This document discusses ludic constructivism, an epistemological approach to how and why we learn from computer games. It presents the "killer-game" paradox where games seem to both promote and not promote learning. A three-identity model is introduced to address this. The document also discusses radical constructivism and how knowledge is constructed through gameplay within a safe environment. Five principles of game-based education are outlined, and a best practice example of an educational physics game is provided.

1. Ludic Constructivism
Department für Bildwissenschaften
Fachbereich Applied Game Studies
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Michael G. Wagner, MBA 1

2. An Epistemological Approach to Why and
How We Learn in Computer Games
1. The “killer-game” paradox
2. Three-identity model
3. Radical constructivism
4. Ludic construction of knowledge
5. Why we play and what we learn
6. Five principles of game based
education
7. Best practice example
Department für Bildwissenschaften
Fachbereich Applied Game Studies
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Michael G. Wagner, MBA 2

3. The “Killer-Game” Paradox
Scientific evidence seems to suggest:
• Digital games promote learning
all the good stuff
- Social competencies, etc.
• Digital games do not promote learning
all the bad stuff
- Violence, etc.
Lack of consistency?!
Lack of a proper learning theory?
Lack of a proper epistemological position?
Department für Bildwissenschaften
Fachbereich Applied Game Studies
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Michael G. Wagner, MBA 3

4. Three-Identity Model
Department für Bildwissenschaften
Fachbereich Applied Game Studies
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Michael G. Wagner, MBA 4

5. Radical Constructivism
Ernst von Glasersfeld:
• There is no reality independent of the observer.
• Knowledge is constructed by creating mental models that
are validated with our senses.
Heinz von Förster:
• Observer and observed cannot be separated.
• Mental models of reality are the result of a recursive
process linking first and second order observation
(second order cybernetics).
• Reality is replaced by the eigenvalue of this recursion.
Department für Bildwissenschaften
Fachbereich Applied Game Studies
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Michael G. Wagner, MBA 5

6. Three-Identity Model
Department für Bildwissenschaften
Fachbereich Applied Game Studies
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Michael G. Wagner, MBA 6

7. Ludic Construction of Knowledge
Department für Bildwissenschaften
Fachbereich Applied Game Studies
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Michael G. Wagner, MBA 7

8. Why we play and what we learn
1. Play is a consequence of self-awareness and self-
awareness is a consequence of play.
- Huizinga: cultural anthropological game theory
2. The main purpose of playing is to train the knowledge
creation process within a safe environment.
- Winnicott: developmental psychological game theory
3. Games are not particularly well suited for learning
content, their main potential is learning about learning.
4. The knowledge created during gameplay is only relevant
to game space initially. Any transfer into real space
requires an “active induction”.
Department für Bildwissenschaften
Fachbereich Applied Game Studies
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Michael G. Wagner, MBA 8

12. Five Principles of Game Based Education
1. Being educational is never a property of the game itself.
2. Game based learning experiences do not automatically
have real world effects.
3. Learning with digital games is fundamentally social and
highly individualized.
4. In general, there are no economies of scale in game
based education.
5. Game based teaching requires basic “psychotherapeutic”
competencies.
- Teaching = coaching
Department für Bildwissenschaften
Fachbereich Applied Game Studies
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Michael G. Wagner, MBA 12

13. Best practice example: AugmentedEDU
Physics game themed around clean energy production.
Core development principles:
1. Educational objectives closely linked to game mechanics
2. Focus on knowledge creation
3. Multiple possibilities to
interface with non-game
real world activities
4. Iterative didactic design
process integrating
teachers and students
Department für Bildwissenschaften
Fachbereich Applied Game Studies
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Michael G. Wagner, MBA 13

14. (Digital) Games promote what they demand,
and they demand what players want.
www.appliedgames.at