Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
interact-play with a computer-based platform is shared between applications/activities
(e.g. entertainment, stimulation) then they may dip-in and out of, switch or shift
between applications/activities while at the same time remaining engaged
(irrespective of kinds of user experience or types of entertainment). Here the sphere of
engagement encapsulates more than one application/activity, as in figure 6.
Clockwise from top left
- Sphere(s) of
engagement:
Fig. 4.
User-player engaged in
activity (A1).
Fig. 5.
Engaged in separate activities
(A1-A3).
Fig. 6.
Encapsulating one or more
application/platforms (A1-A3).
Fig. 7.
In-game
activity (A1) and out-of-game activity (A2)
A2
A1
A1
A1
A1
A2
A2
A3
It's easier to appreciate sphere of engagement with many apps each represented by
an activity that share a motive and are supported on one platform (tablet, notebook,
desktop, smart phone) but what about applications (on-line, social media, games,
video calls) supported on more than one platform. Likewise, we argue that if each
activity share a motive such as to be entertained or stimulated, etc. then the user-
player can remain engaged in interaction /gameplay switching between apps and
platforms and likewise a sphere of engagement is created/develops (figure 6). As
mentioned in the introduction, as observed in studies in games clubs and schools,
user-players switch between in-game play to interacting with fellow user-
players/students out-of-game/off-game. Rather than have a detrimental effect, this
behavior appeared to heighten experience and engagement. Here the sphere of
engagement encapsulates the real-world environment where the game is situated
(figure 7). This perspective has implications for analysis of blended learning whereby
in-game and off-game learning activities are connected through sphere of
engagement. In design, learning activities can be designed so that in-game and off-
game motives are connected and are encapsulated within a sphere of engagement.
Activities can be the same or different for in-game and off-game. For example, while
in-game play could be to learn about some topic in history, a user-player's attention
could be diverted to an off-game activity to undertake a mathematical exercise. Here
an action or process in the history game is either shared with/leads an activity to
undertake a mathematical exercise in the real-world or an action transforms into an
activity to undertake a mathematical exercise in the real-world. Similarly, the sphere
of engagement illustrated in figure 7 also represents gameplay for entertainment
undertaken between in-game and out-of-game activities.
