ITEd The Role of Complex Software in Cognitive Skill Development Nhlanganiso Biyela, Thato Foko and Alan Amory Centre for IT in Higher Education, University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban 4041, South Africa

ITEd Play Influences psychological, sociological, and intellectual developments (Vygotsky, 1933/1978; Rieber, 1996) Is an universally accepted mode of learning (Blanchard & Cheska, 1985) Intrinsically stimulate curiosity through (Thomas and Macredie, 1994) –Challenges and fantasy (Malone 1980, 1981a,b) –Novelty and complexity (Carroll, 1982; Malone, 1984; Malone & Lepper, 1987; Rivers, 1990)

ITEd Play Influences learning through visualization, experimentation, and creativity (Betz, 1995) Supports development of critical thinking though: –Discovery and problem-solving (Rieber, 1995) –Object manipulation (Leutner, 1993) –Goal formation and competition (Neal, 1990)

ITEd Game Space Play Exploration Challenges Engagement Game Object Model The Game Space object includes four motivational abstract interfaces: play, exploration, challenges, and engagement (Roberts, 1976; Malone 1980, 1981a,b; Blanchard & Cheska, 1985; Thomas & Macredie, 1994; Rieber, 1996).

ITEd Game Space Play Exploration Challenges Engagement Game Object Model Visualization Space Critical thinking Discovery Goal formation Goal completion Competition Practice Story-line The Visualisation Space includes those interfaces related to cognitive activities such as critical thinking, discovery, goal formation, goal completion, competition, and practice (Rieber, 1995; Neal, 1990; Amory et al., 1999), and includes the concrete Story Line interface.

ITEd Game Space Play Exploration Challenges Engagement Game Object Model Visualization Space Critical thinking Discovery Goal formation Goal completion Competition Practice Story-line Graphics Fun Sounds Technology Elements Space Actors Space Drama Interaction Gestures The Elements Space object includes the abstract interfaces of fun, and drama (Malone, 1981a,b) and concrete interfaces of graphics, sound, and technology (Amory et al., 1999) and actor interaction, and gesture (Stanislavski, 1981; Harrigan, 1999). The drama, interaction, and gesture interfaces are part of the Actor Space object.

ITEd Game Space Play Exploration Challenges Engagement Game Object Model Visualization Space Critical thinking Discovery Goal formation Goal completion Competition Practice Story-line Graphics Fun Sounds Technology Elements Space Actors Space Drama Interaction Gestures Reading Writing Speaking Communication Literacy Visual Logical Mathematical Computational Memory Short-term Long-term Motor Manipulation Reflex Problem Space The Problem Space object includes manipulation, memory, logic, mathematics, and reflexes concrete interfaces (Betz, 1995; Amory et al., 1999) that support critical thinking, discovery, goal formation and completion, competition, and practice interfaces (Leutner, 1993; Quinn, 1994; Saljo, 1979; Schank & Cleary, 1995) of the Visualisation Space object.

ITEd Educational Software Design Software engineering methodologies: –None – no product may emerge –Rigid – wrong product developed Newman and Lamming (1995) feedback system –“Situation of Concern” document describes the current unsatisfactory state of the world that the software will attempt to solve [Why]. –Problem statement document Users who will exploit the system [the Who], Human activity that the system will support to satisfy the situation of concern [the What], Support provided by the system [the How], Technology used to develop the system [the With]. –The Who and What used to defined a persona (characteristics of a fictitious user of the system).

ITEd Educational Software Design But persona data –not built from real information (either quantitative or qualitative) –cannot be subjected to vigorous evaluations

ITEd Game Space Visualization Space Graphics Fun Sounds Technology Elements Space Actors Space Drama Interaction Gestures Problem Space Reading Writing Speaking Communication Literacy Visual Logical Mathematical Computational Memory Short-term Long-term Motor Manipulation Reflex Play Exploration Challenges Engagement Critical thinking Discovery Goal formation Goal completion Competition Practice Story-line Personal Outlining Model GOM 2D to 3D conversion Persona Properties Literacy Visual 2D Visualization 3D Visualization Logical Mathematical Communication Reading Writing Age Sex Occupation Education POM

ITEd Method Instrument –Literacy (visual and logical+mathematical) skills –Communication (reading and writing) skills Groups –Senior school children No exposure to digital video games (n=55) Played γKhozi for more than 20h (n=51) –Humanities undergraduates (n=30) –Science undergraduates (n=30) –Geography undergraduates No exposure to GIS (n=20) Used GIS for 1 semester (n=20)

ITEd Results - Reading 1. School 2. School + game 3. Humanities 4. Science 5. Geography 6. Geography + GIS

ITEd Results - Writing 1. School 2. School + game 3. Humanities 4. Science 5. Geography 6. Geography + GIS

ITEd Results - 2D Visualization 1. School 2. School + game 3. Humanities 4. Science 5. Geography 6. Geography + GIS

ITEd Results - 3D Visualization 1. School 2. School + game 3. Humanities 4. Science 5. Geography 6. Geography + GIS

ITEd Results - 2D-3D Visualization 1. School 2. School + game 3. Humanities 4. Science 5. Geography 6. Geography + GIS

ITEd Results – Logical & Mathematical 1. School 2. School + game 3. Humanities 4. Science 5. Geography 6. Geography + GIS

ITEd Conclusions School children playing γKhozi outperformed those that had no exposure to this educational game Science undergraduates performed better than those from the humanities Humanities students exposed to GIS performed best University undergraduate participants performed better than the groups of senior school children Participants working in teams were able to solve complex problems with greater ease that those who worked alone Active viewers/participants’ and make their own meaning