Cognitive Science
Overview
• Animations / Simulations
• Video Games
Cognitive Science
Play is too subjective, and sometimes has the uncontrollable tendency of becoming too imaginative... play apart from work is foolish, may be demoralizing, may stifle educational growth, and if pursued for its own sake may lead to irresponsible behavior.
Play is arbitrary and fanciful, morbid, aimless, and useless.
Cognitive Science
Play is too subjective, and sometimes has the uncontrollable tendency of becoming too imaginative... play apart from work is foolish, may be demoralizing, may stifle educational growth, and if pursued for its own sake may lead to irresponsible behavior.
Play is arbitrary and fanciful, morbid, aimless, and useless.
John DeweySource: http://webs.csu.edu/~big0ama/articles/JohnDewy.html#of
Cognitive Science
Games/Play and Learning
• Friedrich Fröbel (1782–1852)• Maria Montessori (1870–1952)• Rudolf Steiner (1861–1925)
Games and Play
Cognitive Science
Games/Play and Learning
• What arguments would you make for or against the educational potential of games?
Games and Play
Cognitive Science
Games/Play and Learning
• What arguments would you make for or against the educational potential of games?
•Cognitive level•Constructivist level•Social level•Emotional level
Games and Play
Scenario
Cognitive Science
Group Work
Review the one of the Games-To-Teach frameworks. [http://www.educationarcade.org/gtt/proto.html]
Discuss the following questions
Is the approach taken effective for the content and audience specified?
Does the approach appear to be based on a theoretical framework?
What emotional impact do you expect this game to have on learners?
Scenario
Cognitive Science
Group Discussion
Based on the games you have reviewed/played, consider:
What, if anything, can games teach us about the design of learning environments?
Do certain types of games represent certain aspects of some of the theoretical frameworks we have discussed?
Sort Gee’s principles based on a theoretical approach you devise, using theories discussed to date.
Cognitive Science
Definition
• How do we define simulations v. games?
Simulations v. Games
Cognitive Science
Definition
• How do we define simulations v. games?
• Narrative (character, plot, setting, event) v. Interactivity• Dynamics of semiotic structure
Simulations v. Games
Cognitive Science
Can it Facilitate?
• Benefits for continuous rather than discrete changes
• Congruence PrincipleConceptual knowledge must be made apparent (Structure and content of external v. internal representation)
• Apprehension PrincipleAnimation must be readily perceived and comprehended(Perception of movement, changes, and their timing, understand changes in relationships between parts and sequence of events; schematic rather than realistic)
Source: Tversky, Morrison, & Betrancourt (2002)
Animation
