Pushing the Envelope of Pedagogical Gaming: Dark Networks

Abstract

In recent decades, instructors have increasingly adopted the use of "serious" games in their classrooms. Typically, these games take the form of role-playing simulations or wargames. However, online computer-run games have opened up new possibilities: to explore complex conceptual relationships, to utilize and display asymmetric information, to be playable anywhere and by anyone, and more. This article describes the game, Dark Networks, and shows why this type of game is valuable as well as how it has been used for pedagogical gains.I n recent decades, instructors have increasingly adopted the use of "serious" games in their classrooms (Asal 2005, 6; McCarthy 2014, 401; Shellman and Turan 2006, 19). Typically, these games take the form of role-playing simulations or wargames (Bridge and Radford 2014, 423; Filter n.d.). However, online computer-run games have opened up new possibilities: to explore complex conceptual relationships, to utilize and display asymmetric information, to be playable anywhere and by anyone, and more (Jackson 2013, 210, 212; Starkey and Blake 2001, 540-1; Weir and Baranowski 2011, 442).As the principal investigator on a Department of Defensesponsored project, I oversaw the development of 12 online games, mostly focused on issues of terrorism and insurgency. In the most recent academic year, 30 courses used-and about 1,500 students played-these games.In this article, I first situate our style of games in comparison to other types of games. I then describe one game in particular, Dark Networks. Finally, I address why this game is useful and how the game has been implemented. Much of the how and why of Dark Networks follows the conventional wisdom of best practices in the literature on gaming-but with added benefits from being an online computer-based game. THE UNIVERSE OF GAMESGames can take numerous forms, but of particular interest are the types of games that have demonstrable pedagogical value in the classroom, which often are called serious games. Strategic games are those that pit players against one another in an interactive and contingent environment, in which the success of one player's strategy depends on how it interacts with the opponent's strategy. Some of the earliest strategy games include Go, Petteia, Latrunculi, Chaturanga, and Chess (Lewin 2012, chaps. 1, 2; Perla 1990), which then added more realism with, for example, the Avalon Hill-style games in the twentieth century. In a different vein, in role-playing simulations, players assume a specific role and negotiate/interact/ coordinate with other players in a seminar-style environment. Typically, these games are focused on real-life scenarios and are adjucicated by a human control team, and they may be aided by computer communication tools (Lane 1995, 605-7; McCarthy 2014, 405). Wargaming (a particular style of role-playing simulation) was undertaken by militaries to understand, anticipate, and plan for war beginning with the creation of Kriegsspiel in 1824 (Lewin 2012, 40-52; Perla 1990, 35-42) and likely re...

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