Learning with Digital Games Written for Higher Education teaching and learning professionals, Learning with Digital Games provides an accessible, straightforward introduction to the field of computer game-based learning. Up-to-date with current trends and the changing learning needs of today’s students, this text offers friendly guidance, and is unique in its focus on post-school education and its pragmatic view of the use of computer games with adults. Learning with Digital Games enables readers to quickly grasp practical and technological concepts, using examples that can easily be applied to their own teaching. The book assumes no prior technical knowledge but guides the reader step-by-step through the theoretical, practical and technical considerations of using digital games for learning. Activities throughout guide the reader through the process of designing a game for their own practice, and the book also offers: • A toolkit of guidelines, templates and checklists • Concrete examples of different types of game-based learning using six case studies • Examples of games that show active and experiential learning • Practical examples of educational game design and development This professional guide upholds the sound reputation of the Open and Flexible Learning Series, is grounded in theory and closely links examples from practice. Higher Education academics, e-learning practitioners, developers and training professionals at all technical skill levels and experience will find this text is the perfect resource for explaining ‘how to’ integrate computer games into their teaching practice. A companion website is available and provides up-to-date technological information, additional resources and further examples. Nicola Whitton is a Research Fellow in the Education and Social Research Institute at Manchester Metropolitan University. Her website for Learning with Digital Games can be found at http://digitalgames.playthinklearn.net/ Open and Flexible Learning Series Series Editors: Fred Lockwood, A.W. (Tony) Bates and Som Naidu Activities in Self-Instructional Texts Developing Innovation in Online Fred Lockwood Learning An Action Research Framework Assessing Open and Distance Learners Maggie McPherson and Miguel Baptista Chris Morgan and Meg O’Reilly Nunes Changing University Teaching Distance and Blended Learning Terry Evans and Daryl Nation Opening Up Asian Education and Training Contemporary Perspectives in Colin Latchem and Insung Jung E-Learning Research Themes, Methods and Impact on Exploring Open and Distance Learning Practice Derek Rowntree Gráinne Conole and Martin Oliver Flexible Learning in a Digital World The Costs and Economics of Open and Betty Collis and Jef Moonen Distance Learning Greville Rumble Improving Your Students’ Learning Alistair Morgan Delivering Digitally Alistair Inglis, Peter Ling and Vera Joosten Innovation in Open and Distance Learning Delivering Learning on the Net Fred Lockwood and Ann Gooley The Why, What and How of Online Education Integrated E-Learning Martin Weller Implications for Pedagogy, Technology and Organization The Design and Production of Self- Win Jochems, Jeroen van Merriënboer and Instructional Materials Rob Koper Fred Lockwood Interactions in Online Education Designing Video and Multimedia for Implications for Theory and Practice Open and Flexible Learning Charles Juwah Jack Koumi Key Terms and Issues in Open and Online Education Using Learning Distance Learning Objects Barbara Hodgson Edited by Rory McGreal The Knowledge Web Open and Distance Learning Learning and Collaborating on the Net Case Studies from Education, Industry Marc Eisenstadt and Tom Vincent and Commerce Stephen Brown Leadership for 21st Century Learning Global Perspectives from International Open and Flexible Learning in Experts Vocational Education and Training Donald Hanna and Colin Latchem Judith Calder and Ann McCollum Learning and Teaching with Planning and Development in Open Technology and Distance Learning Principles and Practices Reg Malton Som Naidu Planning and Management in Distance Learning and Teaching in Distance Education Education Santosh Panda Edited by Som Naidu Preparing Materials for Open, Distance Learning with Digital Games and Flexible Learning A Practical Guide to Engaging Students Derek Rowntree in Higher Education Nicola Whitton Programme Evaluation and Quality Judith Calder Making Material-Based Learning Word Derek Rowntree Reconsidering Open and Distance Learning in the Developing World Managing Open Systems David Kember Richard Freeman Reforming Open and Distance Mega-Universities and Knowledge Learning Media Terry Evans and Daryl Nation John S. Daniel Reusing Online Resources Mobile Learning Alison Littlejohn A Handbook for Educators and Trainers Edited by Agnes Kukulska-Hulme and Student Retention in Online, Open and John Traxler Distance Learning Ormond Simpson Objectives, Competencies and Learning Outcomes Students’ Experiences of E-Learning in Reginald F. Melton Higher Education Robert Ellis and Peter Goodyear The Open Classroom Distance Learning In and Out of Schools Edited by Jo Bradley Understanding Learners in Open and Supporting Students in Online, Open Distance Education and Distance Learning Terry Evans 2nd Edition Ormond Simpson Using Communications Media in Open and Flexible Learning Teaching with Audio in Open and Robin Mason Distance Learning Derek Rowntree The Virtual University Steve Ryan, Bernard Scott, Howard Teaching Through Projects Freeman and Daxa Pate Jane Henry Towards More Effective Open and Distance Learning Perc Marland Learning with Digital Games A Practical Guide to Engaging Students in Higher Education Nicola Whitton First published 2010 by Routledge 270 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10016 Simultaneously published in the UK by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2009. To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledge’s collection of thousands of eBooks please go to www.eBookstore.tandf.co.uk. © 2010 Taylor and Francis All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark Notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Whitton, Nicola. Learning with digital games : a practical guide to engaging students in higher education / by Nicola Whitton. p. cm. – (The open and flexible learning series) Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Education, Higher – Computer-assisted instruction. 2. Computer games. 3. Educational games. I. Title. LB2395.7.W55 2009 378.1’7370285–dc22 2009005748 ISBN 0-203-87298-3 Master e-book ISBN ISBN 10: 0–415–99774–7 (hbk) ISBN 10: 0–415–99775–5 (pbk) ISBN 10: 0–203–87298–3 (ebk) ISBN 13: 978–0–415–99774–4 (hbk) ISBN 13: 978–0–415–99775–1 (pbk) ISBN 13: 978–0–203–87298–7 (ebk) To Alison Crerar, with grateful thanks for your mentorship, without which this book would never have been written. Contents Series Editor’s Foreword xiii Acknowledgements xv 1 Introduction 1 Background to the Book 2 The Higher Education Context 4 Structure of the Book 8 Web Resources to Accompany the Book 11 Examples Used throughout the Book 12 PART I Theory 17 2 Recognizing the Characteristics of Digital Games 19 Defining Digital Games for Learning 19 Ways of Defining Games 20 Game Characteristics and Learning 31 3 Understanding the Pedagogy of Digital Games 35 Learning and Motivation in Higher Education 36 A Study on Adult Attitudes to Games 38 Digital Games and Engagement 41 A Rationale for Digital Games in Higher Education 44 ix x • Contents 4 Identifying Types of Digital Games for Learning 55 Types of Digital Game Available to Educators 55 Types of Learning that can be Facilitated with Games 64 New Directions in Digital Games for Learning 68 PART II Practice 75 5 Integrating Digital Games Into the Curriculum 77 Analysing the Learning Context 77 Gaming Online and Face-to-Face 83 Models of Integration 85 6 Designing a Digital Game for Learning 89 Pedagogic Design Considerations 89 Designing Digital Games for Learning 97 7 Assessing the Impact of Digital Games on Learning 103 Assessment of Learning from Digital Games 104 Researching Learning with Digital Games 106 Ethics of Researching Learning 113 PART III Technology 117 8 Using Existing Digital Games for Learning 119 Differences between Games for Entertainment and Learning 120 Types of Existing Game for Learning 125 Obtaining Existing Games 130 9 Developing New Digital Games for Learning 135 Creating New Games for Learning 136 Skills Required for Game Creation 139 Developing a Functional Specification 140 Creating a Balanced Game for Learning 143 Software for Creating Games 148 Contents • xi 10 Evaluating Digital Games for Learning 153 Iterative User-Centred Design 153 Evaluating Digital Games 159 11 Case Studies 167 Case Study 1: Who is Herring Hale? 167 Case Study 2: Marketplace 171 Case Study 3: PeaceMaker 174 Case Study 4: Red Frontier 178 Case Study 5: The Retail Game 183 Case Study 6: World of Warcraft 187 12 Conclusions 191 Areas for Future Research 193 Challenges for Learning