Papers and documents produced
by the PlaySpace collaborative, ordered in descending
order by date:
Learning SMET
in digital playscapes: Research on reflection, knowledge
acquisition and knowledge transfer in technology-enhanced,
playful learning environments. Presented
to NSF-ROLE (December 2001)
Papers and documents produced by the
individual researchers, ascending order by last name
and date.
Bos, Nathan (September 2001). What
do game designers know about scaffolding? Borrowing
SimCity design principles for education.
What do game designers know
about sustaining learner engagement? This paper analyzed
the popular simulation game SimCity with the
goal of identifying design principles that would be
useful for educators. The term 'organic feedback'
is used to describe how SimCity gradually increases
the complexity of its simulations and gives players
a constant, pleasing level of new stimulation with
taking control away from the user. This model of organic
feedback might be useful for designers of modern simulation
environments that strive to give learners control
of their learning, but also meet the challenge of
communicating complex content. The paper ends by describing
how a game such as SimCity could be adapted
to fit better into a school enviroment with new features
such as better exporting of raw data, direct access
to simulation engine, and professional development
support for teachers.
Download paper (PDF, 321 KB)
Galvis, Alvaro H. (September, 2001).
Critical factors
in the design of playful learning environments: Reflections
on "The Return of the Incredible Machine: Contraptions".
Presented and published in ICTE
2002 (Potchefstroom, South Africa, April 2002)
This paper analyzes and makes
explicit design principles that underline the software
game The Return of The Incredible Machine: Contraptions.
In order to do this it takes into account two complementary
perspectives - educational software engineering and
theories of learning through play and games. One goal
of the analysis is to identify the specific design
features that make edutainment software successful,
and, in doing so, to assist creators, evaluators,
and consumers in making more informed decisions. Download
paper (PDF, 439 KB)
Ruess, Kevin (May 2001). Multi-visitor,
network enabled game model.
This vignette illustrates one
way that a game-based educational activity oriented
around the curriculum could be integrated into museum
visits, thus enriching both in-school activities and
the experience of the museum visit. Download
paper (PDF, 18 KB)
Siggins, Terry (May 2001). Classroom
Vignette.
This vignette describes how
a digital playspace environment might be implemented
in a classroom setting. Specifically it highlights
the positive impact that such a playspace can have
on student motivation and learning. Download
paper (PDF, 11 KB)
Staudt, Carolyn (June, 2001). Handheld
computers in education.
This paper discusses the use
of ubiquitous computing by students outside and inside
classroom by asking the following questions. Does
the immersion into handheld technology by students
hold hope for implementation into the educational
arena? Will schools move beyond institutional computers
shared by many students in a laboratory situation
to one that will allow students to collect data and
collaborate with others? Can teachers use digital
tools to gain an insight into the models that students
holds? Finally this paper provides observations from
recent research on use of handheld computers in K-12
classrooms in the United States. Download
paper (PDF, 129 KB)
Tsikalas, Kallen E (July, 2001). When
The Sims get real: An analysis of how digitalplayspaces promote learning in low-income, diverse
communities.
This paper examines how low-income,
pre-adolescents in a multicultural setting appropriate
the popular computer game, The Sims for their
own learning, social and sense-making activities.
The paper documents a variety of educative moments
that the children experienced in playing and reflecting
about the game and it's design. It also suggests features
of the game's design that might be enhanced to further
promote self-discovery, cultural understanding and
serendipitous learning. Download
paper (PDF, 52 KB)
