This chapter provides an overview of a relative newcomer to education at all levels, esports. Esports has become very popular in recent years, and it is important for educators to understand the issues surrounding this activity, as well as the benefits to student participants with respect to the experience itself and to potential careers in the field. A brief history is provided and the issues surrounding esports in education are examined. Resources are provided relevant to starting an esports program at all levels: collegiate, secondary school, and middle school.
TopIntroduction
When you think about college athletics, the first image that comes to mind is likely a football player, or a basketball star. Perhaps you think of a soccer goalie, or a baseball pitcher. The image of a swimmer or gymnast, working toward the next Olympic games, may be the first thing you see. Most of us do not conjure a vision of a gamer at a console. However, many colleges and universities have varsity level esports programs, and that number continues to grow. This growing movement has led to a call to officially recognize esports as a sport, and to bring it under the umbrella of NCAA sports (Kane & Spradley, 2017).
According to Kane and Spradley (2017):
Esports will be a general term that includes all the various esports leagues from around the world. Each league could be compared to a different sports league that plays the same sport such as the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Bellator and Invicta Fighting Championship. The various esports leagues have different rules, play different games, rank professionals differently and host tournaments and competitions. The consistent aspect throughout the leagues is that the competitors play video games and the athletes that win matches consistently could progress to a professional level. (Kane & Spradley, 2017)
There is no official or universal definition of esports, so the initial analysis begins with a dictionary. According to the Cambridge English Dictionary, a sport is “a game, competition, or activity needing physical effort and skill that is played or done according to rules, for enjoyment and/or as a job (Cambridge Dictionary, n.d.). Many have examined the amount of physical effort required to play esports, which varies with the game being played. Some of the games, such as those based on physical sports, require the player to be active. Others do not require as much physical movement, but may still require physical exertion. For example, some studies have shown that blood pressure and heart rate are elevated during game play (Kane & Spradley, 2017). The other criterion is the element of competition. While video gaming began as an individual activity, it has evolved into the possibility of multi-player gaming and team competition. Some games have recognized tournaments, with prize money available to the winners. These contests are often broadcast on television or streamed on the Internet (Kane & Spradley, 2017).
This chapter will be organized into six key sections:
An explanation of the six key sections is included below.
The first section, “Introduction,” focuses on introducing the purpose of this chapter.
The second section, “What is Esports?” focuses on defining esports. A brief historical review of some milestones in the esports movement is included.
The third section, “Esports in Education,” provides a review of the establishment of esports teams at the post-secondary, secondary and middle school levels.
The fourth section focuses on several “Issues in Esports.” These issues range from the place of women and minorities in eSports, to protecting the health and well-being of esports athletes.
In the fifth section, “Best Practices,” the considerations when starting a new esports team are discussed.
In the sixth section, “Future Research Directions,” recommended areas of future research will be presented. Concluding thoughts are shared on the need to further understand student and educator issues with esports.