Rhetorical Invention in a 21St Century Technoculture: a New Ludic Framework for Learning
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Clemson University TigerPrints All Dissertations Dissertations May 2020 Rhetorical Invention in a 21st Century Technoculture: A New Ludic Framework for Learning Christopher Michael Stuart Clemson University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_dissertations Recommended Citation Stuart, Christopher Michael, "Rhetorical Invention in a 21st Century Technoculture: A New Ludic Framework for Learning" (2020). All Dissertations. 2626. https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_dissertations/2626 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Dissertations at TigerPrints. It has been accepted for inclusion in All Dissertations by an authorized administrator of TigerPrints. For more information, please contact [email protected]. RHETORICAL INVENTION IN A 21ST CENTURY TECHNOCULTURE: A NEW LUDIC FRAMEWORK FOR LEARNING A Dissertation Presented to the Graduate School of Clemson University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy Rhetorics, Communication, and Information Design by Christopher M. Stuart May 2020 Accepted by: Dr. Jan Rune Holmevik, Committee Chair Dr. Megan Eatman Dr. Danielle Herro Dr. James Gilmore i ABSTRACT This dissertation proposes the ludic framework for learning as an innovative pedagogical model that privileges play, possibility, failure, and social affinity as states of being and positions for learning. The ludic framework works through rhetorics of play as a frame of reference; rhetorics of possibility and invention as a means of production; the acceptance of transformative failure; and engages with digital communities to further knowledge through social affinity while being grounded in constructionist learning theories. The principles that facilitate this are: curiosity, play, flexibility, metacognition, collaboration, invention, persistence, and creativity. To demonstrate this, the dissertation has two case studies: a semester project that explains the need and procedures for teaching technologies in a workflow and a three-dimensional representation of the research in Minecraft: Education Edition. ii DEDICATION To Aleesa Millet, my player one: Without you, this dissertation would be impossible. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS There are so many people to acknowledge over the last four years of the PhD. First, I am thankful for the support of the RCID faculty for letting me pursue my interests in gaming and pedagogy from Dr. Vitanza’s first seminar when we talked about Poulakos, to the readings I suggested and led in game colloquia, and the long, repetitive discussions of play, failure, and Minecraft in studio. I also want to thank Dr. Jan Holmevik and Dr. Cynthia Haynes for helping me keep my head up and determined throughout coursework and the exam process; they both always gave me the space and time to talk about my ideas. I want to thank my cohort for keeping me determined and passionate about my dissertation and research in gaming. Without them, I would not have the dissertation I do today. Thank you to my committee for being flexible, responsive, and understanding throughout the process. It wasn’t easy, but you made it achievable. I want to thank Kelsey Sheaffer and Camille Cooper for always being the best and most supportive librarians anyone could ask for. If it wasn’t for Kelsey’s brilliance with teaching the Adobe Creative Cloud, Tanked Presentations would be a shell of what it is today. Kelsey’s attitude of “we can try it” when trying to help students was always refreshing. Camille, you were always the most comforting and supportive throughout the process and I thank you for all the books you brought to the library for my—and future students’—research. Your door was always open when I needed it. I am so appreciative of all my friends and colleagues who have helped me stay on target throughout the entire process: Shauna Chung, Victoria Hauser, Dan Frank, Josh Wood, Megan MiZe, Wendi Sierra, Lauren Woolbright, Jordan Frith, Derek Mueller, iv Kate Pantelides, Doug Eyman, Justin Hodgson, and so many others. From encouraging advice to late night soundboards, you were always there when I needed the support. Thank you to my amaZing wife, Aleesa Millet, and my badass daughter, Nymeria Millet, for keeping me motivated to work hard and play harder. Some nights were really rough when Nymeria was first born, but the late night snuggles were always worth it. My multimodal project would be nothing without Aleesa and our nearly 10-year journey with the game that is forever on our arms. Of course, I have to thank my “architects,” for without them Minecraft University would never have been realiZed. Thank you, Jordan Britenburge, Matthias Knibbe, Aleesa Millet, Drew Chelton, Noah Johnson, Matthew Harrington, Julia Johnson, Andrew Phillips, Will Gordon, and Taylor Sieling. Collectively, we spent over 200 hours in Minecraft: Education Edition together. Even when times were uncertain or difficult, you all pulled through to help me realiZe my project. Finally, I want to acknowledge everyone else taking class, teaching, doing research, writing exams, finishing dissertations, taking care of their loved ones, and all the amaZing feats everyone tied to academia is doing during the COVID-19 pandemic. We moved our instruction online and never gave up on our students and colleagues. I am here with you in solidarity. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page TITLE PAGE .................................................................................................................... i ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................... ii DEDICATION ............................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .............................................................................................. iv LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................... viii MEDIA REFERENCES .................................................................................................. x INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... xi CHAPTER I. It’s Time to Play: Playful Inquiry to the Playtrate Ecology .......................... 1 Inquiry, Wayfinding, and Play ................................................................ 7 Play and the Rhetorical Tradition .......................................................... 16 Literacy, the Apparatus, and Paying Homage to Electracy ................... 22 Ludic Invention through Ecologies of Practice ..................................... 33 II. An Ethical Dimension of Failure ................................................................. 40 The Rhetorics of Possibility .................................................................. 43 Toward an Ethical Dimension of Failure .............................................. 50 SpecialiZing in Failure: A Risk Management Approach ....................... 62 III. A Ludic Framework for Learning ............................................................... 70 Why Game Studies Matters in the Classroom ....................................... 76 Game-Based Learning and Gamification: Two Approaches ................. 82 A Shift in Learning Theory ................................................................... 90 The Ludic Framework for Learning .................................................... 100 IV. Teaching Workflows through Tanked Presentations ................................ 114 vi Table of Contents (Continued) Page Scaffolding a Workflow of Technology .............................................. 120 Bringing Game Design into the Workflow ......................................... 130 Analog Game Design Workflows ....................................................... 136 Digital Game Design Workflows ........................................................ 141 Peer Review Becomes Playtesting ...................................................... 148 Preparing for the Presentation ............................................................. 152 Metacognition and the Ludic Framework ........................................... 158 V. Minecraft University: A collaborative Building Experiment .................... 161 The Planning Stages ............................................................................ 165 First Builds; First Failures ................................................................... 172 Building the University in a Troubled Time ....................................... 176 Making the World Educational ........................................................... 181 Minecraft University: An Analysis ..................................................... 185 Conclusion: Wandering Elsewhere ............................................................................. 190 APPENDICES ............................................................................................................. 194 A: Literacy Failure Analysis Assignment Sheet ............................................ 195 B: Tanked Presentations Assignment Sheet ................................................... 198 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................ 205 vii LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1 Mountain Dew ad from New Zealand (Colenso BBDO, 2014) .................. 54 2 Myer-Briggs ENTJ Designation from