Aug. 5, 2015 - This is my presentation on epistemic game design for the 2015 Colorado Learning and Teaching with Technology Conference (COLTT).
Through this slideshow, we introduce the epistemic game, "The Perspective Game" by GetTheIssues(GTI) to educators and administrators of higher education.
2. Hello!
I am Sherry Jones
Game Design and Psychology Subject Matter
Expert at Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design
(RMCAD).
Philosophy, Rhetoric, and Game Studies Instructor.
You can find me on Twitter @autnes
Access the slides at http://bit.ly/epistemicgd
4. “
“Modern video games instantiate and demonstrate
many key principles that psychologists, educators,
and neuroscientists believe enhance learning and
brain plasticity. This, in turn, has led some scientists
to consider the possibility that video game play may
produce not just improvements in the ability to play
the games but may, in fact, result in more
fundamental changes in the way players see the
world and process information.”
(Eichenbaum et. al., 2014, American Journal of Play)
Research on Gaming and
Cognition
5. “
Based on a study of 53 children (31 were girls), ages
3-6, Dr. Barnett suggests that the “children have
higher object control skills because they are playing
interactive games that may help to develop these
types of skills (for example, the under hand roll
through playing the bowling game on the Wii).
Playing interactive electronic games may also help
eye-hand coordination.”
(O’Garretty, 2012, Deakin Univ. and Univ. of
Wollongong)
Research on Gaming and
Motor Skills
6. “
Frequent gamers “are better able to overcome
interference in perceptual learning. This resistance
to interference suggests that video game playing not
only enhances the amplitude and speed of perceptual
learning but also leads to faster and/or more robust
stabilization of perceptual learning.”
(Berard et. al., 2015, PLOS One)
Research on Gaming and
Learning
8. “
“The U.S. Department of Education
recognizes the proven power of digital
games for learning and is committed to
fostering the broader adoption of high
quality games in schools and informal
learning settings.”
(Office of Ed. Tech., 2015)
9. Q. What types
of games have
you used for
learning or
teaching?
TAKE A POLL!
1. Respond at PollEv.
com/sherryjones513
2. Text SHERRYJONES513 to
37607 once to join
11. Epistemic Games: A
Definition
◇ Epistemic Games, Applied Games, and
Serious Games all refer to games designed
for learning specific concepts, principles, or
theories.
◇ Whereas the word “serious” makes games
appear work like, and “applied” renders
games as conceptual proofs, “epistemic”
emphasizes the ways games can “frame” our
way of knowing.
13. “
Richard Culatta, Director of the Office of Ed.
Tech., emphasizes: "If you're building and
designing games for learning you have to
connect and work with teachers and with
school leaders to make sure you are building
games that are meeting the needs."
(Crecente, 2015, Polygon)
Include Educators in
Game Design Decisions
14. Keys to Epistemic Game Design
(EGD) by Sherry Jones
◇ An Epistemic
Game is not a
“textbook.” EGD
presents a series
of visualized
problems, with a
cohesive
narrative, that
entice the learner
to solve them.
◇ EGD challenges
the learner to
think in different
or new ways to
solve the game,
thereby enabling
learner to arrive
at understanding
based on own
thoughts/actions.
◇ EGD incorporates
both pedagogical
goals and game
design principles
for creating
games that are
“challengingly
fun,” and serve as
learning scaffolds.
15. More Keys to Epistemic Game
Design (EGD) by Sherry Jones
◇ EGD reenacts the
logical reasoning of
a concept, a
principle, or an
entire theory in level
design. Ex. Mario as
Sisyphus completes
a level and enters
the castle, only to
find the same level
on repeat.
◇ EGD uses
narrative design
to create
storyworlds that
simulate fantasy
based analogical
situations,
enabling player
acceptance,
immersion, and
flow state.
◇ EGD considers
age, accessibility,
user experience,
and psychology of
the intended
learner. Ex.
Aesthetics (colors,
typography,
skeuomorphism;
Technology (web,
mobile, console)...
18. What is The Perspective
Game (TPG)?
TPG is an epistemic,
massively multiplayer
online roleplaying card
game that engages
players in civic
conversations about
real world events.
19. TPG Gameplay is
Simple...
1. Guild builds
card clusters that
present
arguments about
a real issue
2. Guild
evaluates
and picks
the best
card cluster
3. Guild
enters best
card cluster
in guild
tournaments
31. Features of TPG
◇ Rigorous argumentation theories inform TPG design.
◇ Players select issues for starting a game.
◇ Unique player roles to function as rhetorical figures.
◇ Intriguing game characters as player guides.
◇ Fun and interactive 2-D cards in 3-D environments.
◇ Guild rooms where players solve problems together.
◇ Guilds and guild rules are set by players.
◇ Guild vs. Guild with TPG Card Decks as “play hands”.
◇ “Wins” count for both individual players and the guild.
◇ Continued play in multiple games throughout time.
◇ Instant-saved gameplay history for reputation building.
32. More Features of TPG
◇ Player records + streams playthrough to Youtube and
Twitch.
◇ Internal wiki system for players to create pages on
argumentation definitions and gameplay strategies.
◇ Live backchannel for guild collaboration.
◇ Internal mail system for asynchronous communication.
◇ Personal Library for in-game research curation.
◇ Article discovery assistant.
◇ Claim/Counterclaim discovery assistant.
◇ Moderation system to minimize abusive behaviors.
◇ Access to experts in given fields.
33. Q. Which of
the TPG
features best
support
learning?
TAKE A POLL!
1. Respond at PollEv.
com/sherryjones513
2. Text SHERRYJONES513 to
37607 once to join
35. TPG + Rhetoric Theories
◇ Aristotelian, Toulmin, and Rogerian
Rhetoric Theories inform TPG design.
◇ Each TPG card represents a
component of the poetics of
argumentation.
◇ By playing cards, the players learn
empathic listening skills and the logic
of argumentation.
36. TPG + Civic Engagement
◇ TPG offers a platform for learning
about real world issues.
◇ Guilds choose an interested issue as
the focus of civic engagement.
◇ Example issues:
■ STEM vs. STEAM education.
■ Ethics of Biohacking.
■ Epigenetics and body politics.
37. TPG + Collaborative
Inquiry
◇ TPG fosters collaborative inquiry
practices by requiring guild players to
conduct research.
◇ To win, a guild’s TPG card cluster needs
to present a strong argument with
quality research as evidence.
◇ Players co-develop a research library.
40. “Main Claim” Card
◇ Is wielded by the Initiator.
◇ Begins the entire game.
◇ States a claim of value, fact,
policy, or causality about a
real world issue.
◇ States a reason for
supporting that claim.
41. “Concession” Card
◇ Is wielded by the Conceder.
◇ Offers a concession to an
assumption or claim stated
in “counterclaim” card.
◇ Addresses the perspective of
the Counter (who wields the
counterclaim card).
42. “Rebuttal” Card
◇ Is wielded by the Refuter.
◇ Opposes the “counterclaim”
card.
◇ Refutes an assumption or
claim in the opponent’s card.
◇ Supports rebuttal with
evidence.
44. Pricing
◇ Free-to-Play Model.
◇ Subscription Service (month vs. year).
◇ Premium Service (more features):
■ Join concurrent guilds.
■ Create private guild rooms.
■ Livestream to Youtube and Twitch.
■ Design customizable avatars.
45. Meet the GetTheIssues
(GTI) Team
Martin Radley
Business Operations &
Virtual Economy
Development.
Sherry Jones
Game Architecture
Design, Narrative
Design & Education
Research.
Jeff Segor
Backend Architecture
Engineering & Game
Development.
Palani Murugan
Mobile & Responsive
Web Development.
Stephen Getter
Graphic Design &
Game Development.
46. Upcoming Prototype
Release in Early 2016!
◇ Gain first access to The Perspective
Game! Contact us to become game
testers!
47. Thanks!
Any questions?
You can find me at:
◇ @autnes
◇ sherryjones.edtech@gmail.com
◇ http://about.me/sherryjones
Access the slides at:
◇ http://bit.ly/epistemicgd
48. Credits
Special thanks to all the people who made and released
these awesome resources for free:
◇ Presentation template by SlidesCarnival
◇ Photographs by Unsplash