Failing up: How failure in a game environment promotes learning through discourse

Anderson, Craig G.; Dalsen, Jen; Kumar, V.; Berland, Matthew; Steinkuehler, Constance

doi:10.1016/j.tsc.2018.03.002

Cited by 47 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…One example of this is Virulent (Anderson et al, 2018); a roleplaying strategy game designed to help children learn about viral replication and immune system response. The players act as a fictional simplified virus that infects hosts cells, takes resources and engages in "battles" with the immune system.…”

Section: Interactive Visualisationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Learning About Viruses: Representing Covid-19

Manches

Ainsworth

2022

Front. Educ.

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Covid-19 has significantly impacted children’s lives, requiring them to process multiple messages with significant emotional, social, and behavioural implications. Yet, the vast majority of these messages solely focus on behaviour. This is an oversight as children and young people can understand the biological properties and mechanisms of viruses when supported appropriately, thereby presenting an important opportunity for educators. However, like many other invisible scientific phenomena, understanding of viruses greatly depends upon how they are represented. Thus, we sought to understand the relative benefits and limitations of different forms for learning about the underlying biology of Covid-19. Applying an embodied learning lens, we analysed pictures, 3d models, gestures, dynamic visualisations, interactive representations, and extended reality identified through a state-of-the art-review. In so doing, we address the affordances and limitations of these forms in general and variation within them. We used this to develop a representational checklist that teachers and other adults can use to help them support children and young people’s learning about the biology of Covid-19.

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Section: Interactive Visualisationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Learning About Viruses: Representing Covid-19

Manches

Ainsworth

2022

Front. Educ.

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“…The immersive challenges in games naturally encourage failure and the narratives, reward systems, and virtual identities might instigate the productive response (Gee, 2007;Mitgutsch & Weise, 2011a). For example, a recent study with middle school children playing the game Virulent (a virology game that teaches about cellular defense mechanisms) found that the number of level failures before first success significantly predicted post-test outcomes (Anderson et al, 2018), and that failure prompted productive discussion amongst classmates about the learning material in the game.…”

Section: Game Design To Enhance Productive Negativitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Designing productively negative experiences with serious game mechanics: Qualitative analysis of game-play and game design in a randomized trial

Gauthier

Jenkinson

2018

Computers & Education

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Design, rather than medium, ultimately predicts learning outcomes, but the game-based learning literature has had difficulty successfully linking game design decisions to learning behaviours and outcomes. The current research investigates how explicit game design strategies can promote productive negativity (i.e. learning from failure), which has been identified as an important mechanism in both gaming and learning. We performed a randomized controlled trial with undergraduate biology students to investigate how game design might facilitate misconception resolution about random molecular behaviour through productive negativity. Students engaged with either a computer-based interactive simulation (n=20) or serious game (n=20) for 30 minutes, while their computer screens were recorded and click-stream data collected. We described in detail the theoretical framework underpinning our serious game and simulation using the Activity Theory Model of Serious Games (ATMSG); qualitatively coded and analysed video recordings of gameplay; and visually overlaid this data with the ATMSG models to draw conclusions about how game-design decisions influence learning-related behaviours. We found that the serious game resulted in significantly more productively negative experiences, while the interactive simulation allowed for greater exploratory or experimental behaviours. Based on our analyses of the qualitative gameplay data, we were able to recommend three game design strategies to enhance the occurrence of desired game-flow loops (e.g. productive negativity) with respect to an ATMSG framework: 1) including additional game mechanics on the primary game-flow axis of the ATMSG framework (i.e. mandatory interactions) limits the exploratory nature of the application; 2) integrating two or more primary-axis mechanics in a game-flow loop increases the frequency of interaction with this loop; and 3) gameplay loops that involve mechanics that fall off the primary-axis (i.e. nonmandatory mechanics) occur less frequently than those which involve primary-axis (i.e. mandatory) mechanics. This study is one of the first to successfully make direct comparisons between students' interactions in a game and a non-game application to provide concrete and actionable serious game design recommendations.

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“…One survey participant similarly said they 'tried to make a Friesian mod', but learnt that Friesian history was 'so complex' that they abandoned the project. In cases where the mod was discontinued or did not function, survey participants evidently still learnt about history, relating findings to those by Anderson et al (2018) who found initial failures in-game still resulted in considerable learning gains for the player, outcomes they called 'productive failures'.…”

Section: Learning History Through Mods and Moddingmentioning

confidence: 96%

Modding Europa Universalis IV: An informal gaming practice transposed into a formal learning setting

Loban

2021

E-Learning and Digital Media

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This article explores the use of modding as a formal tool for learning history. The article examines data from a formal analysis of Europa Universalis IV (EUIV), a survey of 331 EUIV forum participants and a case study of 18 university participants. Significant quantitative survey data indicated that 45% (149/331) of participants had modified EUIV, and of the 125 participants who responded with comments about modding, a significant number (86/125 responses or 68.8%) explained how they had learnt about history, geography or other subjects through the modding process. Closer analysis of survey and case study responses and mods reveals the variety of ways participants learnt and critiqued history through the modding process. The article discusses the data and the pedagogical affordance of modding in a few steps. First, the article briefly explores the evidence that indicates modding is popular within the EUIV gaming community. In this instance, it examines whether given the popularity of gaming practice, modding might also be seen as a new casual form of engagement with games. Second, the article reviews the modding process in EUIV and examines how both playing and creating mods may be beneficial for learning history. Modding is examined in terms of its pedagogical importance and the unique educational opportunities it may offer that are not otherwise accessible through other forms of game-based learning. Finally, the article explores how and what the case study participants learnt when they were tasked with creating and implementing playable mods to demonstrate their understanding of history. Overall, the article considers the growing importance of mods, how learners can create and represent history using mods and how mods can provide a platform for learners to develop their own critique and analysis of official history.

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Failing up: How failure in a game environment promotes learning through discourse

Cited by 47 publications

References 12 publications

Learning About Viruses: Representing Covid-19

Learning About Viruses: Representing Covid-19

Designing productively negative experiences with serious game mechanics: Qualitative analysis of game-play and game design in a randomized trial

Modding Europa Universalis IV: An informal gaming practice transposed into a formal learning setting

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