Board games as a platform for Collaborative Learning

2006

This chapter attempts to examine computer game theories -ludology and narratology -that explain computer games as play activities and storytelling media.

Proceedings of the 8th conference on Human-computer interaction with mobile devices and services - MobileHCI '06, 2006

Expert evaluation is a widely used method for evaluating the usability of software products. When evaluating games, traditional usability heuristics lack comprehension and cannot be directly applied. In this paper, we introduce playability heuristics that are specifically designed for evaluating mobile games. Heuristics form a core model that can be used in any mobile game evaluation. The model consists of three modules: Game Usability, Mobility, and Gameplay. The mobile context has some unique characteristics, which require special attention during the evaluation. These characteristics are described in mobility heuristics. Mobile devices also set some of their own requirements for general usability and these issues are described along with game usability heuristics. These heuristics have been developed by using an iterative design process of a mobile game. In addition, we have validated the heuristics and evaluated five mobile games by using them with the expert evaluation method.

This thesis reviews and utilizes concepts from cognitive psychology, developmental psychology and game design to bring forth a number of design principles for educational games that may improve students’ motivation to learn. The main contribution of this thesis is a novel approach to serious game design, namely envisioning play and learning as a restructuring practice. This change of perspective, from a formal game design approach (focused on rules and regulations) towards a more activity centered approach (focused on process and style), may help designers to leverage the motivational potential of games, in order to make education more engaging to students. The main research question of this thesis is: How to design autonomy-supportive learning games and how can these games improve students’ motivation to learn? After the introduction, section 2 describes developments in education. Whereas, ‘traditional’ education focused on the transfer of content and the training of rather specific skills, social constructivist thought in Dutch education brought forward a focus on meta-cognitive skills, such as problem-solving, empathic understanding and entrepreneurship. As a result, Dutch educational system attempts to make students increasingly responsible for their own learning process. One way of doing this is by creating autonomy-supportive learning environments. In these, students have the opportunity to explore, experiment and struggle with the learning content. This manner of learning appears rather playful. Therefore this section concludes that autonomy- supportive learning may proof a valuable approach for serious game designers. Section 3 stresses the correspondence between autonomy-supportive learning and gameplay. It shows how games have become increasingly autonomy-supportive. For example, players can find multiple solutions to a problem, they can play in accordance to their favored playing styles, and players are increasingly able to self-express themselves through social negotiations with others. Additionally, section 3 introduces the term: restructuring. Restructuring suggests the rearrangement and manipulation of existing structures to create something new. It is suggests that play can be characterized as a restructuring practice, and that this may help designers to integrate the learning into the gameplay. Section 4 suggests that both education and the game industry present their audiences with autonomy-supportive environments. In addition, it suggests that learning and playing can be characterized as a restructuring practice. For example, learners rearrange, manipulate and change existing knowledge actors and structures to construct new knowledge. In comparison, players rearrange, manipulate and change exiting objects, rules, goals and experiences to create something new too. Play and learning are both considered restructuring practice though social negotiations in a socio-cultural network of human and inhuman actors. Serious game designers can search for the restructureable elements in the learning content and transform them into playful activities. In short, designers could determine what can be changed without changing the learning content and translate this to game mechanics and dynamics. Searching for restructureable elements is considered the main design guideline to integrate the learning into the gameplay. Section 5 suggests ten designs steps to integrate the learning into the gameplay. Consecutively, Section 6 illustrates the ten steps of embedding the learning content in the gameplay with the development of Combinatorics (a game about permutations), followed by Section 7, which combines all insights from development psychology and game design in the Applied Game Design Model. This model describes the ten steps of ‘getting the learning into the game’. The Applied Game Design Model describes the initial concept design of an educational game. Section 8 contributes to this design with various ways to leverage the motivational potential of games. The section starts with explaining the reasons to use Self-Determination Theory as theoretical framework for motivation and consequently suggests various design decisions to satisfy needs for competence, autonomy and relatedness. These design tools are illustrated with the further development of Combinatorics in section 9. Section 10 examined the motivational impact of Combinatorics. It describes a comparative study between the experienced regulatory style that was reported by players of an autonomy-supportive version and a restrictive (Drill & Practice) version of Combinatorics. Findings suggest that autonomy-supportive games can positively influence motivation towards learning. However, the restrictive version may positively influence motivation to learn as well. It becomes clear that different design decisions lead to different changes in motivation. Future research could study these differences in more detail and over a longer period of time, trying to get a better understanding of restructuring practices and their impact on motivation. Section 11 discusses the main contributions and positioning of this thesis, followed by the final conclusions in section 12, which revisits the concepts of cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, the Applied Game Design Model and the validation study to suggest a number of design principles for educational games that my improve students’ motivation to learn.

Proceedings of the 2nd international conference on Digital interactive media in entertainment and arts - DIMEA '07, 2007

Expert evaluation is a widely used method for evaluating the usability of software products. When evaluating games, traditional usability heuristics lack comprehension and cannot be directly applied. In this paper, we introduce playability heuristics that are specifically designed for evaluating mobile games. Heuristics form a core model that can be used in any mobile game evaluation. The model consists of three modules: Game Usability, Mobility, and Gameplay. The mobile context has some unique characteristics, which require special attention during the evaluation. These characteristics are described in mobility heuristics. Mobile devices also set some of their own requirements for general usability and these issues are described along with game usability heuristics. These heuristics have been developed by using an iterative design process of a mobile game. In addition, we have validated the heuristics and evaluated five mobile games by using them with the expert evaluation method.

Australian Journal of Emerging …, 2011

John Lenarcic is a Lecturer in the School of Business Information Technology at RMIT University.

Games as Services

Proceedings of the …, 2008

This paper introduces brainstorming games developed for the use of game designers. Three games designed especially for generating new game ideas were developed in the GameSpace project, which studies methods for design and evaluation of casual mobile multiplayer games. GameSpace idea generation games have been developed through an iterative process in collaboration with the end users: game industry professionals. According to our workshop experiences and tentative results from a pilot study, idea generation games can be successful devices for the creative work of game designers. Game- based idea generation techniques provide an easily facilitated, focused yet playful setting for coming up with new ideas. However, our experiences indicate that idea generation games feature special challenges that must be taken into consideration when designing such games.

Games & Culture

Through a case study of variations in the game of Mahjong differing from each other in terms of the extent of technological assistance involved, this article sheds light on questions of transmediality and technological specificity of games and play. It argues that while the variations in Mahjong can be described as sitting together in a family resemblance, the specificities of the technologies and the sociocultural contexts involved give rise to new kinds of playful practices that are not reducible to the " transmedial Mahjong " but whose understanding nevertheless necessitates knowledge of the rules and conventions of Mahjong. This not only casts critical light on how the " ludological " paradigm of game studies has defined its object of study but also prompts reconsideration of the role of technology when applying perspectives that emphasize the processual nature of games.

Both toy and games industries are investing in hybrid play products. In such scenarios user access the system using toys as input/output, thus, these consist of playful user interfaces. Hybrid play systems are complex design artefacts since they use real and virtual information, so they present new challenges to both designers and developers. We supposed both industries could benefit with hybrid design approaches from product concepts. Our primary research goal aimed to develop tools and methods to assist the community in developing such interactions. Hence, we performed a systematic literature review covering related research published between 2008 and 2016. To extend our contribution, we added 120 hybrid play products from a market report. After data extraction, we manage results to propose a relational model for hybrid gameplay interaction. The model comprises several interactive aspects relating three entities: the things, environment, and people. The model allowed describing different scenarios of smart play including both active and passive technologies, located either in outdoor or indoor environments. Aiming to evaluate model usage, we applied it as a practical tool for designing hybrid playful systems. To achieve it, we included the model in a 16-week class to create hybrid games. We detailed model usage in the course schedule and discussed how students experienced it. Besides, we presented student’s six working prototypes, including design cycles, and playtesting sessions. After class, we conducted semi-structured interviews with student’s representatives. Results revealed model usefulness to describe their system setup and interface elements. According to students, model vocabulary facilitated communication among team members. Afterwards, we proposed improvements in model nomenclature based on student’s feedback. Thus, to evaluate changings we applied the model in a series of three creative workshops. Workshops had 4-8 hours duration focusing on stages of conception, ideation, and low-fidelity prototyping. Accordingly, updated model enabled participants in developing six hybrid game concepts. Finally, we summarised research contributions and recommended topics for a future methodological approach.

Level Up–Proceedings of Digital Games Research …, 2003