University of Twente Student Theses
From Play to Growth : Exploring the Role of Procedural Rhetoric in Social and Emotional Development through Serious Games for Children with Cognitive Disabilities
Ven, B.A.A. van de (2025) From Play to Growth : Exploring the Role of Procedural Rhetoric in Social and Emotional Development through Serious Games for Children with Cognitive Disabilities.
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| Abstract: | Serious games are widely used to support learning. They often simulate real-world concepts within their mechanics and rules to convey a compelling argument, a technique known as procedural rhetoric. However, little is known about how children with cognitive disabilities engage with these embedded messages and to what extent they can develop (social-emotional) skills through procedural rhetoric. This study investigated the role of procedural rhetoric in serious games designed for children with cognitive disabilities, and it also examined the influence of social factors in gameplay, such as the type of multiplayer games (e.g., competitive or collaborative), emotions, reflection, and guidance. It aimed to provide insights into whether children with special needs demonstrate an understanding of procedural rhetoric within games designed for social and emotional learning. A qualitative approach combining participant observations and semi-structured interviews was used in this study. In total, 27 children with varying cognitive disabilities and a mean age of 10.3 years old were included in the observation sample, of which five children also participated in subsequent interviews. For the observations, the games of the company Tover were used as stimulus. Eight interviews were conducted with teachers who had experience with using the Tovertafel. Children with cognitive disabilities demonstrated varying levels of understanding procedural rhetoric in serious games. Especially older, more cognitively developed children were able to adhere to the rules or goals, could make certain connections to the real world, and learned skills from playing the game. Teacher guidance emerged as a crucial factor in this understanding. Regardless of whether they understood the procedural rhetoric or not, it was found that most children learned (social-emotional) skills through playing the games. Competitive games were found to be useful for learning such skills, and both hedonic and eudaimonic feelings seem to have a relationship with understanding procedural rhetoric. This study highlights that while children with cognitive disabilities can learn through procedural rhetoric, for which guidance seems to be a crucial factor, they may also create their own gameplay, leading to alternative learning outcomes. Social factors further seem to play an important role in understanding procedural rhetoric. These findings call for a shift in focus toward procedural comprehension, which captures ways in which players interpret the mechanics. Future research should also explore how social aspects influence both procedural rhetoric and its interpretation. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Clients: | Tover, Utrecht, Netherlands |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 05 communication studies |
| Programme: | Communication Science MSc (60713) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/105403 |
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