Date post: | 22-Nov-2014 |
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CONCEPTUALIZATION'S ROLE IN GAME INTERACTION:
POSSIBILITIES AND RESTRAINTS OF THE
MEDIUM David Richard Moore
Patton College of EducationOhio University
About concepts
Concepts have definitions, however, definitions are merely summaries of concepts, to “know” a concept is to be able to take action on it.
Entities have attributes which may or may not assist in conceptualization
Attributes that assist one in discriminating one concept from another are called Conceptual Common Denominators
Cues are hints that assist one in conceptualization Examples are critical to learning a concept (the more
the better) Easy examples are prototypical Hard examples are the extremes
How to teach a concept
Provide a definition (logical first step, but often a hindrance)
Provide examples of the concept
Provide non-examples
Give learner opportunity categorize concept
Provide feedback
Provide more examples of the concept
Provide more examples of the concept
Demonstrate hierarchy of the concept (super-ordinate, co-ordinate, sub-ordinate)
The Gaming Hypothesis
Commercial gameplay is infinitely malleable and leads to a flow experience THUS Education gameplay is infinitely malleable and leads to a flow experience.However, I argue that this is not the caseRequires a close examination of the components and
supposition of this argument (your consent is dependent upon your agreement)
Revised hypothesisEducational gameplay has limited utility in current
manifestation, other digital corollaries have potential
What is commercial gameplay?
Interaction
Means is the end. No ends beyond itself
Creation of “Flow” experience
Non-gaming correlates (my characterization)VideoStrategyLogistics
Core = think arcade style
Macrostructure of a game conceptual transaction
Subject identity “My ship” (my base, me)
Identification “Missile” (finger, pointer)
Object entity “Alien” (target, concept)
If you have an educational activity that requires identification and volume then games should be ideal.
BUT….
What is flow?
Anxiety
Arousal
Worry
Apathy
Boredom
Relaxation
Control
1/8 of the possibilities
What is interaction in gameplay
IdentificationStimulus / Response
Association Identity property
Conceptualization Hierarchical structure
What is malleability?
Ability to change ….infinitelyAssociation is limited (most games) – limited
educational value Speed Volume Size
Conceptualization (better games) – slightly less limited educational value Add subconcepts As well (speed, volume, size) Artificiality of the concepts Hierarchy
Old School
New School
Claim: Gameplay at its best is a conceptual transaction
Categorization is the foundation of conceptualization.
Conceptualization is how we know the world It is the mental integration of two or more entities into a single
unit Almost any term can be considered a concept (dog, democracy,
pasta, table) Concepts are mental short hand, they help us “chunk” phenomena
information
Characteristics of concepts Hierarchical Infinite Differentiated on “Conceptual Common Denominator”
Game elements aren’t merely unique entities….they are instances of classes. Interacting with them requires a conceptual transaction.
To make DDA’s you simply refine the concept
Require player to make finer discriminations amongst concept stimuli (speed, pitch, shape, hue, movement, grue-ability, association, etc.)
Require player to making association based on numerous concepts
Require the player to make finer response
First-order concepts
First-order concepts are fictions that have no apparent usefulness beyond their ability to be identified; they have unity and little else. Their advantage is that they are endlessly malleable. There are no logical constraints on their manipulation. An infinite number of Dynamic Difficulty Adjustments are possible. In other words, first-order concepts are created for no other purpose than gameplay.
Second-order concepts
Concepts that are required in reality are second-order concepts. Second-order concepts are not malleable, they are what they are because the describe entities that must be known, classified and identified in real-world transactions. To know them one must respond to them in set and established ways and that restricts the degree of freedom allowed in their use and application.
Democracy
Idealism
Kantian
Thrifty
Instructional dilemma
First-order concepts are those MANUFACTURED for gameplay.
Second-order concepts are those that must be ACCOMODATED for gameplay.
Instructional dilemma
First-order concepts are those MANUFACTURED for gameplay. Proven to be a viable avenue for fun and flow
Second-order concepts are those that must be ACCOMODATED for gameplay. Still work in progress, educational and fun is largely elusive
How many educational games outsell commercial games? How many educational games provide clear learning goals? How many fan communities exist around educational games? How many educational games are played more than
commercial games. We either don’t know how or the medium won’t support it.
Advice
Avoid educational gameplay with second-order concepts
Learn to create DDA work with fewer degrees of freedom It isn’t that second-order concepts can’t be placed in gameplay,
just that making DDA do not have infinite degrees of freedom.
Focus on concrete concepts
Think economics Could learners learn the same content faster and cheaper
otherwise?
Watch out for corollary encroachment
Find where games can contribute and where they can’t
We either don’t YET know how to make educational games YET
OR
the medium won’t support education.