3/2006: Sammendrag

Leder
Av Morten Søby

Are Video Games Good for Learning?
By James Paul Gee

A new research field is emerging around the hypothesis that video games are good for learning (Shaffer, Squire, Halverson & Gee, in press; Gee, 2003; 2005). This hypothesis amounts to two claims. First, good commercial games are built on sound learning principles (Gee, 2003), principles supported by research in the Learning Sciences (Bransford, Brown & Cocking, 2000). And, second, video game technologies hold out great promise, beyond entertainment, for building new learning systems for serious purposes in and out of school.


Overview of research on the educational use of video games
By Simon Egenfeldt-Nielsen

This paper overviews research on the educational use of video games by examining the viability of the different learning theories in the field, namely behaviorism, cognitivism, constructionism and the socio-cultural approach. In addition, five key tensions that emerge from the current research are examined: 1) Learning vs. playing, 2) freedom vs. control, 3) drill-and-practice games vs. microworlds, 4) transmission vs. construction, 5) teacher intervention vs. no teacher intervention.
keywords
education • video games • edutainment • learning • video games • overview • behaviorism • constructionism • cognitivism • socio-cultural • instructional technology • playing • teacher


eLogg – et læringsmiljø for sammensatte tekster
By Svein Østerud, Ture Schwebs, Liv Merete Nielsen and Margareth Sandvik

eLogg – a learning environment for multimodal texts The article presents eLogg, a virtual learning arena, describing it as a tool for multimodal text production. Knowing how to read and create multimodal texts is a central part of the Norwegian Studies syllabus in Kunnskapsløftet (Knowledge Promotion), the new Norwegian national curriculum reform. eLogg is based on the principles of weblogs and wikis and allows students to produce their own multimodal and hypertextual collaborative writings. Students are encouraged to present their own portrait and choose a personal visual interface, thereby designing their own semiotic self-presentation. eLogg also provides a sheltered semi-public arena for publication, where students can prepare for participation in an open public debate. It is fair to say that eLogg may function as a Vygotskyan «scaffolding» process and as a community of practice, which contributes to bridging the gap between formal and informal learning processes.
key words
multimodal texts • digital literacy • virtual learning environments • collaborative writing • community of practice

Modeller på reise

Project report
By Sten R. Ludvigsen and Ingvill Rasmussen InterMedia, Universitetet i Oslo