Gameplay and transmedia informal digital language learning:&nbsp;A case study

doi:10.65961/AJELT-2026-3-005

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Asian Journal of English Language Teaching ›› 2026, Vol. 35 ›› Issue (3) : 76-99. DOI: 10.65961/AJELT-2026-3-005

Research Article

Gameplay and transmedia informal digital language learning: A case study

Yeong-Ju Lee¹, Rhett Loban²

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Abstract

This paper examines how informal digital language learning unfolds through gameplay and related transmedia practices. While informal language learning frequently extends across diverse platforms, the mechanisms through which game design, symbolic interpretation, and learner agency intersect are not fully understood. Drawing on ecological, spatial, and game design perspectives, this study develops an integrated framework for analysing cross-platform informal language learning. In a qualitative case study of a Thai international student studying English in Australia, data were collected over eight weeks through gameplay recordings, reflective journals, and semi-structured interviews. A thematic analysis revealed that narrative design supported symbolic competence, with vocabulary learning intertwined with affective immersion in story worlds. Multiplayer interaction fostered pragmatic awareness as the learner acquired idiomatic and abbreviated forms while strategically managing their use across contexts. Cross-platform inquiry enabled recursive meaning-making through wikis, dictionaries, and online discussions, while social media remixing facilitated multimodal recontextualisation and identity work. The findings demonstrate how symbolic interpretation, pragmatic selectivity, recursive inquiry, and multimodal authorship interlock within digitally mediated affinity spaces. This study offers conceptual understanding and pedagogical implications for informal digital language learning.

Key words

Informal digital language learning / Gameplay / Transmedia / Ecological-spatial perspective / Game design / Case study / Learner agency

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Yeong-Ju Lee, Rhett Loban. (2026). Gameplay and transmedia informal digital language learning: A case study.Asian Journal of English Language Teaching , 35(3): 76-99. https://doi.org/10.65961/AJELT-2026-3-005

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