Research team contacts

Principal Researcher:

Professor Daniel Johnson, School of Computer Science, QUT

Associate Researcher:

Dr Janelle Mackenzie, School of Computer Science, QUT

Dr Madison Klarkowski, School of Computer Science, QUT

Research Centre / Group:

Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child, Queensland University of Technology

What is the purpose of this research?

We are seeking to understand what motivates children to play video games, and what motivates them to watch others playing video games.

Are you looking for people like me?

Your child is invited to participate if they:

  • are 7 or 8 years
  • play video games
  • have seen a video of someone playing a video game (e.g. a video game 'streamer').

What will you ask me to do?

We are looking for children who would be interested in participating in a longitudinal study, which has four stages:

  1. Small group session looking at 'streamer' videos together.
  2. Creation of a 'streamer' video when gaming at home.
  3. Group session co-creating interview questions about gaming.
  4. Short participant-to-participant interviews via Zoom.

There will be two sessions at either QUT, Kelvin Grove, OR UOW, Wollongong campus.

Are there any risks for me in taking part?

There are some risks associated with your child’s participation in this research project. Risks include:

  • potentially experiencing discomfort or anxiety when participating in group sessions
  • when a video of them is shared on QUT OneDrive and anticipating comments from others
  • nervousness at participating in child-to-child interviews.

There is also a risk of inconvenience of participating in the research, which includes coming to a university campus and completing activities (creating a video and participating in interviews) at home. There is a risk that your child may feel the need to 'perform' to fulfill the expectations of participation.

Are there any benefits for me in taking part?

It is expected that this research project will not benefit your child directly, however, your child may find enjoyment by participating in some parts of the research. The outcomes of the research, however, may benefit the field of research investigating positive digital childhoods because it is expected that findings from this study will expand existing knowledge on the experience of playing videogames for young children.

Will I be compensated for my time?

To recompense for your expenses incurred should your child choose to participate, the research team is offering a $30 Coles Group and Myer gift card upon completion of each of the four stages of the study (i.e., 4 x $30 gift cards for participation in each stage of the research). The research team will provide you with complimentary parking tickets at the university campuses when you are requested to bring your child in for participation.

I am interested - what should I do next?

Participate in the project

For further details contact Dr Janelle Mackenzie via email janelle.mackenzie@qut.edu.au or Dr Clara Rivera via email mcr@uow.edu.au.

QUT Ethics Number: 7984