Games, learning, and society : learning and meaning in the digital age / edited by Constance Steinkuehler, Kurt Squire, Sasha Barab.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

"This volume is the first reader on video games and learning of its kind. Covering game design, game culture and games as twenty-first-century pedagogy, it demonstrates the depth and breadth of scholarship on games and learning to date. The chapters represent some of the most influential thinkers, designers and writers in the emerging field of games and learning - including James Paul Gee, Soren Johnson, Eric Klopfer, Colleen Macklin, Thomas Malaby, Bonnie Nardi, David Sirlin and others. Together, their work functions both as an excellent introduction to the field of games and learning and as a powerful argument for the use of games in formal and informal learning environments in a digital age"-- Provided by publisher

Print version record.

Cover; Games, Learning, and Society; Series; Title; Copyright; Contents; Contributors; Series Foreword; Foreword; Acknowledgments; Section I: Games as Designed Experience; 1: Introduction to Section I; 2: Designed Cultures; Apolyton University; During Action Reports: Cognitive Artifacts That Organize Practice; Design Thinking; Designing CivIV; Designing Education for Participation; Notes; References; 3: Theme Is Not Meaning: Who Decides What a Game Is About?; Mechanics Give Meaning; Seeing Past the Theme; Uniting Theme and Mechanics; A Perfect Union; Does Civilization Fail?; Why Theme Matters.

4: Our Cheatin' HeartsTrust Me; Show the Mechanics; Cheating in Civilization; Perception Is Reality; 5: Playing the Odds; Failing at Probability; Leveling the Field; Where Luck Fails; Probability Is Content; Showing the Odds; 6: Nurturing Lateral Leaps in Game Design; SimCity; Instances of Games versus Kinds of Games; The Evolution of Game-Making Processes in Action; The Battle Against Complexity and the Control of Information in Making Bigger and Better Instances of Games; Embracing Complexity and Making New Kinds of Games; Educational Games; Valve; Conclusion; Notes; References.

7: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves -- How to Become a HeroIntroduction to Uncharted 2; Full Disclosure: Drew Davidson; Narrative and Game-Play Analysis; Meaning and Mastery; Ludic Narrans; Playing Well; References; 8: Interview with Harmonix; 9: Yomi: Spies of the Mind; Yomi; Yomi Layers; Example of Yomi Layer 3 from Virtua Fighter 3; Section II: Games as Emergent Culture; 10: Introduction to Section II; References; 11: Nurturing Affinity Spaces and Game-Based Learning; Games and Learning; Affinity Spaces; Features of Affinity Spaces; Content, Knowledge, and Choice; The Pareto Principle; References.

12: Apprenticeship in Massively Multiplayer Online GamesCognition as (Inter)Action; Apprenticeship; Research Methods; Context of the Research; Data Collection: Cognitive Ethnography; Analytical Method; Analysis One: Learning How to Hunt Mithril; Analysis Two: Learning How to Group Heal; Analysis Three: Learning How to Hunt Solo; Findings; Apprenticeship as Social Interaction; Apprenticeship into Practices; Apprenticeship into Values; Conclusions; References; 13: Theorycrafting: The Art and Science of Using Numbers to Interpret the World; Encountering the Big Bad Wolf.

Theorycrafting for RoguesSpreadsheet Metagame; Napkin Math; Theorycrafting for Priests; Strategies of Interpretation; Validity and Reliability; Educating Others About Interpreting Tools; Discussion; Work; School; Conclusion; Notes; References; 14: Culture and Community in a Virtual World for Young Children; Sociocultural Theory, Learning, and Culture in Virtual Worlds; Related Research; Methods; Webkinz World; Webkinz; Kindness, Caring, and Consumption: Culture in Webkinz World; Communication in Webkinz World; Searching for Community in Webkinz World; Community Beyond Webkinz World; Conclusion: Sociocultural Theories of Learning and WW.

Games, Learning, and Society -- Series -- Title -- Contributors -- Series Foreword -- Foreword -- Section I. : Games as Designed Experience -- 1. : Introduction to Section I -- 2. : Designed Cultures -- Apolyton University -- During Action Reports: Cognitive Artifacts That Organize Practice -- Design Thinking -- Designing CivIV -- Designing Education for Participation -- Notes -- 3. : Theme Is Not Meaning: Who Decides What a Game Is About -- Mechanics Give Meaning -- Seeing Past the Theme -- Unit ing. Theme and Mechanics -- A Perfect Union -- Does Civilization Fail -- Why Theme Matters.

4. : Our Cheatin' HeartsTrust Me -- Show the Mechanics -- Cheating in Civilization -- Perception Is Reality -- 5. : Playing the Odds -- Failing at Probability -- Leveling the Field -- Where Luck Fails -- Probability Is Content -- Showing the Odds -- 6. : Nurturing Lateral Leaps in Game Design -- SimCity -- Instances of Games versus Kinds of Games -- The Evolution of Game-Making Processes in Action -- The Battle Against Complexity and the Control of Information in Making Bigger and Better Instances of Games -- Embracing Complexity and Making New Kinds of Games -- Educational Games -- Valve -- Conclusion -- Notes.

7. : Uncharted 2: Among Thieves -- How to Become a HeroIntroduction to Uncharted 2 -- Full Disclosure: Drew Davidson -- Narrative and Game-Play Analysis -- Meaning and Mastery -- Ludic Narrans -- Playing Well -- 8. : Interview with Harmonix -- 9. : Yomi: Spies of the Mind -- Yomi -- Yomi Layers -- Example of Yomi Layer 3 from Virtua Fighter 3 -- Section II. : Games as Emergent Culture -- 10. : Introduction to Section II -- 11. : Nurturing Affinity Spaces and Game-Based Learning -- Games and Learning -- Affinity Spaces -- Features of Affinity Spaces -- Content, Knowledge, and Choice -- The Pareto Principle.

12. : Apprenticeship in Massively Multiplayer Online GamesCognition as (Inter)Action -- Apprenticeship -- Research Methods -- Context of the Research -- Data Collection: Cognitive Ethnography -- Analytical Method -- Analysis One: Learning How to Hunt Mithril -- Analysis Two: Learning How to Group Heal -- Analysis Three: Learning How to Hunt Solo -- Findings -- Apprenticeship as Social Interaction -- Apprenticeship into Practices -- Apprenticeship into Values -- Conclusions -- 13. : Theorycrafting: The Art and Science of Using Numbers to Interpret the World -- Encountering the Big Bad Wolf.

Theorycrafting for RoguesSpreadsheet Metagame -- Napkin Math -- Theorycrafting for Priests -- Strategies of Interpretation -- Validity and Reliability -- Educating Others About Interpreting Tools -- Discussion -- Work -- School -- Conclusion -- Notes -- 14. : Culture and Community in a Virtual World for Young Children -- Sociocultural Theory, Learning, and Culture in Virtual Worlds -- Related Research -- Methods -- Webkinz World -- Webkinz -- Kindness, Caring, and Consumption: Culture in Webkinz World -- Communication in Webkinz World -- Searching for Community in Webkinz World -- Community Beyond Webkinz World.

Conclusion: Sociocultural Theories of Learning and WW.

English.

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