Poster paper presented at VS Games 2011, Athens, Greece

1. On Studying Collaborative
Learning Interactions
in Massively Multiplayer Online
Games
Iro Voulgari. Doctoral candidate
Vassilis Komis. Associate Professor
avoulgari@upatras.gr
komis@upatras.gr
Department of Educational Sciences and Early Childhood Education
University of Patras, Greece

2. MMOG Research on Learning
in MMOGs
VS Games
2011
Athens
Greece
Voulgari,
Komis–
Collaborative
Learning in
Massively
Multiplayer
Online Games
12/5/2011
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3. VS Games
2011
Athens
Greece
Voulgari,
Komis–
Collaborative
Learning in
Massively
Multiplayer
Online Games
Popular and Profitable
12/5/2011
MMOData Charts version 3.2, December 2010
3 of 16 http://mmodata.net

4. MMOGs Players form
Communities of Learning
VS Games
2011
Athens
Greece
Voulgari,
Komis–
Collaborative
Learning in
Massively
Multiplayer
Online Games
12/5/2011
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5. Main Points
• Present a framework for C.L.
in MMOGs
• Focus on skills acquired and
group processes
 Apply design features of
MMOGs to collaborative
VS Games learning environments and/or
2011
Athens
apply educational design
Greece principles to MMOGs for
Voulgari,
learning
Komis–
Collaborative
 But also consider and take
Learning in advantage of the emergent
Massively
Multiplayer behaviours and the potential
Online Games of the community of players
12/5/2011
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6. Cognitive
•Acquisition of knowledge Cognitive
and skills
MMOGs
•Benefits of peer‐ (ideally)
mentoring, explaining to
others
•Argumentation,
disagreement,
adjustment of mental
schemata, knowledge
elicitation, internalisation,
reduced cognitive load
•Learning through
interactions with others
(Piaget, Vygotsky,
VS Games Situated Learning)
2011
Athens
Greece
Social
Voulgari, Motivation
Komis– •Learning through
Collaborative interaction with the world
Learning in and the social‐cultural •Individual and situational
Massively
Multiplayer
Online Games
environment
•Quality of interactions Theoretical interest
•Motivation to participate
in group increases
and communication
12/5/2011
among group members
•Construction and co‐ Framework effectiveness and
cooperation
•Motivation affects
construction of meaning
through conflicts learning and strategies
6 of 16 employed
•Social aspect increases
group cohesion •Flow experience

7. Group Interactions & Efficiency
Designed Social
Environment Environment
•Environment •Community of
Content players
•Graphics •Emerging rules
•Affordances •Behaviours
•Rules •Interactions
VS Games
2011 Group
Athens Task Member Group Structure
Greece Interactions
•Motivations •Formation
Voulgari, •Format •Experience, skills •Collaboration,
procedures
Komis– •Rules •Attitude, behaviour competition
•Hierarchy
Collaborative •Solution strategies •Age, personality, •Team cohesion
•Member Roles
Learning in •Rewards, penalties etc •Communication
•Goals, orientation
Massively
Multiplayer
Online Games
12/5/2011
Collaborative Learning Learning
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Processes Outcomes

8. Social Designed
Environment Environment
Task Motivational
Member
VS Games Cognitive
2011
Group Structure
Athens
Greece
Voulgari,
Komis– Interactions Social
Collaborative
Learning in
Massively
Multiplayer
Online Games
12/5/2011
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9. Research Methodology
Virtual
Ethnography
Qualitative
Semi‐structured
Mixed Interviews
Concurrent
Survey
Quantitative
(questionnaire)
VS Games
• Virtual ethnography
2011
Athens
– participant observation (Lineage II, Tribal Wars)
Greece
– websites and fora
Voulgari,
Komis– – gameplay video recordings (players in
Collaborative
Learning in
authentic context, 5 volunteers, 3 months)
Massively
Multiplayer
• Survey
Online Games
– interviews (18 semi‐structured,
12/5/2011
2 focus groups)
– online questionnaire (220 full responses)
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10. Text
(interviews, etc.)
Garrison, D., Archer, T., & Anderson, W. (1999)
Video Recordings
VS Games
2011
Athens
Greece
Voulgari,
Komis–
Collaborative
Learning in
Massively
Qualitative Data
Multiplayer QSR Nvivo 8
Online Games
12/5/2011
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11. What do players learn in MMOGs?
VS Games
2011
Athens
Greece
Voulgari,
Komis–
Collaborative
Learning in
Massively
Multiplayer
Online Games
12/5/2011
11 of 16
• Content, rules, game mechanics

12. What do players learn in MMOGs?
Perceived skills & knowledge
VS Games
2011
Athens
Greece
Voulgari,
Komis–
Collaborative
Learning in
Massively
Multiplayer
Online Games
12/5/2011
12 of 16
• Social, communication, interpersonal skills?
– [they have to have them, but do they learn them in the game?]

13. What do players learn in MMOGs?
Perceived skills & knowledge
• Other skills: use of computer, internet,
language (English), typing,
management, market economy,
VS Games
marketing
2011
Athens
Greece
Voulgari,
Komis–
Collaborative
Learning in
Massively
Multiplayer
Online Games
12/5/2011
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14. VS Games
2011
Athens
Greece
Voulgari,
Komis–
Collaborative
Learning in
Massively
Multiplayer
Online Games
12/5/2011
by Sebastian Deterding 2010
http://www.slideshare.net/dings/just‐add‐points‐what‐ux‐can‐and‐cannot‐learn‐from‐games
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15. Impact of Design and Players on
Groups: some trends
Group
Design Player Community
Features
Purpose Essential for exploration of the Social interactions, help, support
content and for progress
(difficult, complex tasks)
Communication Channels and tools for Players resort to third‐party external
communication and coordination applications for communication when
among members necessary
VS Games
2011
Types Different types of groups by Different types of groups by player
Athens design e.g. guilds and groups/ decisions and personalities (social,
Greece clans and parties (size, structure) affective criteria, goals, behaviours,
Voulgari,
decision‐making, rules) e.g. social
Komis– groups, achievement groups.
Collaborative Different behaviours in different groups
Learning in (e.g. cohesion, trust, commitment, help ‐
Massively
Multiplayer more in long‐term than in random, task‐
Online Games oriented teams)
12/5/2011 Benefits Privileges of group members by Privileges by relational space (e.g. peer
design (e.g. special skills) mentoring, sociability, support)
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16. Thank you!
Iro Voulgari. avoulgari@upatras.gr. Ph.D. candidate.
Vassilis Komis. komis@upatras.gr. Associate Professor.
Department of Educational Sciences & Early Childhood
Education
VS Games
2011 University of Patras, Greece
Athens
Greece
Voulgari,
Komis–
Collaborative
http://www.ecedu.upatras.gr/
Learning in
Massively http://www.ecedu.upatras.gr/icte/
Multiplayer
Online Games
12/5/2011
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