ERIC Number: EJ874008
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2005
Pages: 6
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1552-3233
EISSN: N/A
Epistemic Games
Shaffer, David Williamson
Innovate: Journal of Online Education, v1 n6 Aug-Sep 2005
In an article in this issue of "Innovate", Jim Gee asks the question "What would a state of the art instructional video game look like?" Based on the game "Full Spectrum Warrior", he concludes that one model is "to pick [a] domain of authentic professionalism well, intelligently select the skills and knowledge to be distributed, build in a related value system as integral to gameplay, and clearly relate any explicit instructions to specific contexts and situations" (2005, para. 20). That is, he describes a good instructional game as an adaptation of "authentic professionalism" in video game format. In this article, the author would like to give a more detailed account of this idea by looking more closely at the terms "authenticity" and "professionalism". The author begins by connecting these concepts to some of the theories of learning on which they are based: ideas about communities of practice (Lave and Wenger 1991; Wenger 1998), reflective practice (Schon 1987), epistemic frames (Shaffer 2004a) and pedagogical praxis (Shaffer 2004b). These theories link games, simulations, and professional practices. In so doing, they provide tools and techniques to guide the development of games for learning. To show how this works, the author gives an example of one such game that, while still a prototype, demonstrates how a deliberately constructed simulation of professional practice can be both an engaging activity and a compelling learning environment. (Contains 1 figure.)
Descriptors: Educational Games, Video Games, Learning Theories, Epistemology, Communities of Practice, Reflection, Simulation, Instruction, Urban Planning, High School Students
Fischler School of Education and Human Services. Nova Southeastern University, 1750 NE 167th Street, North Miami Beach, FL 33162. Tel: 800-986-3223; e-mail: innovate@nova.edu; Web site: http://innovateonline.info
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: High Schools; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Wisconsin
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A