Papers by Kelly M Tran
This dissertation shares the results of a study of the community of the mobile augmented reality ... more This dissertation shares the results of a study of the community of the mobile augmented reality game Pokémon Go. It also serves to build on and expand the framework of Distributed Teaching and Learning (DTALS), which here is used as a framework through which to explore the game's community (Gee & Gee, 2016; Holmes, Tran, & Gee, 2017). DTALS serves to expand on other models which examine learning in out-of-school contexts, and in particular on the connections between classroom and out-of-school learning, which numerous scholars argue is of critical importance (Sefton-Green, 2004; Vadeboncoeur, Kady-Rachid, & Moghtader, 2014). This framework serves to build bridges as well as fill gaps in some key literature on learning in out-of-school contexts, including connected learning (Ito et al., 2009), participatory culture (Jenkins, Purushotma, Weigel, Clinton, & Robison, 2009), learning ecologies (Barron, 2006), and affinity spaces (Gee, 2004; Gee & Hayes, 2012). The model also focuses on teaching in addition to learning in and across informal contexts. While DTALS can be used to examine any number of phenomena, this dissertation focuses on the community around Pokémon Go. The game, with its emphasis on geography and community, presents unique opportunities for research. This research draws on existing video game research which focuses on not only games but their communities, and in particular the learning and literacy activities which occur in these communities (Gee & Hayes, 2012; Hayes & Duncan, 2012; Squire, 2006; Steinkuehler, 2006). The results here are presented as three separate manuscripts. Chapter Two takes a broad view of a local community of players, and discusses different player types and how v
L1-Educational Studies in Language and Literature
The ability to understand language-in-use is essential to language and literacy learning. This ar... more The ability to understand language-in-use is essential to language and literacy learning. This article focuses on players' acquisition of specialist language and Discourses (Gee, 2014) among players of the mobile augmented reality game Pokémon GO. Specifically, I explore player-written guides by self-identified researchers of the game. These researchers enact scientific Discourses to explain gameplay elements. Using parent interviews and excerpts from the player-written guides, I analyze these game guides' highly specialized and complex language as forms of situated language in-use. I conclude with a discussion of implications based on these findings for L1 in educational settings.
Proceedings of FabLearn 2019, 2019
In recent times, there has been a surge of interest in both learning through design and learning ... more In recent times, there has been a surge of interest in both learning through design and learning systems thinking. Game design is well accepted as a rich learning environment [12, 25] and intent gamers, including children and teens, might be well-positioned to design games around environments while exploring both the context and the game as systems. We present a preliminary analysis of emergent systems thinking among teens who were making a board game about water pollution in a game-making workshop. Our findings suggest that through game-making, teens were compelled to think about both games and the context of the game as systems. We discuss implications for nurturing systems thinking as well as understanding of science concepts, and point to the affordances of non-digital games as tools for learning.
Educational Technology archive, 2016
This article reports on a project that used a game-cre ation tool to introduce middle-school stu... more This article reports on a project that used a game-cre ation tool to introduce middle-school students ages 10 to 13 to problem-solving strategies similar to those in com puter science through the lens of studio-based design arts. Drawing on historic paradigms in design pedagogy and contemporary educational approaches in the digital arts to teach young learners about computing, this pro gram employed a programmatic perspective to design a curriculum that emphasizes creativity within specified design tasks, instead of free-form individual artistry.
International Journal of Science Education, 2021
ABSTRACT Framing, implementing, and engaging youth in authentic scientific inquiry are highly val... more ABSTRACT Framing, implementing, and engaging youth in authentic scientific inquiry are highly valued in science education; however, we have very limited knowledge of the nature and use of tools that accomplish these. Therefore, we proposed that board game design is a meaningful tool for engaging youth in understanding environmental issues. We reported findings from an educational board game design workshop based on real world issues for teens aged 13–17 years conducted at a large public library Makerspace. Using qualitative methods, we analysed the teens’ process of making one such game, Pollutaplop, to understand its merits and argued that board game design nurtured the development of tools for inquiry. In response to the recent surge of interest in creating tools for learning about natural systems, we found that designing board games in authentic contexts engaged youth in building models as well as systems thinking. Intent gamers, including youth, might be well positioned to appreciate the complexities of both games and the contexts they are set in.
Information and Learning Sciences, 2021
Purpose This paper aims to explore how making tabletop board games elicited adolescents’ design t... more Purpose This paper aims to explore how making tabletop board games elicited adolescents’ design thinking during their participation in a summer game design camp at their local library. Design/methodology/approach This study leverages qualitative approaches to coding transcripts of participants’ talk. This study uses the design thinking framework from the Hasso-Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford University as provisional codes to identify and make sense of participants’ verbalized design activity. Findings This study found that the making context of designing tabletop board games elicited a high frequency of design talk in participants, evidenced by both quantitative and qualitative reports of the data. Additionally, participants in large measure obviated constraints on their design activity imposed by linear conceptions of the design thinking model this study introduces, instead of moving fluidly across design modes. Finally, participants’ prior experiences in both life and in...
International Journal of Designs for Learning, 2020
This design case describes the development of three analog games intended to introduce middle-sch... more This design case describes the development of three analog games intended to introduce middle-school-age girls to core computer science (CS) concepts. We describe the learning objectives, game mechanics, and narrative elements of each game, and some key problems and decisions that we confronted during the design process. Our design process was guided by two key goals and assumptions: (a) the games should help players develop a situated understanding of CS concepts through engaging them in computational thinking (CT) practices associated with each concept, and (b) game mechanics and story elements should be meaningfully integrated with and supportive of the games’ learning objectives. We discuss several challenges that we encountered in the design process, both in identifying CT practices that lent themselves to game mechanics, and in finding ways to embed mechanics into stories in a meaningful way. Data from gameplay sessions suggests that, on the whole, girls found the games engagi...
E-Learning and Digital Media, 2018
In this study, I detail three families who play the popular mobile augmented reality game Pokémon... more In this study, I detail three families who play the popular mobile augmented reality game Pokémon Go together. I discuss the parents’ perceptions of the game’s educational merits and potential drawbacks and detail how learning occurs around the game. Using the framework of Distributed Teaching and Learning Systems, I argue that Pokémon Go and other games and digital media experiences that families engage with at home can be powerful resources, which connect and integrate with other sites and resources, both in-school and out-of-school. In the case of these families, parents engage in explicit teaching around the game and share information that they have learned online. The findings presented here have implications for researchers, educators, and designers.
E-Learning and Digital Media, 2016
In this study, I discuss the need to increase girls’ involvement with game design due to the nume... more In this study, I discuss the need to increase girls’ involvement with game design due to the numerous benefits that engaging in this practice might have. In particular, I discuss the tool Twine, an accessible and relatively easy-to-use platform for creating text-based games. I provide an overview of the tool and its potential benefits for learning, including traditional and digital literacy skills. I present the findings from an after-school workshop in which I led a small group of ten- to twelve-year old girls in designing their own games. Finally, the ways in which the girls engaged with the tool and the workshop, and the implications for literacy and education, are discussed.
Handbook of Research on the Societal Impact of Digital Media
The purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of current literature on video game making ... more The purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of current literature on video game making and modding (modification). The chapter describes key game making tools and educational programs that incorporate game making, to promote student outcomes ranging from media literacy to the development of computational thinking and greater interest in computer science. This is followed by a discussion of empirical literature on game making and modding as fan practices, and an overview of new game making tools and communities that are blurring the lines between educational, professional, and fan-driven game making practices. Lastly, the chapter addresses key issues, directions for future research, and recommendations for policy and practice.
Remixing multiliteracies: Theory and practice from New London to new times, 2017
E-learning and Digital Media, 2018
n this study, I detail three families who play the popular mobile augmented reality game Poke ́mo... more n this study, I detail three families who play the popular mobile augmented reality game Poke ́mon Go together. I discuss the parents’ perceptions of the game’s educational merits and potential drawbacks and detail how learning occurs around the game. Using the framework of Distributed Teaching and Learning Systems, I argue that Poke ́mon Go and other games and digital media experiences that families engage with at home can be powerful resources, which connect and integrate with other sites and resources, both in-school and out-of-school. In the case of these families, parents engage in explicit teaching around the game and share information that they have learned online. The findings presented here have implications for researchers, educators, and designers.
E-Learning and Digital Media, 2016
In this study, I discuss the need to increase girls’ involvement with game design due to the nume... more In this study, I discuss the need to increase girls’ involvement with game design due to the numerous benefits that engaging in this practice might have. In particular, I discuss the tool Twine, an accessible and relatively easy-to-use platform for creating text-based games. I provide an overview of the tool and its potential benefits for learning, including traditional and digital literacy skills. I present the findings from an after-school workshop in which I led a small group of ten- to twelve-year old girls in designing their own games. Finally, the ways in which the girls engaged with the tool and the workshop, and the implications for literacy and education, are discussed.
This article reports on a project that used a game-cre ation tool to introduce middle-school stu... more This article reports on a project that used a game-cre ation tool to introduce middle-school students ages 10 to 13 to problem-solving strategies similar to those in com puter science through the lens of studio-based design arts. Drawing on historic paradigms in design pedagogy and contemporary educational approaches in the digital arts to teach young learners about computing, this pro gram employed a programmatic perspective to design a curriculum that emphasizes creativity within specified design tasks, instead of free-form individual artistry.
In this chapter, we review key literature on video game making and modding, identify central issu... more In this chapter, we review key literature on video game making and modding, identify central issues raised by these studies, identify gaps in the literature and directions for future research, and make recommendations for policy and practice, particularly in relation to education and civic engagement.
The fan communities around video games can be valuable spaces for learning. While skills such as ... more The fan communities around video games can be valuable spaces for learning. While skills such as programming and digital art creation are often tedious to learn on one's own, they are much more easily learned with the motivation of creating a mod (modification) for a favorite video game. Mods are user created add-ons to games that can change its art or mechanics. Creating this type of content for video games requires technical knowledge, and so creating it can lead to an increased digital literacy as well as spark interest in technology careers. These digital skills will become increasingly important in the new global information economy.
However, men are generally more involved than women in both playing video games and participating in their fan communities. This means that men might be benefiting from these communities more than women. I am looking at one game which has a fairly sizeable female fan base in order to see how women are playing the game, participating in the community, and creating content: the Swedish game Minecraft. I looked specifically at how women participated in the community and whether or not they were creating content for the game.
I chose two mods created by female fans as case studies. I looked at whether or not these women were learning technical skills. I observed the interactions on the forums on which these mods were posted and interviewed these women in order to draw conclusions about how women are participating the community.
Conference Presentations by Kelly M Tran
This roundtable discussion will focus on play that happens at the margins, which often goes count... more This roundtable discussion will focus on play that happens at the margins, which often goes counter to intended designed activities yet results in rich, meaningful experiences for players. Designers and researchers of games often focus on effective design in regards to certain goals, such as: best practices for teaching with games, social action, engagement (“fun”), just to name a few. As with previous research (Carter, Bergstrom, & Woodford, 2016; Chen, 2012; Malaby, 2009; Malone, in prep; Morningstar & Farmer, 1991; Steinkuehler, 2006; Taylor, 2006), when we looked at situated player practice--whether in specific learning environments (i.e. classrooms and afterschool clubs) or in the world of gaming at large--we have found cases that bring nuance to how players engage with games. These emergent practices can inform general design how-tos as well as highlight alternative (i.e. non-normative) uses for games, both educational and commercial.
The cases and experiences we’ll describe include: 1) using live-streaming to broadcast a female-dominated tabletop role-playing group, touching on gender performance and non-normative uses of Twitch; 2) work on a new web/book project that aims to document and share esoteric gaming practices (http://esotericgaming.com) as a way to highlight diversity in gaming culture; 3) a look at the ways player discourse showed evidence of cognitive and affective outcomes in a game about history, and how stereotypes/stereotyping affected gameplay experiences; and 4) an examination of the communities around Pokémon Go, in which players make up for the lack of explicit instruction in the game through spontaneous distributed teaching and learning.
After describing our particular cases, the audience will be asked to share theirs as well. This will be followed by a discussion on how diverse sources of meaning-making in games can happen and what this means for our roles as educators and designers. We will ask how educators and designers can better prepare or allow for emergent meaningful play. When is it something to mitigate vs. something to encourage? How do we assess learning outcomes or study the meaning making in situated contexts when often we have specific external outcomes that we’re designing for?
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Papers by Kelly M Tran
However, men are generally more involved than women in both playing video games and participating in their fan communities. This means that men might be benefiting from these communities more than women. I am looking at one game which has a fairly sizeable female fan base in order to see how women are playing the game, participating in the community, and creating content: the Swedish game Minecraft. I looked specifically at how women participated in the community and whether or not they were creating content for the game.
I chose two mods created by female fans as case studies. I looked at whether or not these women were learning technical skills. I observed the interactions on the forums on which these mods were posted and interviewed these women in order to draw conclusions about how women are participating the community.
Conference Presentations by Kelly M Tran
The cases and experiences we’ll describe include: 1) using live-streaming to broadcast a female-dominated tabletop role-playing group, touching on gender performance and non-normative uses of Twitch; 2) work on a new web/book project that aims to document and share esoteric gaming practices (http://esotericgaming.com) as a way to highlight diversity in gaming culture; 3) a look at the ways player discourse showed evidence of cognitive and affective outcomes in a game about history, and how stereotypes/stereotyping affected gameplay experiences; and 4) an examination of the communities around Pokémon Go, in which players make up for the lack of explicit instruction in the game through spontaneous distributed teaching and learning.
After describing our particular cases, the audience will be asked to share theirs as well. This will be followed by a discussion on how diverse sources of meaning-making in games can happen and what this means for our roles as educators and designers. We will ask how educators and designers can better prepare or allow for emergent meaningful play. When is it something to mitigate vs. something to encourage? How do we assess learning outcomes or study the meaning making in situated contexts when often we have specific external outcomes that we’re designing for?
However, men are generally more involved than women in both playing video games and participating in their fan communities. This means that men might be benefiting from these communities more than women. I am looking at one game which has a fairly sizeable female fan base in order to see how women are playing the game, participating in the community, and creating content: the Swedish game Minecraft. I looked specifically at how women participated in the community and whether or not they were creating content for the game.
I chose two mods created by female fans as case studies. I looked at whether or not these women were learning technical skills. I observed the interactions on the forums on which these mods were posted and interviewed these women in order to draw conclusions about how women are participating the community.
The cases and experiences we’ll describe include: 1) using live-streaming to broadcast a female-dominated tabletop role-playing group, touching on gender performance and non-normative uses of Twitch; 2) work on a new web/book project that aims to document and share esoteric gaming practices (http://esotericgaming.com) as a way to highlight diversity in gaming culture; 3) a look at the ways player discourse showed evidence of cognitive and affective outcomes in a game about history, and how stereotypes/stereotyping affected gameplay experiences; and 4) an examination of the communities around Pokémon Go, in which players make up for the lack of explicit instruction in the game through spontaneous distributed teaching and learning.
After describing our particular cases, the audience will be asked to share theirs as well. This will be followed by a discussion on how diverse sources of meaning-making in games can happen and what this means for our roles as educators and designers. We will ask how educators and designers can better prepare or allow for emergent meaningful play. When is it something to mitigate vs. something to encourage? How do we assess learning outcomes or study the meaning making in situated contexts when often we have specific external outcomes that we’re designing for?