Linking pedagogical theory of computer games to their usability

Abstract

This article reviews a range of literature of computer games and learning theories and attempts to establish a link between them by proposing a typology of games which we use as a new usability measure for the development of guidelines for game-based learning. First, we examine game literature in order to understand the key elements that constitute games. This is then followed by the theoretical discussion of the relationship between the game components and the learning theories, namely behaviourism, cognitive constructivism, and social constructivism. Ten games are analysed using the learning theories and a typology of game is proposed that classifies games into four major categories. Then based on these findings we developed a set of guidelines for game-based learning using Human Computer Interaction (HCI) methods.