Aesthetic Design For Learning With Games

Abstract

This paper presents a design framework for educational games utilizing the notion of game aesthetics. Aesthetics in games is presently defined by all the facets of gaming experienced by players either directly through audio and graphics or indirectly through rules, geography, temporal characteristics and number of players. Researchers have observed that learning depends on the aesthetic qualities of an instructional environment and therefore the design of effective learning environments is dependent on its aesthetic considerations. Using the aesthetic principles of instructional design and the Design/Creativity loop model as the overall framework this paper elucidates how a game can be aesthetically conceived to reveal the core learning concepts and complexities for a deeper engagement with the content. To emphasize the role of creativity, we conceptualize the design process through a comparative analysis between choreography and the aesthetic configuration of a game based learning environment. We present and discuss the parallel processes of these two creative and iterative design activities, using various exemplary educational games and West African dance forms.