Intrinsic Motivation in Microcomputer Games

325

314

The serious games community is moving toward research focusing on direct comparisons between learning outcomes of serious games and those of more traditional training methods. Such comparisons are difficult, however, due to the lack of a consistent taxonomy of game attributes for serious games. Without a clear understanding of what truly constitutes a game, scientific inquiry will continue to reveal inconsistent findings, making it hard to provide practitioners with guidance as to the most important attribute(s) for desired training outcomes. This article presents a game attribute taxonomy derived from a comprehensive literature review and subsequent card sorts performed by subject matter experts (SMEs). The categories of serious game attributes that emerged represent the shared mental models of game SMEs and serve to provide a comprehensive collection of game attributes. In order to guide future serious games research, the existing literature base is organized around the framework of this taxonomy.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Toward a Taxonomy Linking Game Attributes to Learning

Bedwell

Pavlas

Heyne

et al. 2012

325

314

“…A majority of this literature focuses on the impact of games on motivation and attitudinal valuing. For example, Westrom and Shaban (1992) found that as participants gained experience on a game (i.e., LODE RUNNER), the game became less challenging and curiosity diminished, thereby reducing participant motivation. These authors also looked at the influence of control using MISSION: ALGEBRA and found that participants maintained motivation when given the opportunity to choose their own missions, create and edit missions, and adjust the game's difficulty level (i.e., control).…”

Section: Affective Outcomesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationships Between Game Attributes and Learning Outcomes

Wilson

Bedwell

Lazzara

et al. 2008

448

308

Games are an effective and cost-saving method in education and training. Although much is known about games and learning in general, little is known about what components of these games (i.e., game attributes) influence learning outcomes. The purpose of this article is threefold. First, we review the literature to understand the "state of play" in the literature in regards to learning outcomes and game attributes-what is being studied. Second, we seek out what specific game attributes have an impact on learning outcomes. Finally, where gaps in the research exist, we develop a number of theoretically based proposals to guide further research in this area. (2007) estimates that organizations spend over $129 billion on learning and development. Within companies designated as American Society for Training and Development leaders in training and employee development, nearly 40% of training is technology based, including online learning, simulation-based training, and games. While high fidelity simulations have been the primary tool for decades (especially in aviation and the military), computer-based and console-based games (e.g., Xbox, Playstation) have become the focus of recent research and training because they offer an easily accessible, T he American Society for Training and Development

“…The key elements making a game motivational and compelling match the four intrinsic motivators suggested by Malone and Lepper (1987): challenge, curiosity, control, and fantasy. The four motivators can enhance the appeal of, interest in, and motivation for learning and can positively affect academic performance (Jonassen & Grabowski, 1993;Westrom & Shaban, 1992). Therefore, game-based learning could invoke students' interest and engagement in learning.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Using Gaming Literacies to Cultivate New Literacies

Hsu

Wang

2009

The use of games in educational contexts has recently received growing attention; however, many teachers struggle with finding a right context to adopt games in the classroom. To strengthen teachers' beliefs about the educational value of games, this article explains the similarities and differences between new literacies and gaming literacy and defines gaming literacy from the "play" and "design" perspectives. This article presents examples of game use that will help teachers cultivate learners' new literacies through gaming, understand how the game debriefing process can help scaffold students' learning, and identify factors affecting the adoption of games in educational contexts. The audience for this article includes teachers and teacher educators who would like greater clarification regarding gaming literacy and its positive effects on the learning and development of new literacies.Primary and secondary (K-12) school administrators and teachers are usually reluctant to adopt computer games in classrooms (Halverson, 2005). Rice (2007) reported that the barriers preventing teachers from adopting games in the classroom usually concern teachers' negative perception of video games, the difficulty in providing facilities (hardware/graphics) required for running video games, the difficulty in creating sufficient time for students to engage in complex games, and the lack of alignment among curriculum standards. This article responds to these challenges by identifying the educational benefits of game playing, identifying similarities between the elements of new literacies and the elements of gaming literacy, providing examples of game use, and suggesting strategies for classroom-based adoption of games.