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1. Queering Virtual Reality

   https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-29489-2_17  

   Paré, D. (January 2019, Critical, Transdisciplinary and Embodied Approaches in STEM Education)

   null (Ed.)

   In this chapter, we investigate how innovations in STEM, such as Virtual Reality (VR) and 3D Sculpting, can support the development of critical literacies about gender and sexuality. Our work arises from the concern that the assumed \naturalness" of male/female binary categories in biol- ogy is often at the center of the queer, trans, and intersex panics in public education. Echoing sociologists and critical scholars of gender and sexu- ality, we posit that transgender and queer identities should be positioned as realms of playful, active inquiry. Further, we investigate how new forms of computational representational infrastructures can be leveraged to support productive and playful experiences of inquiry about gender and sexuality. We present a retrospective analysis of a design group meeting of a small group of friends in their early thirties with gender nonconforming and queer identities and life histories. The group interacted in VR-based environments, where they engaged in two dierent forms of construction- ist learning experiences: creating 3D sculptures of personally meaningful objects, and re-creating their VR avatars in VR social media. Our analysis illustrates how such experiences can be productively analyzed using so- cial constructivist perspectives that situate knowing as boundary play and gured worlds, and the roles that play and friendship have in supporting deep and critical engagement with complex narratives and marginalized experiences of gender and sexuality. 

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2. Toxicity by Game Design: How Players Perceive the Influence of Game Design on Toxicity

   https://doi.org/10.1145/3677110  

   Zhang, Zinan; Moradzadeh, Sam; Woan, Andrew; Kou, Yubo (October 2024, Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction)

   Toxicity in online games refers to behaviors where players disrupt the gaming experience of others, leading to adverse outcomes such as depression and low self-esteem. Although scholars have identified various factors contributing to toxicity, ranging from individual motivations to team dynamics to cultural backgrounds, the role of game design has been less frequently discussed. To bridge this gap, we conducted an interview study to explore players' perceptions of how game design influences toxicity. Our research identified four game design elements that participants perceived as contributing factors to the emergency of toxicity in their experiences: team interdependency, fairness, interaction design, and privacy. These findings help us shed light on how game design unintendedly triggers toxic intentions, exposes players to vulnerability, making them potential victims, and affects player interactions which lead to toxicity. We further propose design implications that can mitigate toxicity in online games. 

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3. Exploring the Plurality of Black Women's Gameplay Experiences

   https://doi.org/10.1145/3290605.3300369  

   Rankin, Yolanda A.; Han, Na-eun (May 2019, Proceedings of the 2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems)

   Few gender-focused studies of video games explore the gameplay experiences of women of color, and those that do tend to only emphasize negative phenomena (i.e., racial or gender discrimination). In this paper, we conduct an exploratory case study attending to the motivations and gaming practices of Black college women. Questionnaire responses and focus group discussion illuminate the plurality of gameplay experiences for this specific population of Black college women. Sixty-five percent of this population enjoy the ubiquity of mobile games with casual and puzzle games being the most popular genres. However, academic responsibilities and competing recreational interests inhibit frequent gameplay. Consequently, this population of Black college women represent two types of casual gamers who report positive gameplay experiences, providing insights into creating a more inclusive gaming subculture. 

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4. This Game SUX: Why & How to Design Sh@*!y User Experiences

   https://doi.org/10.1145/3706598.3713246  

   Cormier, Michelle V; Liang, Shano; Hamilton, Bill; LaLone, Nicolas; Bohrer, Rose; Toups_Dugas, Phoebe O (April 2025, ACM)

   While normative – “good” – game design and user experiences have been established, we look to games that challenge those notions. Intentional frustration and failure can be worthwhile. Through a reflexive thematic analysis of 31 games we identify how intentionally non-normative design choices lead to meaningful experiences. Working within the established Mechanics Dynamics Aesthetics (MDA) Game Design Framework, we lay out themes to design Shitty User Experiences (SUX). We contribute SUX MDA themes for designers and researchers to counter the status quo and identify new forms of play and interaction. 

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5. RoboMath: Designing a Learning Companion Robot to Support Children’s Numerical Skills

   https://doi.org/10.1145/3459990.3460709  

   Ho, Hui-Ru; Cagiltay, Bengisu; White, Nathan Thomas; Hubbard, Edward M.; Mutlu, Bilge (June 2021, IDC '21: Interaction Design and Children)

   null (Ed.)

   Children’s early numerical knowledge establishes a foundation for later development of mathematics achievement and playing linear number board games is effective in improving basic numeri- cal abilities. Besides the visuo-spatial cues provided by traditional number board games, learning companion robots can integrate multi-sensory information and offer social cues that can support children’s learning experiences. We explored how young children experience sensory feedback (audio and visual) and social expressions from a robot when playing a linear number board game, “RoboMath.” We present the interaction design of the game and our investigation of children’s (n = 19, aged 4) and parents’ experiences under three conditions: (1) visual-only, (2) audio-visual, and (3) audio- visual-social robot interaction. We report our qualitative analysis, including the themes observed from interviews with families on their perceptions of the game and the interaction with the robot, their child’s experiences, and their design recommendations. 

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