Learning and gaming: a cultural comparison of identity transitions and constructions among Scottish and Chinese university students

This chapter examines how university students in Scotland and China construct and negotiate their gamer and learner identities within distinct sociocultural contexts. Drawing on Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (3GAT) and a biographical narrative interpretative interview study, we analyse how activities around video game play shape identity formation and educational engagement. We find marked cross-cultural differences: Chinese narratives emphasise parental influence, examination pressure, and constrained play spaces (e.g., internet cafés and commercial “boosting” services), while Scottish narratives foreground exploration, wellbeing, and more supportive dispositions toward playful learning. These contrasts reflect broader policy and cultural environments, such as China’s youth gaming regulations versus Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence and acceptance of game-based learning, and lead students to different meanings of “gamer” and “learner.” We argue that recognising and integrating students’ gaming practices can help higher education connect identities across settings, informing inclusive pedagogy, curriculum design, and internationalisation strategies.