Games and Education Flashcards
Why are games important?
Games are generally considered as just fun but, they can also have an educational purpose.
What is gamification?
The process of defining the fun and motivating elements which comprise games and using those same elements in a non-game context to influence behaviour.
What should be considered when developing an educational game?
- Concept (what is the game going to do/genre?
- Object (what is game going to be based on e.g. cultural heritage, topic, theme)
- Interactivity (what medium will the game be designed for/use of technology i.e. internet)
- Age range (who is game for? Level of language etc.)
- Will it be tied to an aspect of curriculum?
- Rules
- How long average game will last?
Why can games be considered as a useful learning tool?
- Provide intellectual and/or physical stimulus.
- Can challenge and reinforce counting, problem solving and/or strategic skills etc.
- Are generally more interesting and enjoyable than typical teaching methods (encourages learner to take charge of the learning process as opposed to teacher making the important decisions).
- Presents no risk to life so ethical advantage.
- No risk to expensive equipment so economical.
Name some significant figures who have attempted to categorise/define games and the concept of play.
- Ludwig Wittgenstein
- Johan Huizinga
- Roger Caillois
What ideas does Ludwig Wittgenstein explore?
- Argued that elements of games like play, rules and competition all fail to adequately define what games are.
- Popularised the philosophical idea of looking for ‘family resemblances’ by arguing that things that could be thought to be connected by one essential common feature may in fact be connected by a series of overlapping similarities, where no one feature is common to all of the things.
- E.g. Some players of games have elements of luck, others elements of skill: “we see a complicated network of similarities overlapping and criss‐crossing: sometimes overall similarities, sometimes similarities of detail.”
What ideas does Johan Huizinga explore?
- In his book, Homo Ludens, Huizinga argues that play is an important and necessary part of culture.
What idea does Roger Caillois explore?
(In his book, ‘Man, Play and Games’, 1961)
- Discusses the 6 core characteristics of play.
- Discusses the complexity of games by referring to 4 play forms.
- Discusses how the 4 play forms can be combined in games.
What are the 6 core characteristics of play argued by Caillois?
- Fun (it is free, not obligatory)
- Separate (from routine life, occupying its own time and space)
- Uncertain (results of play cannot be pre-determined)
- Unproductive/non-productive (does not accomplish anything useful e.g. creates no wealth)
- Governed by rules (rules that are different from everyday life)
- Fictitious (accompanied by the awareness of a different reality)
What are the 4 play forms that Caillois claims contribute to our understanding of the complexity of games?
- Agon (competition e.g. Chess)
- Alea (chance e.g. playing a slot machine or cards)
- Mimicry (mimesis or role playing e.g. playing a MMORPG - Massively multiplayer online role-playing game)
- Ilinx (vertigo in the sense of altering perception e.g. taking hallucinogens, riding roller coasters, children spinning until they fall down)
According to Caillois, how can game and play combine the 4 play forms?
Poker
- combines elements of alea (random shuffling of cards) with agon (strategic decisions of discarding cards and betting)
Dancing
- a ilinx activity which can be combined with role-playing (to portray a character) or with a agon (in a competitive dance)
What is the definition of education?
The process of ‘bringing up’ (young persons). The systematic instruction, schooling or training given to the young in preparation for the work of life.’ (Oxford English Dictionary) – comes from Latin ‘leading forth’.
What is the definition of Edutainment?
‘An activity or product (esp. in the electronic media) intended to be educational as well as enjoyable; informative entertainment’ (Oxford English Dictionary)
E.g. video games, television programmes or other material intended to be both entertaining and educational.
Could be considered a form of stealth learning i.e. learning by accident.
What is the definition of technotainment?
- Technology activities heavily laced with entertainment but essentially lacking in rigor or value.
- Technotainmentoften stresses technology for technology’s sake without enhancing student reading, writing and reasoning skills.
What are the 8 core traits of technotainment?
(Jamie McKenzie, ‘Beyond Edutainment and Technotainment)
- Pointless
Activity involves the use of a tool (e.g. spreadsheet) irrelevant to the curriculum or grade level of the student.
- Non-standard
Activity is disconnected from state standard and new tests and there is no contribution to the students’ grasp of either content or skills.
- Robotic
Activity requires little original thought or higher level thinking, the student blindly follows directions and is successful by taking orders.
- Glib
Activity requires nothing more than skimming along the surface of the content without probing, exploring, asking essential questions or creating new insight.
- Static
Activity does nothing to advance the skill level or the skill repertoire of the student.
- Disneyfied
Activity is sugar coated and packaged with arcade quality graphics as if learning must be turned into a game or cartoon before young people will find it rewarding.
- Flashy
Special effects, transitions, bells and whistles are prevalent. Students are encouraged to devote more than 25% of their time and effort to packaging and special effects rather than the thought, the content and the production of new ideas.
- Empty
Activity does little to advance student understanding of any issue, question or idea worth study.
