Games for Civic Learning: A Conceptual Framework and Agenda for Research and Design

Abstract

Scholars, educators, and media designers are increasingly interested in whether and how digital games might contribute to civic learning. However, there are three main barriers to advancing understanding of games' potential for civic education: the current practices of formal schooling, a dearth of evidence about what kinds of games best inspire learning about public life, and divergent paradigms of civic engagement. In response, this article develops a conceptual framework for how games might foster civic learning of many kinds. We hypothesize that the most effective games for civic learning will be those that best integrate game play and content, that help players make connections between their individual actions and larger social structures, and that link ethical and expedient reasoning. This framework suggests an agenda for game design and research that could illuminate whether and how games can be most fruitfully incorporated into training and education for democratic citizenship and civic leadership.

Social Flow and Learning in Digital Games:A Conceptual Model and Research Agenda

“…Habgood et al (2005) have suggested that the immersive state of flow may inhibit metacognition and therefore may be better suited to practicing and proceduralizing knowledge than acquiring or reflecting on it. Some kinds of learning, such as moral and civic reasoning, likely require both empathetic identification with others and critical distance from them (Raphael et al, 2010). Does social gameplay exacerbate the difficulty of reflection in the flow state by adding social-oriented diversions to the learning experience or does the social element help keep learners on task, as found in some classroom studies cited above?…”

The role of online games in promoting young adults’ civic engagement

“…Such civic skills and characteristics, include critical thinking and the ability to assess, analyse and reflect on information and practices, organizational skills to develop networks and collaborations, communication and negotiation skills to empower collaboration, problem-solving and strategizing and visioning skills to intervene in the transformations of the public domain (Erentaitė et al, 2012;mcLeod, 2000;montgomery et al, 2004). These potential learning outcomes are connected with the empowerment and spread of basic democratic principles, such as direct and free participation in the public domain, making free and informed choices, collective decision-making and action and mutual understanding and respect for the other, which are becoming even more relevant in a globalized, networked and interactive environment (Amiel & Reeves, 2008;Hooghe & dassonneville, 2011;Kahne, 2008;Raphael et al, 2010). The interconnection of civic education with democratic principles and globalization will be further explored in the next few paragraphs.…”

“…Online games are engaging for young adults, offering them greater levels of discourse and creativity that they would not experience within traditional learning environments (Raphael, Bachen, Lynn, Baldwin-Philippi, & mcKee, 2010). Other researchers argue that online gaming also bridges the gap between formal and informal education and connect the latter to individuals' personal experiences, while supporting the development of their interpersonal skills (Ito et al, 2009).…”

All Work and No Play? Facilitating Serious Games and Gamified Applications in Participatory Urban Planning and Governance

“…Civic engagement and citizen participation can be broadly defined as the sum of political and social practices, by which individuals engage with and influence public affairs, beyond their direct private environment (Gordon, Balwin-Philippi, & Balestra, 2013;Parés & March, 2013;Raphael, Bachen, Lynn, Balwin-Philippi, & McKee, 2010). Engagement and participation has become an inherent part of urban planning and governance, and is facilitated by different tools and methods, well beyond its traditional expressions of voting and attending town hall meetings (Gordon & Mihailidis, 2016).…”