Designing for Learning: Multiplayer Digital Game Learning Environments by Chung On Kim A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Architecture and the Designated Emphasis in New Media in the Graduate Division of the University Of California, Berkeley Committee in charge: Professor Yehuda E. Kalay, Chair Professor Galen Cranz Professor Kimiko Ryokai Fall 2010 Designing for Learning: Multiplayer Digital Game Learning Environments Copyright 2010 by Chung On Kim Abstract Designing for Learning: Multiplayer Digital Game Learning Environments By Chung On Kim Doctor of Philosophy in Architecture, Emphasis in New Media University of California, Berkeley Professor Yehuda E. Kalay, Chair Many people in general think that digital game environment has potential as a learning environment. However, empirical research in digital game environment and education is a still relative young field, so to create a digital learning environment where students are actively engaged in the learning process is a great challenge. In part, it has been challenged by differences between the games domain and context of learning, and also the lack of understanding of the many different professionals who are involved in the process of making it. Over the past three years (2005-2008), the Digital Design Research Group at University of California, Berkeley, has had an opportunity to design a Multi-User Online Game environment representing Seventh Street, West Oakland, where players can experience and learn about an important historical and cultural place that was destroyed by various urban renewals about half a century ago. Is “being” in the authentic environment enough for learners to gain the knowledge they need? How do we balance design tensions between meeting learning objectives and creating an engaging learning environment? This dissertation looks at various learning theories that build a framework for learning environments. It then explores the idea of using the new media, the digital game environment, as a new learning environment. Following these discussions, the West Oakland game environment is analyzed as a learning environment. The outcome of this analysis emphasizes the importance of content development in Multiplayer Digital Game Learning Environment. Guidelines for designers of Multiplayer Digital Game Learning Environment are discussed. This study has broad, practical implications for designers who seek to both educate and engage learners, and who like to recognize why we, as architectural designers, need to be involved in creating learning environments beyond physical environments. 1 Dedication I would like to dedicate this Doctoral Dissertation to my late father, Sung-hyun Kim. There is no doubt in my mind that without his continued support and encouragement, I could not have completed this process. i Acknowledgement I would never have been able to finish my dissertation without the guidance of my committee members, help from friends, and support from my family. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my advisor, Dr. Yehuda Kalay, for his excellent guidance, caring, patience and encouraging me to join Digital Design group. Without Professor Yehuda Kalay’s help and encouragement, I think I would never have written my dissertation. Thank you, Yehuda! My special thanks go to Dr. Peter Lyman, who is no longer with us, for taking me and advising me through his illness, and also supported me to join his research group, Digital Youth Project. Dr. Galen Cranz, and Dr. Kimiko Ryokai, deserve a special thanks as my dissertation committee members and advisors. In particular, I would like to thank Dr. Galen Cranz for endless supports and constructive comments for my research. I thank Jean-Pierre Protzen, Dr. Andrea diSessa for their interest in my research and their valuable comments. I thank Paul Grabowicz for his patience and support for the Virtual West Oakland project. Without him, it would not be possible for us to have a research project that impact Digital Design Research Group greatly. I thank Lois Koch in the department graduate office. I thank all my colleagues from Digital Design Research Group for their kindness and supports. I thank my friends, William Willoughby, Joseph Strelka, Henry Stepp, and Selina Lam for their great friendships and supports for all these years. Lastly, I dedicate this dissertation to my parents and my sister; this dissertation is simply impossible without them. I am indebted to my father, Sung-hyun Kim, for his care and love. Although he is no longer with us, he is forever remembered. I am sure he shares our joy and happiness in the heaven. I thank both our biological mother, Kyu-Nam Kim, and our stepmother, Kyung-Hee Rye. Although, our biological mother passed away more than 20 years ago, her dedication and discipline always has been a constant reminder for me. Also, without our stepmother’s support and care for many years, it would not be possible where I am right now. Finally, thanks to my sister, Bosoon, for her patience and support in my many years of graduate study. ii Contents Chapter 1 Introduction.............................................................................................................1 1.1 Motivation....................................................................................................................1 1.2 A New Learning Environment......................................................................................2 1.3 Similar but not the same ...............................................................................................3 1.4 Research Problems and Method....................................................................................6 1.5 Dissertation Structure ...................................................................................................7 Chapter 2 Learning Theories ...................................................................................................8 2.1 Literature Review.........................................................................................................8 2.1.1 Behaviorist Learning Theory.............................................................................8 2.1.2 Social Learning Theory.....................................................................................9 2.1.3 Symbolic Interaction Learning Theory............................................................10 2.1.4 Constructivist Learning Theory.......................................................................12 1) Experiential Constructivist Learning and Dewey.........................................12 2) Cognitive Constructivist Learning and Piaget .............................................14 3) Socio-Cultural Constructivist Learning and Vygotsky.................................16 4) Situated Constructivist Learning .................................................................17 2.2 Summary of Learning Theories ..................................................................................19 2.3 Learning Experience...................................................................................................21 Chapter 3 Learning Environment (LE) .................................................................................25 3.1 The Concept of a Learning Environment ....................................................................25 3.2 Facet Analyses...........................................................................................................26 3.3 Learners and Facilitator ..............................................................................................27 3.3.1 What Kind of Learner ......................................................................................27 3.3.2 Facilitator ........................................................................................................28 3.4 Interactivity................................................................................................................29 3.4.1 Defining Interaction.........................................................................................29 3.4.2 Dimensions of Interaction in Learning .............................................................29 3.4.3 Degree of Interaction in Learning.....................................................................30 1) Feedback ....................................................................................................31 2) Control .......................................................................................................31 3) Participation ...............................................................................................32 4) Motivation..................................................................................................32 5) Social exchange and Collaboration .............................................................33 3.5 Dimension in Learning Environment ..........................................................................34 Chapter 4 Virtual Environment (VE) and Game ..................................................................36 4.1 Learning Media ..........................................................................................................36 iii 4.1.1 Print and Video Media .....................................................................................36 4.1.2 Virtual Environment (VE)................................................................................38 4.2 Virtual