Faculty of Management Sciences
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Item GAF : from a conceptual framework to a Model of Learning in Educational Gaming(ACPI, 2019-10-03) Davis, Jason StrattonThere has been much debate in international literature on the effectiveness of educational games in student learning. In the field of Economics, there has been growing evidence that games are an effective teaching pedagogy in increasing motivation and the retention of knowledge. However, very little is written on ‘how’ and ‘why’ students learn from these Economics educational games. The Game Analysis Framework (GAF) was designed as a conceptual lens that would provide a method for mapping out ‘how’ and ‘why’ students learn from playing educational games. GAF was initially developed from three models of game design based on an experiential and constructivist theory of learning. However, from the results of the study, this model had to be revised as other factors such as motivation, engagement and emotions became the core drivers of learning. The study’s results such as emotions necessitated a revision of the GAF model to include these new findings, highlighting the importance of non-cognitive factors in learning and how games harness these factors to create a deliberative learning environment. It also causes one to perhaps move beyond the constructivist and experiential learning paradigms of learning by doing to learning by enacting knowledge – an enactivist approach.Item Game framework analysis and cognitive learning theory providing a theoretical foundation for efficacy in learning in educational gaming(Society for Research and Knowledge Management, 2020-07-30) Davis, Jason StrattonSeveral meta-analyses and studies have been undertaken in game-based research, which compare the efficacy of conventional teaching against the introduction of educational games into the classroom. The findings point to educational gaming providing teaching approach that allows for improved efficacy in learning and deeper conceptual understanding. But there is a paucity of research in terms of explaining ‘how’ and ‘why’ students learn from games. The mapping out the students’ experiences of learning, as a result of an economics gaming intervention, was achieved using research methodology called Interactive Qualitative Analysis (IQA). The findings of the IQA process were then further refined and developed into Game Framework Analysis (GAF) model which points to games providing a learning system that allows for deeper conceptualization of concepts and more meaningful application of knowledge. The question that arose was ‘How could this be possible?’ Part of the answer is provided by Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) which was developed by Sweller (1988). CLT examines the management of working memory in learning contexts and the resultant effects on learning. Games were found to have in their DNA, the ability to create complex learning environments that can manage the cognitive load in a way that facilitates an optimal usage of working memory, resulting in effective learning.