An Analysis of Design Strategies for Creating Educational Experiences in Virtual Environments - New Science of Learning - page 197

While including these elements is not a new feature for e-learning, designing them
using game design methods is another example of a conceptual shift for design-
ing content. Increasing the number and type of interactions the learner has with the
content and embedding feedback within the goals enhances problem solving and
encourages the learner's ability to learn content.
The concepts presented here are intended to prompt consideration between the
differences in design methodologies and outline methods that can improve the
quality of e-learning. These methods for creating more engaging and immersive
e-learning require a shift away from traditional e-learning design methodologies and
adopting the method of experiential learning inherent in game design. This shift also
includes designing a virtual environment rather than discrete pages and focusing on
user experience by placing instructional value on the objects, the relationships of
objects for creating context, and user interactions within the environment. By com-
paring the design choices between e-learning and games, designers and developers
can discover which decisions increase the likelihood of building an effective and
engaging e-learning course that utilizes the full capabilities of the medium.
References
Age of Empires. (1997). Ensemble Studios, Microsoft Game Studios.
Apperley, T. H. (2006). Genre and game studies: Toward a critical approach to video game genres.
Simulation & Gaming , 37 (1), 6-23.
Bejeweled. (2001). PopCap Games.
Bogost, I. (2006). Unit operations: An approach to videogame criticism . Cambridge, MA: MIT
Press.
Clark, R., & Mayer, R. E. (2007). E-learning and the science of instruction: Proven guidelines for
consumers and designers of multimedia learning . San Francisco: Pfeiffer.
Crawford, C. (1982). The art of computer game design . Retrieved 2008, from http://www.
vancouver.wsu.edu/fac/peabody/game-book/Coverpage.html .
Dewey, J. (1916). Democracy and education . New York: The Free Press.
Everquest II. (2004). Sony Online Entertainment.
Frasca, G. (2003). Simulation versus Narrative: Introduction to Ludology. In M. J. Wolf and
B. Perron, (Eds.), Video game theory reader (pp. 221-235). New York: Routledge.
Gaber, J. (2007). Simulating planning: SimCity as a pedagogical tool. Journal of Planning
Education and Research , 27 (2), 113-121.
Galloway, A. R. (2006). Gaming: Essays on algorithmic culture . Minneapolis, MN: University of
Minnesota Press.
Gee, J. P. (2003). What video games have to teach us about learning and literacy .NewYork:
Palgrave Macmillan.
Gee, J. P. (2005). Learning by design: Good video games as learning machines. E-learning , 2 (1),
5-16.
Guitar Hero. (2006). Activision.
Juul, J. (2005). Half-real: Video games between real rules and fictional worlds . Cambridge: The
MIT Press.
Neverwinter Nights: Shadows of Undrentide. (2003). Infogrames/Atari, MacSoft.
Piskurich, G. M. (2000). Rapid Instructional design: Learning ID fast and right . San Francisco:
Pfeiffer.
Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. From On the Horizon , 9 ,5.