More than digital Lego: A study of children's play in Minecraft

Abstract

This thesis is about children’s digital play and the contexts in which it occurs. I have illuminated and explored how digital play sits within broader discourses, family contexts and technological trends that make for a sociocultural context surrounding digital play that in many ways sets it apart from ‘proper’ play. The aim of this thesis was to describe and understand children’s digital play through an investigation of Minecraft. Minecraft, now a decade old, has come to occupy a position of significance in the playworlds of many children. However, as with children’s digital gameplay in general, research has tended to look for outcomes associated with play rather than what Minecraft play ..