Evaluating Geography as Game Aesthetics for Engagement

There has been a growing interest over aesthetics in games for motivation and engagement of learners. We have previously argued how game aesthetics stimulate learners’ critical thinking skills and proposed that aesthetics be considered for evaluation of digital games. Building further upon the notion we dwell on geography as an aesthetical element of games. Analyzing three distinctive games (a digital game, a board game and a game-based learning environment), we illustrate how geography of a game may reveal the core learning concepts and provide complexities for deeper engagement. It is often difficult for teachers to assess the aesthetic values of games that are not content specific. Our working example offers ways to establish and analyze the pedagogy. Using three different examples we elucidate how the social, cultural and physical landscapes of a game provide a socio-cultural context for the learners to understand the content or subject presented through the game.

 

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