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UBC Theses and Dissertations
Design and development of simulation/game software : implications for higher education Warren, Deborah Vivian
Abstract
Online education is not yet utilizing the interactive potential of computer technology. In the future, higher education faculty may collaborate with commercial game designers to develop simulation/game software. This study analyzes the potential for disjunctions between these two groups of designers. Twenty-two designers of home entertainment computer games were surveyed and interviewed about the prospect of simulation/game software to be developed for use in online education. Specifically, their perspectives were probed with respect to three dimensions: a) designing for open exploration of a specific closure (winners and losers), b) relative commitment to objective or subjective representations of knowledge, and c) preference for pre-planning or a tolerance of the iterative nature of software development. The survey results indicated a preference of game designers to design for a specific closure (with a final determination of winners and losers) rather than an open exploration. A high commitment to representing objective knowledge was also indicated. Interview responses indicated a high tolerance for the iterative nature of software development. The analysis emphasized a disjunction/overlap of an academic culture that elevates critical thinking and a consumer entertainment culture that elevates curiosity. The use of computer simulation games may be most supportive of learning, in a culture than elevates the curiosity above critical thinking, and thus better serve the democratization of knowledge where 'everyone is invited to the knowledge party'. Such an implementation would be a divergence from the typical approach in higher education, where knowledgeparticipants are required to join a 'members-only' club. Future researchers may wish to profile the curiosity of learners and specifically design for this dimension.
Item Metadata
Title |
Design and development of simulation/game software : implications for higher education
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Creator | |
Publisher |
University of British Columbia
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Date Issued |
2001
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Description |
Online education is not yet utilizing the interactive potential of computer
technology. In the future, higher education faculty may collaborate with commercial
game designers to develop simulation/game software. This study analyzes the potential
for disjunctions between these two groups of designers.
Twenty-two designers of home entertainment computer games were surveyed and
interviewed about the prospect of simulation/game software to be developed for use in
online education. Specifically, their perspectives were probed with respect to three
dimensions: a) designing for open exploration of a specific closure (winners and losers),
b) relative commitment to objective or subjective representations of knowledge, and c)
preference for pre-planning or a tolerance of the iterative nature of software development.
The survey results indicated a preference of game designers to design for a specific
closure (with a final determination of winners and losers) rather than an open exploration.
A high commitment to representing objective knowledge was also indicated. Interview
responses indicated a high tolerance for the iterative nature of software development.
The analysis emphasized a disjunction/overlap of an academic culture that elevates
critical thinking and a consumer entertainment culture that elevates curiosity. The use of
computer simulation games may be most supportive of learning, in a culture than elevates
the curiosity above critical thinking, and thus better serve the democratization of
knowledge where 'everyone is invited to the knowledge party'. Such an implementation
would be a divergence from the typical approach in higher education, where knowledgeparticipants
are required to join a 'members-only' club. Future researchers may wish to
profile the curiosity of learners and specifically design for this dimension.
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Extent |
7619792 bytes
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Genre | |
Type | |
File Format |
application/pdf
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Language |
eng
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Date Available |
2009-07-29
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Provider |
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
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Rights |
For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.
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DOI |
10.14288/1.0055493
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URI | |
Degree | |
Program | |
Affiliation | |
Degree Grantor |
University of British Columbia
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Graduation Date |
2001-05
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Campus | |
Scholarly Level |
Graduate
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Aggregated Source Repository |
DSpace
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Item Media
Item Citations and Data
Rights
For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.