ECGBL Motivation in Educational Games

Moseley, Culver,

Whitton, Piatt

• construct own understanding of the game environment
• provide stimulus for puzzle solving / goal for learning
• support social collaboration

"massively distributed puzzle pieces were tracked down... by individuals, but analysed by the group"

motivation

in ARGs

implications for education

Practice

Theory

pure ARG

Emerging

Traditional

Operation: Sleeper Cell

Viola Quest

Moseley (2008)

motivators

low tech needs

Great History Conundrum

constructionist

r e f l e c t i o n

Savery & Duffy, 1995

• problem solving at various levels
• progress through the game / rewards
• narrative
• regular delivery of new challenges
• large active community
• influence on outcomes
• light technology reliance

ARGs

Whitton (2009)

for learning

low

high take-up

problem solving

motivators

demotivators

• difficulty getting started
• stuck: no path forward
• unfairness / no trust
• lack of interest

social collaboration

• completion
• competition
• narrative
• puzzle solving
• community
• creativity

The Neverending Uni Quiz

goals for learning

collective intelligence

McGonigal 2008

elements

of ARGs

C.o.P.

simple

clear aims

participants

competition

motivation

participation

engagement

+story +puzzles +levels +creativity

+competition +puzzles +achievement +stages +narrative +creative +community

demotivation

-slow

-unfair

-unclear

-undemanding

-too demanding

autonomy

assessment