Principles, theories, & models
Understand many theories and models, choose from among them appropriately, and apply them effectively.
Virtual Museum Project in Second Life
REFLECTION
In Bernie Dodge’s Exploratory Learning Through Simulation and Games
class (EDTEC 670) we learned about three main theories/models that can be
used as the underpinning for creating instructional games. Keller’s
ARCS Model for Motivation, Malone and Lepper’s motivational theory,
and Csikszentmihalyi’s Flow Theory.
Keller’s ARCS Model states that for someone to be motivated something must first capture their Attention, then the subject must recognize the Relevance of what they are doing, next they need to feel Confidence, and finally a sense of Satisfaction. This is not a separate system for instructional design. Instead it can be incorporated within Gagne’s Nine Events.
Malone and
Lepper’s motivational theory is actually a taxonomy that
attempts to explain levels of intrinsic (self) motivation in simple terms.
Challenge, Curiosity, Control, Fantasy, Competition, Cooperation, and Recognition
are all things that need to be present is some degree for people to feel
self-motivated to complete a task.
Csikszentmihalyi’s Flow Theory deals with the factors that need to
be present for people to feel self-absorbed in a task, something he calls
being in “the flow.” These factors include complete involvement
or concentration, a sense of ecstasy, great inner clarity, knowing the activity
is doable, a sense of serenity, timeliness, and intrinsic motivation.
For our main project we had to produce an online game concept that used one of these models or theories as a basis. For our game platform we employed SecondLife, a incredibly popular MMR, Massive Multiplayer Roleplaying game. We chose to create a Virtual Pow Wow, a kind of living museum of Native American culture. For our theoretical underpinning we chose Csikszentmihalyi’s Flow Theory.
Other than a short infatuation with Frogger and a Star Wars game some years ago, I had never seen the attraction of video games. My real life has been so busy I never allowed myself the time for this digital addiction. However, I had observed how video games have a lock on my son and my students, especially those in the 3d Animation class I teach. So, eagerly wrapping myself in the excuse of doing research, I plunged headlong into the fantasy world of SecondLife. I wanted to find out first hand what all the excitement is about.
For our Virtual Pow Wow I was tasked with creating a prototype costume that visitors could wear and designing sample artifacts. We also learned how to make our SecondLife avatars dance, fly, play games and socialize with other denizens. In the course of doing this I became a living proof Csikszentmihalyi’s Flow Theory.
Once I became acclimated to my SecondLife I gradually became totally and completely in “the flow.” So much so that my family had to forcibly pull me back. I was starting to spend every spare moment in SecondLife, even after we had finished our assignment.
It was a powerful lesson in the attraction of games. The next lesson needs to be how to properly harness this power so we can create games that teach important skills to help students become successful in life and their careers — and how to strike a balance between the real world and this addictive world of fantasy. I believe we made a start with this project, though a furtive one.
Later I applied the principles learned in this class to help one of my high school students create an interactive game to teach English. We created the game using Flash. It won the prestigious IVIE Award for Interactive Media and Best in Class for Digital Media at the San Diego County Fair. The game can be viewed at our school's web site: