Criteria of Play and Games
“The more learning is like play, the more absorbing it will be” (Reinsmith, 1997).
Play + Games + Educational Content = Learning!
Play
In The Elements of Play (2014), Scott Eberle identifies the following criteria as key elements of play:
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Anticipation - waiting with expectation which leads to surprise
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Surprise - the unexpected, a discovery, a new sensation or idea, or shifting perspective which produces pleasure
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Pleasure - a good feeling
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Understanding - aquisition of knowledge which leads to strength
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Strength - the mastery that comes from constructive experience and understanding which results in poise
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Poise - grace, contentment, composure, and a sense of balance in life
Games
In Reality is Broken (2011), Jane McGonigal provides four defining traits that make up a good game, namely:
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A goal/goals - provides players with a sense of purpose
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Rules - unleash creativity and foster strategic thinking
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A feedback system - tells players how close they are to achieving their goals
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Voluntary participation - requires all players to knowingly and willingly accept the goals, rules, and feedback
Learning
If we can combine the criteria of play with the criteria of a game, we can create educational games that maximize fun while also maximizing learning. Traditional learning looks like kids sitting at desks. Obidience. Seriousness. Stuggle. Learning doesnt have to be this way. Lets change the way learning looks, and make it a rewarding struggle, a playful seriousness, and a voluntary act. We should all be learning at a deeper level; learning for ourselves; not for the grades that make-or-break success.