Gaming Communities, Skills & Career Pathways – Macias (ERNC25) скачать в хорошем качестве

Gaming Communities, Skills & Career Pathways – Macias (ERNC25)

This presentation by Angela Macias (California State University Dominguez Hills) examines how gaming subcultures function as Communities of Practice (CoPs) and how the skills, values, and forms of knowledge developed within them can support stronger pathways into college and careers. Using funds of knowledge as a guiding framework, the study synthesizes three complementary data sources: more than 500 anonymous online forum posts, ten interviews with professionals working in gaming and gaming-adjacent fields, and the researcher’s own institutional experience implementing student services and career-focused programming for gamers. Findings show that gaming communities cultivate a wide range of transferable competencies—including technical expertise, analytical thinking, collaboration, cultural fluency, resilience, innovation, and communication skills. Interview participants further highlight the importance of community connection, mentorship, and navigating barriers related to gamer identity. At the college level, expanded supports such as clubs, career workshops, and faculty engagement provide critical opportunities to validate gamer strengths and translate them into academic and professional success. The presentation argues that higher education can play a transformative role by recognizing the positive attributes of gaming communities, integrating them into instruction, and creating intentional career pathways that leverage students’ existing knowledge and lived experiences. Keywords: gaming communities, careers, higher education, funds of knowledge, community of practice About the ERN Conference 2025: The Esports Research Network Conference 2025 took place online from November 12–14, 2025 as a continuous, 72-hour global livestream. Guided by the theme “Future Realities: Esports as a Global Lab,” the event explored how esports serves as a living laboratory for understanding digital transformation across education, media, technology, and society. This innovative digital-first format followed the sun across three regional hubs, Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania & Michigan State University (Americas), Staffordshire University (EMEA), and UNSW Sydney (Asia-Pacific), creating a nonstop, interconnected academic experience available to participants worldwide. This ambitious production was made possible through the support of Corsair for Business, whose Elgato technology powered high-quality broadcasting and seamless livestreaming across all three hubs. ERNC25 continues the network’s mission to unite scholars, practitioners, and students while fostering open, global collaboration in esports research. Full abstracts for all presentations can be viewed in the official Book of Abstracts at: https://book.esportsresearch.net Website: https://esportsresearch.net