Abstract

This paper is part of a larger research project conducted by a group of researchers belonging to the University of Borås (Sweden) in order to expand the knowledge on how mobile apps are identified, motivated and implemented in Swedish schools. Here, we show results that shed light on features of games and apps chosen by a variety of educational actors. Despite of a huge literature that shows the benefits of games in formal education, little is known about whether or not this is also the case for research specifically focusing on apps in educational settings. In fact, research on games and applications in education is limited, both within a Swedish and an international setting. Besides, there are in proportionality more studies on higher education than on compulsory school. Thus, the study of the use of games and apps in education in general, and the use of games and apps both for students with a diagnosis of ASD and newly-arrived students in particular, seems to have been largely overlooked so far. These are grounds for arguing that this study is needed. The data production took place in two municipalities of Western Sweden.