Design Principle -
7 Conceptual Frameworks for learning games designs

7 Conceptual Frameworks for learning games designs

Summary

Lloyd Rieber (1996) defined “exogenous play” as play that is part of the learning experience not separate from it. The MIT team came up with 7 conceptual design frameworks for games based on this principle.

Authors

Paul Hindle reviewing Games to teach Research Team (MIT, 2003)

Description

The simplest model was to take a simulation of a real world situation, such as a patient-doctor interaction used in medicine, and sprinkle game elements into it. This requires the addition of goals for the student to attain in the simulation and also appropriate constraints on the situation that make it a challenge for them to overcome. Ultimately “winning” a game is based on either luck or working out the underlying logic on which the game is based. If the game is designed around the logic a student should follow in medical practice then the game should, in theory, teach them to adapt to the simulation in a way that will enhance their real world practice. The use of power-ups can add to the student learning experience if correctly designed. Gamers expect bonus power –ups to make certain portions of the game easier, in a medical simulation scenario the power-up could be the use of a piece of technology like an MRI scan or it could be the giving of a clue if a player/student was struggling to make progress.

The third framework of the MIT team revolves around the idea that games are a series of contested and non-contested spaces. If these spaces are well designed they can promote greater motivation and skill in problem solving when in the contested spaces and greater exploration and reflection when in the non-contested spaces of the game environment. This is based on work by Jenkins and Squire (2002). This can also be combined with the fourth idea in terms of how much transgressive play to allow. For example, if we are designing a scenario based around improving person centred care and empathy, do we allow a scenario where the accepted social/cultural practices in this area are temporally pushed or removed to allow students to explore the consequences of not doing the accepted behaviour. Au (2001) talks about these as liminal spaces and they can be fun for students but need to be carefully designed to avoid promoting unwanted behaviour.

The fifth framework from MIT is about using information to solve complex problems in simulated environments. This is combined with the sixth framework of providing choices and consequences in simulated worlds. The trick is to combine the educational information the educators want the students to learn, with a narrative that engages them to play and explore, but also learn from and have to problem solve. This is where things like Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) (Klopfer et al., 2005) can be effective with the use of clearly defined roles for players that restrict what one individual player can achieve, thereby forcing them to collaborate with others. This idea of differentiating roles is part seven of the MIT team’s framework.

Reference frameworks

7 conceptual design frameworks for games for learning

Tips (Challenges, Limitations, Tradeoffs, Pitfalls)

Games can allow for transgressions from normal social rules in order to allow students to explore consequences of illegal/immoral action, may glorify violence or other bad behaviours but does allow student to visualise and reflect on the bad behaviour which may make them less likely to perform like that in real life. Roles within the game for each student should be clearly defined and only allow for partial completion of the game, this means students must collaborate with those other roles so overall the winning combination can be found through teamwork. May put students under time pressure to be involved with the game at the same time or within a certain time frame and may require a minimum number of students for a course. Options to play multiple roles could be provided for smaller groups/individuals.

Connections

Higher level principles

This really looks at the principles of teamwork/collaboration and positive interdependence and individual accountability.

Lower level principles

The teamwork element should help people to work better with others from any background and start any problem solving task by working out the skills they need to bring to the table.

References

Au JW, (2001) A Spector haunts gaming: Inside the mind of Deus Ex designer Warren Spector. Game Slice, Available at: http://www.gameslice.com/features/spector/index.shtml.

Games-to-teach Research Team, (2003) Design Principles of next-generation digital gaming for education. Educational Technology September-October 2003 Vol 43, No.5, pp.17-23.

Jenkins H, Squire K, (2002) The art of contested spaces. In L.King (Ed), Game On! London: Barbican.

Klopfer E, Perry J, Squire K, Jan MF, (2005) Collaborative learning through augmented reality role playing. Accessed online at: (PDF) Collaborative learning through augmented reality role playing (researchgate.net) (Accessed 17/5/2021).