Games and Learning

Recommended Prerequisites

None

Teaching Methods

Being an optional curricular unit it is expected that students who choose it are interested in the theme. So after the first phase of presentation of the basic concepts, there will be thematic debates on themes from the syllabus and on situations that are presented for reflection based on readings taken prior to sessions.

The practical part focuses on the critical analysis of digital games for leisure (mainstream), for learning (serious games) and for people with special educational needs.

Learning Outcomes

The objectives of this unit that students know the concept of games from a sociological (Huizinga) and cultural (Caillois) point of view to get to the characterization of the essential factors of the game, particularly in digital games, addressing the notions of competitiveness and collaboration in the game and in learning; types of games and their implications in learning, including games for special educational needs.

It is intended that students understand the game concept and its evolution over time, up to games on mobile devices, being able to analyze, bearing in mind the concepts of immersion, involvement and presence, as well as from the point of view of their potentialities in learning

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1. Game and learning

1.1. The sociological perspective

1.2. The cultural perspective

1.3. Essential factors in the game

1.4. Competitiveness and collaboration

2. Digital Games

2.1. Types of Games

2.2. Individual game versus multiplayer game

2.3. Mainstream games versus serious games

2.4. Implications of the game on learning

2.5. Games for SEN

3. Analysis of digital games

3.1. Immersion

3.2. Involvement

3.3. Presence

3.4. Potentialities in learning

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Midtern exam (40%) + Project (40%) or Students are individually assessed through a test (40%) and in groups (60%) performing analysis of games.: 100.0%

Bibliography

Alves, L. (2004). Game Over: Jogos eletrônicos e violência. São Paulo: Editora Futura.

Caillois, R. (1999). Os Jogos e os Homens. Livros Cotovia.

Carvalho, A. A. (2005). Como olhar criticamente o software educativo multimédia. Cadernos SACAUSEF, Número 1, Ministério da Educação, 69-82, 85-86.

Gee, J.P. (2007). Bons Videojogos + Boa Aprendizagem. Lisboa: Edições Pedago.

Gee, J. P. (2013). The Anti-Education Era. New York: Palgrave Macmillan

Huizinga, J. (2001). Homo Ludens. São Paulo: Editora Perspectiva.

McMahan, A. (2003). Immersion, Engagement, and Presence: a method for analyzing 3-D Video Games. In  Mark J.P. Wolf and Bernard Perron (eds.), The Video Game Theory Reader (pp. 67-86). London: Routledge.

Wouters, P., Spek, E.,& Oostendorp, H.  (2009).Current Practices in Serious Game Research: a review from learning outcomes perspective. In T. Connolly et al. (eds.), Games-based Learning Advancements for Multi-Sensory Human Computer Interaction (pp. 232-250). Hershey: ISR.