Motivation, Learning, and Game Design

2011 ◽  
pp. 528-543
Author(s):  
Mahboubeh Asgari ◽  
David Kaufman

While there are thousands of educational computer and video games in the market today, few are as engaging and compelling as entertainment games. Some entertainment games have also been used in classrooms and have proven to produce incidental learning (e.g., Civilization III, SimCity). This has demonstrated that learning can occur through playing computer and video games, although it does not address the question of how to design engaging games for learning that incorporate specific learning objectives. As educators, we generally design instruction by specifying our learning objectives and then developing our learning materials to address these objectives. The authors of this chapter argue that there are a number of elements used in entertainment games that motivate players, and using these elements in the design process for educational games based on learning objectives would create motivational and engaging educational games. This chapter outlines the elements needed to develop such games.

Author(s):  
Mahboubeh Asgari ◽  
David Kaufman

While there are thousands of educational computer and video games in the market today, few are as engaging and compelling as entertainment games. Some entertainment games have also been used in classrooms and have proven to produce incidental learning (e.g., Civilization III, SimCity). This has demonstrated that learning can occur through playing computer and video games, although it does not address the question of how to design engaging games for learning that incorporate specific learning objectives. As educators, we generally design instruction by specifying our learning objectives and then developing our learning materials to address these objectives. The authors of this chapter argue that there are a number of elements used in entertainment games that motivate players, and using these elements in the design process for educational games based on learning objectives would create motivational and engaging educational games. This chapter outlines the elements needed to develop such games.


Author(s):  
Tetiana Luhova

The article touches on the issues of humanization of modern technologically advanced education, analyzes the synergy factors of information technology and spiritually-oriented pedagogy to prepare a new generation of humanist managers. For this, the role of narrative and storytelling in the process of creating educational computer games that form the competence of making managerial decisions is determined. An analysis of the knowledge structure of educational games on the basis of the proposed methodology for developing their plot shows the need to balance the processes of formalization of educational processes in the game, preserving narrative by referring to works of folk art, classical fiction as sources of implicit knowledge. The threats of formalization and automation of modern education are described. It has been found that “relay” learning is superficial, it does not contribute to the formation of critical and systemic thinking. As a result, this leads to the emergence of a generation of techno-button-managers. It is indicated that the preservation and effective translation of deep narratives containing educational humanistic meanings is a priority for designers of educational video games. The components of the game by D. Gray, game history and pedagogical strategies in the MDA model are compared, which made it possible to clarify the meaning of the terms “narrative”, “plot”, “storytelling”, to determine the place of their greatest actualization in the process of creating educational computer games. Considering the general tendency of the techno-environment to reduce, optimize and formalize, the task of preserving tacit knowledge, correct translation of it into over-formalized knowledge (morals, formulas) through effective storytelling, embodied in "active learning" of computer games, is crucial. In this case, the narrative plays the role of a base of spiritual-oriented knowledge, and with the help of storytelling it balances the spiritual-ethical meanings and educational results of a business video game. The meaning of the terms "narratives" and "storytelling" is considered, the Ukrainian-language terms-analogues are proposed. The importance of adhering to the principle of non-linear game plot for increasing the effectiveness of business games is revealed. The close relationship of business games with case studies, project- and problem-based training was emphasized. The correlation of narratology and ludology of the game is shown in the matrix of transformation of professional competencies and procedures for making managerial decisions into the rules of the game, their metaphorization and translation into script phrases. It is shown that the gamification of training exercises and situations is a synergy of creative and information-analytical work with databases and game design project documents. The core of educational game design is the balance of narrative and storytelling, explicit and implicit knowledge. This balance is achieved through effective collaboration and communication between all participants in the educational and business processes. Creation of virtual learning environments in which a future leader has an opportunity to formulate and comprehensively develop the competencies of business communication and managerial decision-making in situations of uncertainty and ethical dilemmas is a promising area of digital education.


2013 ◽  
pp. 63-101
Author(s):  
Marion A. Hersh ◽  
Barbara Leporini

This chapter presents an overview of accessibility and usability for educational computer-based games and the first survey of the accessibility and usability of digital educational games. The overview includes a discussion of accessibility and usability, both in general and in the specific context of educational games, as well as a brief presentation of issues relating to game design, including of mobile games. Since there are no previous studies of the accessibility and usability of educational computer-based games, studies of the accessibility and usability of the related areas of virtual learning environments, digital games for entertainment and PDF documents, are also presented. The overview of accessibility and usability and the results of the survey are used to draw up a structured list of 62 guidelines and recommendations, organised into three categories at the first level and ten at the second level. These guidelines and recommendations are illustrated by an example of their application to a fictitious new educational game.


Author(s):  
Sylke Vandercruysse ◽  
Mieke Vandewaetere ◽  
Geraldine Clarebout

A new interest in the use of video games for learning has emerged, and a number of claims are made with respect to the effectiveness of games in education. These educational games are considered as new instructional technology with great potential. The suggested positive outcomes and effects have been mentioned repeatedly. In this review, the learning effects of educational games are studied in order to gain more insights into the conditions under which a game may be effective for learning. A systematic literature search in three databases was conducted. Some studies reported a positive effect on learning and motivation, but this is moderated by different learner variables and depends on different context variables. Next to this, the effectivity research on game-based learning is highly susceptible to a muddle of approaches, methodologies, and descriptions of gaming for educational purposes.


Author(s):  
Greg Walsh

Innovative and engaging video games can be created if the target audience is included in the design process. Co-design is the process of working with your intended audience as colleagues in the design of technology. Co-design requires techniques that bring together designers in a way to create new technologies. New design techniques are developed to be used in real-world situations, but they require refinement through their own use. Video games offer technique designers an abundant source of material to design and refine techniques in real-world scenarios. This chapter discusses co-design, and the use of co-design techniques in the design of a serious video game to explore history, to help children be more environmentally minded, and a virtual world that reinforces positive social behavior.


Author(s):  
Mifrah Ahmad

Educational games (EG) as learning software have become more dominant in the educational industry and have gained immense popularity. However, a constant battle between designing an EG that combines fun and educational content in delivering learning objective is a prominent challenge through the designing phase for various stakeholders involved, especially game designers. This chapter discusses three major contributions to game design fundamentals and principles and unpacks their concepts on designing EG. Moreover, an in-depth discussion of game design models/frameworks is understood. This analysis highlights issues and problems raised through the gaps existing between models/frameworks against them. This chapter proposes a combined prototyping process adopted from the discussion and emphasizes aspects required in documenting game design. With the process documented and aligned, game designers will be able to reflect a better understanding of a game design process in the industry.


2014 ◽  
Vol 31 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 2-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Selen Turkay ◽  
Daniel Hoffman ◽  
Charles K. Kinzer ◽  
Pantiphar Chantes ◽  
Christopher Vicari

2011 ◽  
pp. 1282-1299
Author(s):  
Patrick Felicia ◽  
Ian Pitt

This chapter explains the importance of acknowledging users’ personalities, learning styles, and emotions in the design of educational games. It argues that the application of educational theories combined with knowledge of subjects’ personality traits and an increased emotional depth offer a substantive approach to understand and improve the nature of learning in educational games. The authors hope that understanding the underlying motivation and behaviors of learners through the use of personality profiles will not only inform researchers of a better design of educational games, but also assist in understanding the intricate relationship between game design, instructional design, and users’ personality at both cognitive and emotional levels.


Author(s):  
Nicolas Szilas ◽  
Martin Acosta

This theory is then put into practice by analyzing three commercial educational games. It constitutes a first step towards Instructional Game Design.


2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-92
Author(s):  
Rudy McDaniel ◽  
Peter Telep

This article describes an interdisciplinary, partially online honors course entitled Video Game Theory and Design. The article reviews the literature surrounding video games and technical communication and then outlines the learning objectives for the course. The authors describe individual and team-produced assignments and suggest game design techniques for motivating students. We explain how we assess different projects, including oral game pitches and the complex technical Game Design Documents that are students’ final deliverables. Finally, we discuss how game design techniques provide new perspectives on writing and generate new possibilities for technical communication assignments. We close by proposing three tactics that are useful for teaching technical communication students in hybrid and fully online courses: (a) nonlinear association for creative thinking; (b) team-based assignments for writing and editing using game-based tools; and (c) iterative prototyping and playtesting for multimodal production. Each tactic is contextualized using examples drawn from the field.


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