Video games as cultural expressions in digital humanities

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21501/23461780.5237

Keywords:

Transdisciplinary education., Teacher education, Gamification, Digital humanities, Educational innovation, Critical thinking, Learning technologies, Educational video games.

Abstract

This article analyzes the pedagogical impact of the educational video games Intiñam and Intiñam Trivia on the development of techno-pedagogical competencies among university students enrolled in teacher education programs. Employing a transdisciplinary philosophical framework, the study employs a mixed-methods approach based on the Integrated Theoretical Model of Gamification in E-Learning Environments (E-MIGA), applied to a sample of 396 students. The analysis encompasses four dimensions: cognitive, social, emotional, and narrative. Results indicate high levels of conceptual understanding (95%), social engagement (97%), and identity-based connection with the game narrative
(95%), demonstrating the effectiveness of these tools in aligning the national curriculum with playful, contextualized, and meaningful learning experiences. Moreover, the results show that video games function as reflective, creative, and symbolic devices that reframe learning through territoriality, interculturality, and complex thinking. The main limitations include the institutional concentration of the sample and the predominance of quantitative data. Future research should expand into rural and intercultural contexts and incorporate more robust qualitative methodologies. In conclusion, this research demonstrates that educational video games designed from a local, critical, and
transdisciplinary perspective constitute powerful pedagogical tools for fostering a digital, critical, and socially engaged citizenship.

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Author Biographies

Javier Collado Ruano, Universidad Nacional de Educación

Ph. D. en Filosofía. Docente de la Universidad Nacional de Educación Azogues–Ecuador javier.collado@unae.edu.ec, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0063-6642

Alicia Gabriela Paredes Benavides , Universidad Nacional de Educación

MSc. Universidad Nacional de Educación. Intengrante del grupo de Investigación de Educación Posgradual a distancia en Iberoamérica (UNADE), Azogues–Ecuador. Correo electrónico: alicia.paredes@unae.edu.ec, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7643-1067

Angel Torres-Toukoumidis, Universidad Politécnica Salesiana

Ph. D. en Comunicación. Docente de la Universidad Politécnica Salesiana, Grupo de Investigación Gamelab-UPS, Cuenca-Ecuador. Correo electrónico: atorrest@ups.edu.ec, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7727-3985

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Published

2026-02-25

How to Cite

Collado Ruano, J., Paredes Benavides , A. G., & Torres-Toukoumidis, A. (2026). Video games as cultural expressions in digital humanities. Perseitas, 14, 22–44. https://doi.org/10.21501/23461780.5237