Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Conclusion
We examined game design methodologies of treating content through the lens of
e-learning in an effort to garner a design perspective that might improve the qual-
ity and effectiveness of e-learning courseware. Examining game design methods
enables e-learning designers to make a conceptual shift from how content is seg-
mented and organized based on classroom- or instructor-led design to designing
integrated content in a virtual space. This includes reconsidering the emphasis
on user-centered design practices, integrating content into learner experiences, the
visual representation of content in e-learning, and the motivational aspects related
to content.
The shift toward user-centered design extends beyond learning objectives. In a
game design process, how the learner experiences the game is just as important as
what the player needs to know. E-learning focused on instructor or teacher-centered
design, where what the learner needs to know is designed as a presentation, not as
an experience. Therefore, the typical focus is on reducing the options for how the
learner experiences the content through the perspective of the instructor/teacher. De-
emphasizing the learner experience further inhibits the learner from experiencing
potential engaging or immersive qualities of the course.
Content organization is another shift that may improve learner engagement and
e-learning effectiveness. The common practice of segmenting content into distinct
chunks of information and removing it from context may be influenced, in part,
by the infrastructures that support e-learning courses, such as Learning Content
Management Systems (LCMS). Segmenting and separating content for an LCMS
allows institutions to organize and track courseware but also to organize the con-
tent in the courses for repurposing and rapid production with minimal rework. This
method undercuts creating course content in context and reduces the options for
creating engaging environments because it limits the amount and type of learner's
interactions with the content. The reduction of learner options for various modes of
interacting within the course also eliminates different ways of receiving informa-
tion, thereby reducing the challenge—in short, e-learning minimizes the manner in
which learners interact and receive information from the course. In game design an
immersive and engaging environment requires a process which integrates content
to create context and continuity, recognizing that oversegmented content reduces
expressive acts of the player and therefore inhibits engagement.
In order to attain an integrated contextual environment, much of the content is
represented visually, as objects defined by their relationship with other objects.
Visual representation of content allows the player to perceive interacting with
the environment and not just the machine. Visual representation can also consol-
idate and communicate complex amounts of information succinctly and quickly.
With the appropriate course content e-learning may be able to improve engage-
ment and learning effectiveness by shifting content design approaches toward visual
representations instead of text-based interactions.
Lastly, the motivational features related to content include the types and fre-
quency of interactions, the type of feedback mechanisms, and designing goals.
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