Emerging practice with games-based learning - Teaching with Technologies: The Essential Guide - page 81

with teachers reporting greater confidence, self-esteem and enthusiasm for learning
(www.ltscotland.org.uk/icteducation/gamesbasedlearning/index.asp).
Johnson et al. 2011 outline examples of how games-based learning is being used
in higher education. ' Global Conflict' , is designed to help teach concepts in citizen-
ship, geography and media. Developed by Serious Games International, it contains
detailed lesson plans and assignments for students. ' Mass Extinction ' is currently being
developed at MIT's Education Arcade and is about climate change. ' Peacemaker ' is a
game designed to teach concepts in diplomacy and foreign relations. Through role
play, one assumes the role of either the Israeli Prime Minister or Palestinian President
and is required to find peaceful resolutions to conflicts before their term of office
expires.
Future directions
More research is needed to address the current gaps in knowledge. Research omissions
with respect to DGBL pertain to needing an enhanced evidence base for the effects
of gaming on learning, together with more robust research on learner performance
and attainment, the social context of learning and the role and impact of the wider
interactive environment beyond the game (teachers, peers, online communities) and
the nature of distributed knowledge and building psychological resilience.
Even though the most important elements of game design are known (flow, fan-
tasy, curiosity) more research is needed on how these aspects impact on learning.
As Spring-Keller (2010) argues, we need to better understand learners. What makes
learners curious? What frustrates them? Other questions for future research concern;
how can COTS be re-purposed for learning in classroom environments? How can soft
skills in effective teamwork be measured, analysed and enforced? If there are iden-
tifiable interpersonal problems with team members, what kinds of interventions are
possible? What influence does the social context have on virtual group work?
With respect to engendering greater psychological resilience in young people,
Spring-Keller (2010) observes that there are few studies concerning the tolerance of
frustration in learning settings and, given that games permit feelings of losing and
failure, research in these areas could support an exploration of the different ways of
dealing with negative emotions. Also, more empirical studies that investigate the
impact of games on learning and the requirements of the surrounding classroom
structure are needed. As Spring-Keller (2010) cites, the more we know about the
design of games and the impact of motivational aspects, the better we can design
games for learning for classroom settings.
Conclusions
The most important elements in designing a game are known. These pertain to the
motivational aspects of flow, curiosity and discovery, which are understood through
theories of play learning and creativity (Piaget 1963; Csikszentmihalyi 1990). The fac-
tors that afford a state of flow in digital games are worthwhile goals, which provide