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Developing an edugame simulation application for engineering: It works in practice, but will it work in theory?
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This article describes the development of a web-based 3D simulation of an engineering workshop in refrigeration plant maintenance and the challenge of moving the application from a knowledge and skills acquisition model to a problem-solving edugame model across a range of possible scenarios within the restrictions of an academic programme's learning outcomes. The 3D simulation workshop is described together with its real-world equivalent. The limitations of the app. simulation in engaging students in complex problem-solving are described together with the search for learning design theories to inform further development of the app. as a multi-level, scenario-based edugame. The article ends with an indication of the proposed collaborative process to further develop the app. by taking close cognisance of appropriate learning and gaming theories.
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The idea of digital game-based learning (DGBL) is gaining acceptance among researchers, game designers, educators, parents, and students alike. Building new educational games that meet educational goals without sacrificing what makes games engaging remains largely unrealized, however. If we are to build the next generation of learning games, we must recognize that while digital games might be new, the theory and technologies we need to create DGBL has been evolving in multiple disciplines for the last 30 years. This chapter will describe an approach, based on theories and technologies in education, instructional design, artificial intelligence, and cognitive psychology, that will help us build intelligent learning games (ILGs).
The idea of digital game-based learning (DGBL) is gaining acceptance among researchers, game designers, educators, parents, and students alike. Building new educational games that meet educational goals without sacrificing what makes games engaging remains largely unrealized, however. If we are to build the next generation of learning games, we must recognize that while digital games might be new, the theory and technologies we need to create DGBL has been evolving in multiple disciplines for the last 30 years. This chapter will describe an approach, based on theories and technologies in education, instructional design, artificial intelligence, and cognitive psychology, that will help us build intelligent learning games (ILGs).
Much has been written about what virtual worlds are and what they could be, but the theory has not kept pace with the practice. Massive virtual worlds exist /right now/, populated by millions of people, most of whom have a much better appreciation of what being in such a world means than the researchers who are writing about them. This paper is a rebuttal of two commonly given explanations of what goes on in people's heads when they visit virtual worlds and argues in favor of a different interpretation much closer to that related by the gamers themselves: immersion. Abstract Virtual worlds are a class of computer game in which large numbers of players access a shared environment simultaneously to have fun. What "having fun" means, however, is not obvious. Players talk about immersion, which suggests to some commentators that their fun may derive from the well-known psychological concepts of presence and flow. However, although these states of mind are indeed important factors in immersion, they do not capture what players themselves understand by the term. To describe fully what players are experiencing requires an examination of identity exploration – an exploration which strongly echoes the structure of ancient myth.
Recent meta-analyses and other studies of media's influence on learning are reviewed. Consistent evidence is found for the generalization that there are no learning benefits to be gained from employing any specific medium to deliver instruction. Research showing performance or time-saving gains from one or another medium are shown to be vulnerable to compelling rival hypotheses concerning the uncontrolled effects of instructional method and novelty. Problems with current media attribute and symbol system theories are described and suggestions made for more promising research directions.
In recent educational literature, it has been observed that improving student’s control
has the potential of increasing his or her feeling of ownership, personal agency and
activeness as means to maximize his or her educational achievement. While the main
conceived goal for personal learning environments (PLEs) is to increase student’s control
by taking advantage of Web 2.0 tools and technologies, there is not a robust learning
model available to achieve it. This contribution focuses on proposing a learning model
built upon self-regulated learning and student’s control theories and concepts, and
supported by the learning affordances of Web 2.0 tools and technologies for enhancing
student’s control by developing and applying Web 2.0 PLEs.
