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Virginia Tech

Playing the Writing Game: Gaming the Writing Play

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

My studies consider the application of digital game theory to the instruction of writing in the first year composition classroom. I frame my argument through dialectic of representation and simulation and the cultural shift now in progress from the latter to the former. I first address the history of multimodal composition in the writing classroom, specifically noting the movement from analysis to design. In the third chapter, I examine several primary tenants of video game theory in relation to traditional academic writing, such as the concept of authorship and the importance of a rule system. My final chapter combines the multimodal and digital game theory to create what I term "digital game composition pedagogy." The last chapter offers new ways to discuss writing and composing through the theories of video games, and shows how video games extend the theories associated with writing to discussions that coincide with an interest that many of our students have outside of the classroom.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Arts
Level thesis:degree_level
masters
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
English
Department dc:contributor.department
English
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
2006

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Beale, Matthew Carson
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Siegle, Robert B.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • George, Diana L.
  • Heilker, Paul V.

Subjects

dc:subject × 6

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
etd-04282006-163736
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/32006

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Beale, Matthew Carson. Playing the Writing Game: Gaming the Writing Play. masters thesis, Virginia Tech, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/32006