Serious Games have been studied for several years, nonetheless this is still an experimental field. Serious Games, in fact, have different application areas and they are used with a variety of aims, so, in order to gain a clearer view of the theme, the research group of LABeL (which is the e-learning laboratory of CATTID, the ICT Research Center of Sapienza University of Rome) carried out, over the last few years, a study whose results will be presented in this paper. To better understand and categorize Serious Games, we have considered that the concept of game could be a basilar element of definition to give a systematic order to the numerous typologies of Serious Games. There are, in fact, many researches that support the connection between gaming and learning: Jean Piaget, Jerome Bruner, John Dewey, Lev Semyonovich Vygotsky, for instance, have demonstrated how we can learn first of all thanks to the experience and how the game is a particular form of experience. The development of those theories has allowed, in recent days, the birth of the learning by doing paradigm, in which simulations are an important support to make experience. With simulations we have the possibility to create and repeat any kind of experiences, and we can widen the potentiality of experience in learning field. But is there a structured relationship between simulations and games? To answer this question, we will start describing the game as presented on the writings of Johan Huizinga and Roger Caillois and analyzing the ambiguous field of simulations from the lexical lecture of the subject. After identifying the respective domains of game and simulation, we will see how these two sets, suitably intersected, give rise to a third set, that of Serious Games, defined as interactive experiences with the same characteristics of a game, different possible aims (such as business training, educational or social campaigns, and promotional activities) and the capability of reproducing real situations in which, using knowledge and acting with strategy, the user can reach a final goal. Starting from the definitions and relationships so obtained, we will present our proposal of taxonomy of different kind of Serious Games. Our proposal of taxonomy could be considered as a starting point to define a shared background aiming to identify what Serious Games are, and to research their best application context. At the present time, in spite of all the studies and experiences that have already been done, even at design level, we donít have an accepted definition nor a widely shared vision able to allow the clear and unequivocal definition of Serious Games and their distinct features compared to other learning solutions. The indistinct use of the terms Serious Game and simulation could generate further confusion and also lead to offer learning solutions not always proper to real needs and to application contexts. Our taxonomy represents a first step toward a more concise Serious Gamesí classification, in order to create a widely shared starting point for further research in this field.
Serious Games: a proposal of taxonomy based on the relationship between game and simulation
Marinensi G
2011-01-01
Abstract
Serious Games have been studied for several years, nonetheless this is still an experimental field. Serious Games, in fact, have different application areas and they are used with a variety of aims, so, in order to gain a clearer view of the theme, the research group of LABeL (which is the e-learning laboratory of CATTID, the ICT Research Center of Sapienza University of Rome) carried out, over the last few years, a study whose results will be presented in this paper. To better understand and categorize Serious Games, we have considered that the concept of game could be a basilar element of definition to give a systematic order to the numerous typologies of Serious Games. There are, in fact, many researches that support the connection between gaming and learning: Jean Piaget, Jerome Bruner, John Dewey, Lev Semyonovich Vygotsky, for instance, have demonstrated how we can learn first of all thanks to the experience and how the game is a particular form of experience. The development of those theories has allowed, in recent days, the birth of the learning by doing paradigm, in which simulations are an important support to make experience. With simulations we have the possibility to create and repeat any kind of experiences, and we can widen the potentiality of experience in learning field. But is there a structured relationship between simulations and games? To answer this question, we will start describing the game as presented on the writings of Johan Huizinga and Roger Caillois and analyzing the ambiguous field of simulations from the lexical lecture of the subject. After identifying the respective domains of game and simulation, we will see how these two sets, suitably intersected, give rise to a third set, that of Serious Games, defined as interactive experiences with the same characteristics of a game, different possible aims (such as business training, educational or social campaigns, and promotional activities) and the capability of reproducing real situations in which, using knowledge and acting with strategy, the user can reach a final goal. Starting from the definitions and relationships so obtained, we will present our proposal of taxonomy of different kind of Serious Games. Our proposal of taxonomy could be considered as a starting point to define a shared background aiming to identify what Serious Games are, and to research their best application context. At the present time, in spite of all the studies and experiences that have already been done, even at design level, we donít have an accepted definition nor a widely shared vision able to allow the clear and unequivocal definition of Serious Games and their distinct features compared to other learning solutions. The indistinct use of the terms Serious Game and simulation could generate further confusion and also lead to offer learning solutions not always proper to real needs and to application contexts. Our taxonomy represents a first step toward a more concise Serious Gamesí classification, in order to create a widely shared starting point for further research in this field.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
