Georgia State University ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University Department of Middle-Secondary Education and Middle-Secondary Education and Instructional Instructional Technology (no new uploads as of Technology Dissertations Jan. 2015) Spring 5-17-2013 Composing a Gamer: A Case Study of One Gamer's Experience of Symbiotic Flow Heather L. Lynch Georgia State University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/msit_diss Recommended Citation Lynch, Heather L., "Composing a Gamer: A Case Study of One Gamer's Experience of Symbiotic Flow." Dissertation, Georgia State University, 2013. https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/msit_diss/112 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of Middle-Secondary Education and Instructional Technology (no new uploads as of Jan. 2015) at ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Middle-Secondary Education and Instructional Technology Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ACCEPTANCE This dissertation, COMPOSING A GAMER: A CASE STUDY OF ONE GAMER’S EXPERIENCE OF SYMBIOTIC FLOW, by HEATHER LYNN LYNCH, was prepared under the direction of the candidate’s Dissertation Advisory Committee. It is accepted by the committee members in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree, Doctor of Philosophy, in the College of Education, Georgia State University. The Dissertation Advisory Committee and the student’s Department Chairperson, as representatives of the faculty, certify that this dissertation has met all standards of excellence and scholarship as determined by the faculty. The Dean of the College of Education concurs. _____________________________ _____________________________ Peggy Albers, Ph.D. Teri J. Peitso-Holbrook, Ph.D. Committee Co-Chair Committee Co-Chair _____________________________ _____________________________ Teresa R. Fisher, Ph.D. Amy Seely Flint, Ph.D. Committee Member Committee Member _____________________________ _____________________________ Tisha Y. Lewis, Ph.D. Lynée Lewis Gaillet, Ph.D. Committee Member Committee Member _____________________________ Date _____________________________ Dana L. Fox, Ph.D. Chair, Department of Middle-Secondary Education and Instructional Technology _____________________________ Paul A. Alberto, Ph.D. Interim Dean and Research Professor College of Education AUTHOR’S STATEMENT By presenting this dissertation as a partial fulfillment of the requirements of the advanced degree from Georgia State University, I agree that the library of Georgia State University shall make it available for inspection and circulation in accordance with its regulations governing materials of this type. I agree that permission to quote, to copy from, or to publish this dissertation may be granted by the professors under whose direction it was written, by the College of Education’s Director of Graduate Studies, or by me. Such quoting, copying, or publishing must be solely for scholarly purposes and will not involve potential financial gain. It is understood that any copying from or publication of this dissertation which involves potential financial gain will not be allowed without my written permission. ___________________________________________ Heather Lynn Lynch NOTICE TO BORROWERS All dissertations deposited in the Georgia State University library must be used in accordance with the stipulations prescribed by the author in the preceding statement. The author of this dissertation is Heather Lynn Lynch 525 Chadmon Court Trace Dacula, GA 30019 The directors of this dissertation are Dr. Peggy Albers Department of Middle-Secondary Education and Instructional Technology College of Education Georgia State University Atlanta GA 30303 Dr. Teri J. Peitso-Holbrook Department of Early Childhood Education College of Education Georgia State University Atlanta GA 30303 CURRICULUM VITAE Heather Lynn Lynch ADDRESS: 525 Chadmon Court Trace Dacula GA 30019 EDUCATION: Ph.D. 2012 Georgia State University Teaching and Learning Concentration: Language and Literacy M.Ed. 2003 Georgia State University English Education B.A. 2002 Georgia State University English PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: 2012-present Clinical Assistant Professor: Early Childhood Education Department, College of Education, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA. 2010-2012 Graduate Teaching Assistant: Department of Middle and Secondary Instructional Technology and Early Childhood Education Department, College of Education, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA. 2009-2010 Professional Educator: Buford High School, Buford, GA 30518. Experience teaching 9th grade Language Arts. 2008-2009 Doctoral Fellow/Graduate Research Assistant and Reading Endorsement Coordinator: Department of Middle and Secondary Instructional Technology, College of Education, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA. 2003-2008 Professional Educator: Experience teaching 7th and 9th grades as a Language Arts teacher, Reading Specialist, and Academic Coach. HONORS AND DISTINCTIONS: 2012 Doctoral Dissertation Support Award, College of Education, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA. IN PUBLICATION: Lynch, H.L. (2012) Subversive literacies: Considering what counts as reading in a gaming household. In P.J Dunston & S.K. Fullerton (Eds.) Sixtieth Yearbook of the Literacy Research Association (149-161). Oak Creek, WI: Literacy Research Association. PRESENTATIONS: Lynch, H.L. (2012). Transactions of thought and action: A mediated discourse analysis workshop. American Educational Research Association; Vancouver, BC. Lynch, H.L. (2012). Talking back: Providing supportive and instructive feedback. Graduate Teaching Assistant Pedagogy Conference; Atlanta, GA. Lynch, H.L. & Mantegna, S. (2012). A tale of two CITIs: Designing and developing a successful IRB protocol. Conversations in Doctoral Preparation Webinar Series; Atlanta, GA. Lynch, H. L. (2011). Subversive literacies: Reframing understandings of video games and literacy. Literacy Research Association; Jacksonville, FL. Lynch, H.L. (2009). Dabbling in Data. The GSU College of Education Webinars Series; Atlanta, GA. Lynch, H.L. (2009). Courageous literacies: SS/LA partnerships and critical literacies. The Conference on Literacy, Urban Issues, and Social Studies Education; Atlanta, GA. Ariail, M., Huysman, M., & Lynch, H.L. (2007). Taking the mountain to Mohammed: High school English students in a university writing class; National Reading Conference. Austin, TX. ABSTRACT COMPOSING A GAMER: A CASE STUDY OF ONE GAMER’S EXPERIENCE OF SYMBIOTIC FLOW by Heather L. Lynch Built upon symbiotic flow, that is a merging of flow theory (Csikzentmihalyi, 1975) and situated cognition (Gee, 2007) this dissertation presents the findings from a 6- month qualitative study of an elite gamer and his practices and experiences with video games. The study used mediated discourse analysis and case study methods to answer the following question: What does it mean to be an elite gamer, to one life-long player of video games? In addition, the following sub-questions were considered: a) What aspects of elite gaming are important and meaningful to one particular gamer? b) What moments of play does this gamer identify as significant? c) What does sustained play look like for one him? Data sources included interviews, observations of significant gaming (that is gaming in heightened states of enjoyment and success), observation de-briefs, co-analysis interview, and a research journal. The researcher coded observational data for elements of symbiotic flow and in response to interview data. Data are presented in narrative, expository, and graphic forms across the study. This inquiry has resulted in the creation of the Model of Nested Transaction in order to articulate and understand the nature of significant gaming experiences. Additional significant findings include: a) Time is the primary resource and commodity in this particular player's elite gaming world, because it represents a level of dedication and insider status; b) this gamer values particular affordances in his gaming, namely experiences that develop knowledge and skills that can then be applied instantaneously in gaming contexts and be harnessed for longitudinal participation; c) video games provide the participant, and gamers like him, with possibilities for greatness, an aspect of his identity that is both critically important to him and often strikingly absent outside of games. The study argues for productive consideration of video games as a mediational tool of both meaningful learning and powerful identity exploration. COMPOSING A GAMER: A CASE STUDY OF ONE GAMER’S EXPERIENCE OF SYMBIOTIC FLOW by Heather L. Lynch A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Teaching and Learning in the Department of Middle-Secondary Education and Instructional Technology in the College of Education Georgia State University Atlanta, GA 2013 Copyright by Heather L. Lynch 2013 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I have been blessed by a flock of friends, family, and mentors who have supported me through the strikingly personal endeavor of writing a dissertation like this. I would like to thank all of those who have cheered me on through this journey, sometimes offering an ear to bend, a hot cup of coffee, a shoulder to cry on, or a word of encouragement. I would like to thank my dissertation chairs, Drs. Teri Holbrook and Peggy Albers, who have thoughtfully, patiently,