre-conference organization committee know in 
their e-mail submission whether or not they want to be included in the 
proceedings.

Workshop Proposals

This year’s pre-conference will include workshops to help scholars 
exchange the practical aspects of the motivational power of play. Those 
who are interested in facilitating a workshop on game design that raises 
motivation, or on implementation, or assessment of motivational uses of 
games at the 2013 ICA London pre-conference are encouraged to submit a 
500-1000 word proposal to the organizational committee.

The workshop should be designed to take approximately 2 hours to 
complete, should not rely on participants’ use of technology unless 
provided by the facilitators, and should incorporate active 
participation of the audience either in groups or individually. The 
workshop room will be set up with round tables that can accommodate 50 
participants. A projector and screen will also be provided.

Please e-mail the necessary documents described below as PDF attachments 
to <(icaprecon2013 /at/ digital-games.eu)> before 23:59 EST, 1 December 2012. 
The proposals will be accepted on the basis of peer review. Notification 
of acceptance will be sent by 1 February 2013. All those who are 
accepted to facilitate their workshop should register for the ICA 
pre-conference by 3 May 2013.

-The workshop proposal should include the following information:

·                 A cover page with title, name of the workshop 
facilitator(s), institution name(s), address(es) and e-mail(s)

·                 A synopsis explaining the motivation and objectives of 
the workshop

·                 Time frame required

·                 Minimum and maximum number of participants needed

·                 Skill and knowledge level requirements of the participants

·                 Activity agenda including tasks to be covered 
throughout the workshop

-         Please also provide expected benefits/outcomes for each activity

·                 Materials needed and information on who should provide 
them

·                 Notes, comments, costs, and expectations from the 
organization committee (workshop expenses may be partially subsidized by 
the organization committee)

-Please also attach a bio/profile/resume of the workshop facilitator(s)

Further information on extended abstracts and workshop proposals can be 
inquired by e-mailing (icaprecon2013 /at/ digital-games.eu)

About ICA and the Game Studies Special Interest Group

The International Communication Association (ICA) is an academic 
association dedicated to advancing the high quality scholarly study of 
human and mediated communication since 1950. ICA aims to facilitate 
excellence in academia by facilitating exchange among various cultures, 
nations, and disciplines. As of 2012, ICA has more than 4300 members in 
over 80 countries.

The Game Studies special interest group has been a platform for scholars 
worldwide specializing in rigorous research in digital games and gaming 
as a new form of media since 2006.

More information on ICA can be found at www.icahdq.org/. More 
information on the ICA Game Studies Special Interest Group can be found 
at http://icagames.org

About ECREA and the Digital Games Research Temporary Working Group

European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA) is the 
academic society for communication scholars across (and beyond) Europe 
since 2005. It hosts three networks, 17 sections and 8 Temporary Working 
Groups (TWGs). As of 2012, ECREA counts more than 3000 members from all 
over the world. ECREA’s activities include the ECC conferences, summer 
schools, a book series, and many other activities to unite researchers 
in discussion and research.

The Temporary Working Group (TWG) “Digital Games Research” was founded 
in 2011, offering communication scholars interested in computer and 
video games research a dedicated home in ECREA.

More information on ECREA can be found at www.ecrea.eu. More information 
on the TWG and how to become member can be found at www.digital-games.eu.



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