"the perspective game: an epistemic game for civic engagement" by sherry jones (mscd)...
TRANSCRIPT
THE PERSPECTIVE GAME: AN EPISTEMIC GAME FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
Hello!
I AM SHERRY JONESGame Design and Psychology Subject Matter Expert at Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design | Philosophy, Rhetoric, and Game Studies Instructor.
Find me on Twitter @autnesSee Slides http://bit.ly/epistemicgame
WHAT DO WE KNOW FROM GAME RESEARCH?
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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)
GAMING AND COGNITION
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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)
GAMING AND MOTOR SKILLS
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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)
GAMING AND LEARNING
BIG CONCEPTGames can be good for both the body and the mind!
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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)
WHAT IS AN EPISTEMIC GAME?2
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.
GOOD EPISTEMIC GAME DESIGN
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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)
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.
EGD enables the learner to arrive at understanding based on own thoughts/actions.
EGD incorporates both pedagogical goals and game design principles.
EGD creates games that are “challengingly fun,” and serve as learning scaffolds.
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.
EGD enables 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)...
AN EPISTEMIC GAME:THE PERSPECTIVE GAME BY GETTHEISSUES (GTI)
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GOOD EPISTEMIC GAME DESIGN
I’m Maxim, your guide!
The Perspective Game (TPG) is an epistemic, massively multiplayer online role-playing card game (MMORPCG) that engages players in civic conversations about real world events.
The Perspective Game (TPG) Gameplay is Simple!
Second - The Guild evaluates and picks the best card cluster.
Last - The Guild enters the best card cluster in the guild tournaments.
First - The Guild builds card clusters that present arguments about a real issue.
Let’s take a tour of TPG!
MaximWelcome, Player! You have entered the incubation space, a mysterious place located in the fourth dimension that only you and your guild members can access.
MaximFor many moons, I have visited this magical place, conjuring, deliberating, and evaluating some of the world’s most complex ideas with my fellow GTI peers.
MaximIn the Incubation Space, you and your guild will be able to build a perspective that answers the call of the quest.
AporiaHmmm, this sure is a strange place, Maxim and Player. We seem to be floating in the middle of the universe. How is this possible? Strange indeed.
PlayerHello, Maxim and Aporia . . . (scanning the perimeter) . . . . . . (analyzing) . . . Upon first scan, I locate a game board in the center of this Incubation Space. Interesting . . .
AporiaWhoa, Player. You’re right! A massive game board IS in this space. I also see a Quest Card hovering in mid air. Do you guys see it? It seems to contain some writing. What does it say, now? What is this place? What does this all mean???
MaximSheesh, calm down, Aporia! Stop making the Player feel nervous. The Quest Card states an issue that the Guild wants to explore in the magical Incubation Space. The issue can be biohacking, surveillance, or the paleo diet. Any issue can become a quest!
DESIGN◦ Rigorous rhetoric
theories inform design.◦ Unique player roles as
rhetorical figures.◦ Intriguing game
characters.◦ Any issue can initiate a
quest.◦ Fun 2-D graphics with
3-D environments.◦ Guilds and guild rules
are set by players.◦ Guild vs. Guild
gameplay”.◦ Instant-saved
gameplay history for reputation building.
FEATURES OF THE PERSPECTIVE GAME
TOOLS◦ Stream playthrough to
Youtube and Twitch. ◦ Internal wiki system.◦ Live backchannel.◦ Internal email system.◦ Personal Library for in-
game research.◦ Virtual guild rooms for
strategizing.◦ Article discovery
assistant.◦ Claim/Counterclaim
discovery assistant. ◦ Moderation to
minimize abuse.◦ Access to experts in
given fields.
EDUCATIONAL THEORIES IN THE PERSPECTIVE GAME
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RHETORIC THEORIES◦ Aristotelian, Toulmin,
and Rogerian Rhetoric Theories inform TPG design.
◦ Each TPG card essentially represents a single component of the poetics/grammar of argumentation.
◦ By playing cards, the players learn empathic listening skills and the logic of argumentation.
FEATURES OF THE PERSPECTIVE GAME
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT◦ TPG offers a platform
for learning about real world issues.
◦ Guilds choose an interested issue as the focus and motivator for civic engagement.
◦ Example issues:▫ STEM vs. STEAM
education.▫ The Ethics of
Biohacking.▫ Epigenetics and
body politics.
THE PERSPECTIVE GAME DESIGN: AN IN-DEPTH LOOK
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Design of The Perspective Game (TPG)Game Board and 13 Cards
Design of The Perspective GameGame Board Interface
CARD DESIGN◦ The Main Claim Card Is
wielded by the player role, The Initiator.
◦ The card states a claim of value, fact, policy, or causality about a real world issue (stated in the Quest Card).
◦ The card states a reason for supporting that claim.
THE INITIATOR & THE MAIN CLAIM CARD
CARD DESIGN◦ The Concession Card
Is wielded by the player role, The Conceder.
◦ The card offers a concession to an assumption or claim stated in “counterclaim” card.
◦ The card addresses the perspective of the Counter (who wields the counterclaim card).
THE CONCEDER & THE CONCESSION CARD
CARD DESIGN◦ The Rebuttal Card Is
wielded by the player role, The Refuter.
◦ The card opposes the “counterclaim” card.
◦ The card refutes an assumption or claim in the opponent’s card.
◦ The card offers support for the rebuttal with evidence.
THE REFUTER & THE REBUTTAL CARD
Design of a Single Card Cluster in Play inThe Perspective Game
Design of Multiple Card Clusters in Play inThe Perspective Game
Design of the GTI Software Architecture by Jeff Segor
DESIGN OF WEB AND SOFTWARE SECURITY
our office
◦ TPG users are required to confirm their ID using two factor authentication method (using web and mobile devices).
◦ Two factor authentication, one of the highest forms of security, prevents hackers from accessing user’s info.
PRICING
SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE (MONTH
VS. YEAR)
FREE TO PLAY MODEL
PREMIUM SERVICE
*Premium Service offers users more features, such as the ability to join concurrent guilds, livestream to Youtube and Twitch, and design customizable avatars.
MEET THE GTI TEAM!
Martin RadleyBusiness Operations & Virtual Economy Development.
Sherry JonesGame Architecture Design, Narrative Design & Education Research.
Jeff SegorBackend Architecture Engineering & Game Development.
Palani MuraganMobile & Responsive Web Development.
Stephen GetterGraphic Design & Game Development.
UPCOMING PROTOTYPE RELEASE IN EARLY 2016!
◦ Gain first access to The Perspective Game! Contact us to become game testers!
Thanks!
ANY QUESTIONS?Twitter @autnes
Email [email protected]
Website http://about.me/sherryjones
Slides http://bit.ly/epistemicgame
CREDITS
Special thanks to all the people who made and released these awesome resources for free:
◦ Presentation template by SlidesCarnival◦ Photographs by Unsplash