Tentative Title: TEACHING, GAMING, and SEDIMENTED PRACTICES
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© 2018 Erica Holan Lucci ALL RIGHTS RESERVED SCAFFOLDING FUN: TEACHING GAME DESIGN IN A 21ST CENTURY CLASSROOM by ERICA HOLAN LUCCI A dissertation submitted to the School of Graduate Studies Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey In partial fulfillment of the requirements For the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Graduate Program in Education Written under the direction of Erica Boling And approved by _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ New Brunswick, New Jersey MAY, 2018 ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION Scaffolding Fun: Teaching Game Design in a 21st Century Classroom By ERICA HOLAN LUCCI Dissertation Director: Dr. Erica Boling The purpose of this study was to examine the pedagogical practices associated with the implementation of videogame design activities in the classroom setting as a means of promoting students’ 21st century skill development. In particular, it considered the role played by pedagogical expertise in teaching game design and provides an introspective look at the pedagogical challenges faced by instructors within the videogame design classroom. These goals were met by exploring one teacher’s pedagogical scaffolds of student learning specific to game design by investigating the relationships among the teacher’s pedagogical practices that support student learning. This qualitative study approached the question of how an instructor scaffolds student learning of game design principles and concepts in terms of both lesson planning and in-class practices. These questions were addressed through the case study of an experienced videogame design instructor at a middle school in north-central New Jersey. Data collected include interview data, comprised of approximately three one-hour audio semi-structured interviews with the participant; textual artifacts such as lesson plans, classroom materials, and reflective blog posts; and more than twenty field-based observations with accompanying field notes. The results of this study contribute to a better understanding of the ways in which teachers can effectively implement videogame ii design and development projects in their classroom settings. Such an understanding will in turn help other educators to identify, plan for and support student learning through the videogame design process. iii DEDICATION The ones that love us never really leave us. ~ Albus Dumbledore To Doris Kennedy (a.k.a. Grandma) and Dorisann Kennedy (a.k.a. [Aunt] Dar) iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Words are, in my not so humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic. ~ Albus Dumbledore Thanks to Dr. Erica Boling, my doctoral chair, advisor, mentor, advocate, friend, and most importantly, my Albus Dumbledore. Thanks for helping me fine tune my skills to cast the longest and most arduous spells I’ve ever aspired to create. You sort of start thinking anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve. ~ Albus Dumbledore When I was first accepted to graduate school to complete my PhD in Education at Rutgers University, I couldn’t believe it. I felt exhilarated and terrified at the same time. I couldn’t wait to start my program… It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities. ~ Albus Dumbledore Then I developed a terrible case of imposter syndrome, as we all do (or so I’ve come to find out), and felt as though I didn’t belong, this wasn’t the place for me, this dream was quite impossible to achieve, and I’d be having none of it. After long internal struggle, and multiple thoughts of quitting, I powered through. I would never have been able to do so without the moral support of: my research cohort buddy, Mary Hough, Ed.D. candidate, who kept encouraging me as we went on this journey together, with plenty of jokes and shenanigans along the way (a.k.a. my Ron Weasley); and my committee member Sandra Abrams, (a.k.a. my Hermione Grainger) who taught me all about the greatest witches and wizards of the videogames and learning landscape, and how to follow in their footsteps and her own. And now, Harry, let us step out into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure. ~ Albus Dumbledore To my committee members, Dr. Clark Chinn and Dr. Eli Silk, I am especially grateful for your guidance and expertise throughout this most arduous yet exhilarating journey! It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live. ~ Albus Dumbledore And so, as much as I wanted to power through this inexplicable journey I’ve found myself navigating, I realized upon the completion of coursework, that this wasn’t a sprint, but rather, a marathon. Some of the best moments of my life took place over the course of this journey; meeting my husband, moving out of my parents’ house, getting my first v apartment, getting my first full-time lectureship position, getting engaged, getting married, buying my first home, getting pregnant, giving birth to my beautiful daughter, Emma… So, it goes without saying that this is all possible thanks to my supportive husband, Jay – thanks for reminding me of how to live throughout the course of this journey. I solemnly swear I am up to no good. ~ Harry Potter To my daughter, Emma, who reminds me every day how important it is to get into trouble sometimes…to learn from one’s mistakes, to get back up and keep going, to remain tenacious, I learn from you every day, and I couldn’t be more proud to be your mom. All was well. ~ J.K. Rowling vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION ........................................................................... ii DEDICATION ................................................................................................................... iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................................v CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................1 Statement of Problem ...............................................................................................1 Research Questions ..................................................................................................3 Rationale and Significance of the Study ..................................................................3 Impetus .....................................................................................................................4 Contribution to the Field ..........................................................................................6 CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ..............................................................7 Literature Search and Method ................................................................................10 Major Categorization of Findings ..........................................................................13 What is a Game? ....................................................................................................13 Videogame Use in the Classroom Setting: Three Camps ......................................15 Edu-games..................................................................................................15 Game Design in the Classroom..................................................................16 Gamification ..............................................................................................18 Why Gamification Matters ........................................................................20 Constructivism Through Situated Cognition in Videogame Design .....................22 Learning Outcomes from Videogame Use and Design .........................................24 21st Century Skills ......................................................................................24 Deductive Reasoning and Hypothesis Testing ..........................................25 Complex Concepts, Computational Thinking, and Abstract Thinking ..................26 It’s Not All Fun and Games ...................................................................................28 Planning Instruction ...............................................................................................31 Pedagogical Scaffolding ........................................................................................36 vii Conceptual Framework ..........................................................................................41 The Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge Framework ……...42 Scaffolding Open Learning Environments (OLEs) ...................................45 Combining the TPACK Framework & The OLE/TELE ...........................46 Conclusion .............................................................................................................48 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY .....................................................................................50 Situating the Study .................................................................................................50 Research Questions ................................................................................................50 Methodology and Design .......................................................................................51 Research Methodology – Case Study ....................................................................53 Case Study Setting and Participant ........................................................................54 A More In-Depth Look at Joe ................................................................................56 Data Collection ......................................................................................................58