Roles, Rules, and Uncertain Outcomes: Redefining Games for Learning

Roles, Rules, and Uncertain Outcomes: Redefining Games for Learning

Roles, Rules, and Uncertain Outcomes: Redefining Games for Learning

Marc DeArmond, Robert DeArmond

Abstract

"Existing definitions of games fail to differentiate between regular academic activities and games in any meaningful way. According to existing definitions either all graded academic activities are games, or serious games and game-based learning are not games. In this paper existing definitions of games are explored and expanded upon to create a new definition that can draw a necessary line between a math exam and learning games. A discussion of surrogate roles, participants as actors, and uncertainty explains how these terms can be added to existing components of games as being an activity that contains rules to more meaningfully differentiate between what is and is not a game, particularly in the context of learning games. This article does not attempt to define what makes a game good or fun, but rather it includes a new definition of games that includes core elements that can be utilized to adapt academic content into games."

Reference

DeArmond, M. C., & DeArmond, R. A. Roles, Rules, and Uncertain Outcomes: Redefining Games for Learning. thannual, 572. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/368302349_Roles_Rules_and_Uncertain_Outcomes_Redefining_Games_for_Learning

Keywords

game-based learning, exploration, expansion