Byron Bunt - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Byron Bunt
NWU self-directed learning series, Dec 31, 2022
NWU self-directed learning series, Dec 31, 2022
Yesterday and today, 2023
Current digital game-based learning (DGBL) methods for teaching history require a significant out... more Current digital game-based learning (DGBL) methods for teaching history require a significant outlay in information and communications technology (ICT). This, in effect, constitutes a significant obstacle in implementing DGBL in the South African and Zimbabwean school context. Most schools do not have the infrastructure to equip entire classes with gaming-capable computers or sufficient access to electricity or the internet. This paper investigates how access to DGBL can be improved in challenged teaching and learning contexts by designing a pedagogy that is more readily adaptable to challenges presented in South African and Zimbabwean classrooms. The research uses a design-based research design where compatibility issues of DGBL are analysed with the aim of developing a more integrated approach that is then tested and evaluated in order to redesign the approach. The primary research question was: "How can Game Based Learning techniques and traditional history pedagogy be integrated to promote the use of Napoleon Total War in Southern African secondary school history classrooms?"
Yesterday and Today, 2021
This paper aims to elucidate upon a model that imbeds historical skills, concepts and categorizat... more This paper aims to elucidate upon a model that imbeds historical skills, concepts and categorizations into a source-based analysis approach utilizing levels of cognitive complexity by combining different types of sources into a coherent system. This model will focus on the South African school context. In this paper, concepts such as cause and effect and chronology will be explored, as well as historical categorizations of social, economic and political history. The taxonomy of source-based questioning will also be highlighted, as well as the variety of sources that could be used in a history classroom. Various theories and perspectives have emerged in the field of History, and these will also be explored to better understand the model in question. The paper will conclude with an in-depth explanation as to how this Historically Imbedded Source-Based Analysis Model could be used in the history classroom and the potential benefits that this model holds.
![Research paper thumbnail of Frank, F. et. al. 2015. New Generation History: Grade 11 learner’s book. [Book review]](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/113840698/thumbnails/1.jpg)
](New Generation History for Grade 11 was compiled by a team of highly qualified and experienced Hi... more New Generation History for Grade 11 was compiled by a team of highly qualified and experienced History teaching practitioners. The book is quite impressive, learner-friendly, as well as highly attractive with a memorable front cover, riddled with photographs of some of the most important figures in modern history.
Yesterday and Today, 2009
Nurturing creative thinking abilities in all learning areas and subjects is one of the cornerston... more Nurturing creative thinking abilities in all learning areas and subjects is one of the cornerstones and ideals of Outcomes-Based Education (OBE) in South Africa. This article reports on the results obtained with a pilot study that set out to determine the extent to which creativity is presently nurtured in the History classroom. A qualitative study by means of semi-structured, oneon-one interviews with learners (n = 4) and teachers (n = 2) of History at a secondary school was conducted to determine learner and teacher perceptions related to the nurturing of creativity through the instructional practices of teachers applied during teaching and learning. The results revealed that the nurturing of creativity has not yet become reality in the History classroom. It was disconcerting to note that direct instruction dominates the teaching and learning of History and that very little opportunity for practical experience and interaction during teaching and learning exists. The article concludes with recommendations to teachers on how to purposefully enhance creativity during the teaching of History. This pilot study was conducted as partial fulfillment of the requirements for a BEd Honours degree, and to set the scene for a more extended study on creative thinking in History with larger groups of learners and teachers.
My sincere thanks and gratitude go to the following people whose advice, guidance, support and mo... more My sincere thanks and gratitude go to the following people whose advice, guidance, support and motivation have helped me to complete this study. The Lord God, Jesus Christ my saviour, who has helped and carried me through my studies with love and grace. My study leaders, Professor M.M. Grosser and Doctor M.J. Booysen, for their leadership, patience, guidance and support throughout the study period. Mrs Aldine Oosthuizen for the capturing of the data, her assistance with the statistical analysis of data and the technical editing of this dissertation. Mrs Denise Kocks for the professional language editing of the dissertation. Professor C Lessing for the technical editing of the bibliography. The staff of the Ferdinand Postma Library (Vaal Triangle campus), for helping me to find the literature needed for my research. My colleagues at the School of Educational Sciences for their advice and continued support. All the teachers and learners who participated in this research study. To my parents, Prof. John Bunt and Erna Bunt, my brother, Lance, and all my friends for their unconditional love and support. A very special word of thanks goes to my wife, Laurel Bunt, for all her patience, love, support and understanding during the completion of this study.
Creative Education, 2022
Contemporary serious game development remains largely improvised and haphazard. Many hindering as... more Contemporary serious game development remains largely improvised and haphazard. Many hindering aspects are to blame for this, including: project scope, available resources, stakeholder makeup, subject expert consultation(s), etc. Most significantly for this paper, however, game designers typically struggle to imbue philosophical depth into their projects. The popular trading card game "Magic: The Gathering" (Wizards of the Coast, Hasbro) offers remedies to this issue in the form of a central nucleus: the colour pie. The purpose of this research was to investigate the merits of the game design of MTG and to adapt it for our own use in a new card game. A similar framework has been devised for a history-for-education trading card game currently in development called "Dogs of War" (DoW). The research has up until this point only focused on designing DoW, but once the game is complete, a research project will be conducted to study its efficacy. This research reports on the extent to which tangible results (mechanically, and otherwise) can be accrued by formulating and implementing such a philosophical design foundation. Results include giving examples of Dogs of War and how it was adapted from MTG.
Yesterday and Today, 2021
As tertiary institutions globally transitioned into an online teaching framework as a consequence... more As tertiary institutions globally transitioned into an online teaching framework as a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is critical that history education lecturers reconsider their teaching and learning strategies. This article reports on the planning and implementation of an online teaching programme within the History in Education subject group at the NorthWest University (NWU), in South Africa. The author is the subject group leader of the subject group and from observations and experiences, this article will report on how this program was implemented. First and foremost, how we handled teaching in an online setting is vastly different from a face-to-face setting. Few lecturers might have taught students studying in distance programs for some time, but for many lecturers and students who are accustomed to face-to-face instruction, the online world may often be new and even intimidating. The existing scenario calls for a full rethink in teaching and learning. Through proper preparation, we will not only provide our lecturers through greater versatility in the delivery of online classrooms, but also represent our students when making the best of the opportunities we have at our disposal. This article wishes to undertake a critical experiential evaluation of this online teaching strategy that was used in 2020 in the History Education subject group at the NorthWest University. A literature review focusing on online teaching, History in Education online teaching as well as COVID-19's impact on tertiary education. The methodology of the research is then discussed, followed by the initial planning stage, culminating in the lessons learned and possible future changes to this plan.
NWU self-directed learning series, Dec 23, 2020
Peer review declaration The publisher (AOSIS) endorses the South African 'National Scholarly Book... more Peer review declaration The publisher (AOSIS) endorses the South African 'National Scholarly Book Publishers Forum Best Practice for Peer Review of Scholarly Books'. The manuscript was subjected to a rigorous twostep peer review process prior to publication, with the identities of the reviewers not revealed to the author(s). The reviewers were independent of the publisher and/or authors in question. The reviewers commented positively on the scholarly merits of the manuscript and recommended that the manuscript should be published. Where the reviewers recommended revision and/or improvements to the manuscript, the authors responded adequately to such recommendations. Research justification This book disseminates original research on learning in and from practice in pre-service teacher education. Authors such as Lederman and Lederman (2015:670) have described the student teaching practicum or work-integrated learning (WIL), which is an essential component of pre-service teacher education, as the 'elephant in the room'. These authors noted that '… the capstone experience in any teacher education programme is the student teaching practicum … (a)fter all, this is where the rubber hits the road' (Lederman & Lederman 2015:670). However, many teacher educators will agree that this WIL component is sometimes very insufficient in assisting the student teacher to develop an own footing and voice as a teacher. This is the 'gap' that this research book addresses. Most of the chapters in the book report empirical data, with the exception of two chapters, that can be categorised as systematic reviews. Work-integrated learning is addressed from various angles in the chapters. Chapter 6 focusses on research related to what makes Finnish teacher education so effective, and in Chapter 4, researchers of the University of Johannesburg disseminate their findings on establishing a teaching school (based on Finnish insights) in Johannesburg. Chapter 3 highlights the challenges faced in open learning and distance learning teacher education contexts. Several of the chapters disseminate research findings on alternative interventions to classic WIL, namely, where 'safe spaces' or laboratories are created for student teachers to learn and grow professionally. These could either be simulations, such as software programs and avatars in the intervention described in Chapter 2, student excursions, as portrayed in the findings in Chapter 5, Chapter 7 and Chapter 10, or alternative approaches to WIL (e.g. Ch. 11 and Ch. 12). The book is devoted to scholarship in the field of pre-service teacher education. The target audience of this book comprises scholars working in the fields of pre-service teacher education, WIL and self-directed learning. The book makes a unique contribution in terms of firstly its extensive use of cultural-historical activity theory as a research lens, and secondly in drawing on various theoretical frameworks. Both quantitative and qualitative research informed the findings of the book. In accordance with the requirements of the Department of Higher Education and Training, this book contains more than 50% original content not published before, and no part of this work has been plagiarised.
Smart Learning Environments, Apr 15, 2020
This paper presents a methodology for developing critical reflection among student teachers by us... more This paper presents a methodology for developing critical reflection among student teachers by using a novel artificial life simulation called Creatures. The paper is a report of an initial investigation that connects some theory to the affordances of a particular video game, and is a conceptual paper. In this paper, the various theories and concepts central to the methodology is outlined, and ultimately be combined and explored in depth. The game Creatures is also explored for its potential use as a reflective teaching tool. The actual methodology is then outlined for future research using this approach, ultimately concluding with tentative hypotheses regarding the significance of using artificial life for teacher education. Based on our combined experience in a higher education context lecturing education modules, student teachers do not critically reflect on their practice sufficiently and especially on the impact that their teaching will have on learners in the future. The Creatures simulation offers a viable solution to this problem, in which artificial creatures called Norns can be interacted with and taught important language and behavioral skills. In so doing, the student teachers who play the simulation may have a non-invasive manner in which to experience firsthand how their decisions may impact on future learning, and to reflect upon it using critical reflection.
NWU self-directed learning series, 2022
Despite increased interest in open education worldwide, not all institutions have seen widespread... more Despite increased interest in open education worldwide, not all institutions have seen widespread uptake of open educational resources (OERs). To address this issue, higher education institutions (HEIs) worldwide have established initiatives to support the development and use of OERs. This chapter provides the context for the rest of the book by discussing such an initiative at a South African university; it was decided to establish a fellowship programme based on self-directed learning principles to empower lecturers in order to adapt or create OERs for their classrooms. This research involved the collection of qualitative data based on reflections by the OER fellows who were part of the programme. The research provides insight into the overall process of envisioning, designing and executing the fellowship. The opportunities and challenges during the process are discussed from the viewpoint of different stakeholders, with a special focus on aspects of self-directedness.
PONTE International Scientific Researchs Journal
Tenth Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning, Sep 1, 2022
In order to create an enabling environment for widespread uptake of open educational resources (O... more In order to create an enabling environment for widespread uptake of open educational resources (OERs) at a South African university, it was decided to establish an OER Fellowship Programme. This programme was designed to empower lecturers in order to adapt or create OERs for their classrooms and do research about the process. For the sake of effective implementation and learning with OERs, this paper proposes that lecturers should become selfdirected in terms of the learning of aspects required for successful open education. Under this OER Fellowship programme pedagogical and technical support was provided to the fellows to facilitate the process creation, adoption and adaption of OERs. The Fellowship programme also involved a research component which involved fellows researching an aspect of their choice regarding the development process or use of OERs. This research involved qualitative collection of data based on reflections by the OER Fellows as well as the facilitators of the programme. The study also provides insight into the overall process of envisioning, designing and executing the Fellowship along with the challenges encountered. The pedagogical aspects and shifts resulting by use of OERs and open pedagogy within the unique South African context will also be reported on. Finally, the affordances and future prospects of such an incentive-driven fellowship for OERs and its implications is discussed.
NWU self-directed learning series, 2022
Creative Education, 2022
Contemporary serious game development remains largely improvised and haphazard. Many hindering as... more Contemporary serious game development remains largely improvised and haphazard. Many hindering aspects are to blame for this, including: project scope, available resources, stakeholder makeup, subject expert consultation(s), etc. Most significantly for this paper, however, game designers typically struggle to imbue philosophical depth into their projects. The popular trading card game "Magic: The Gathering" (Wizards of the Coast, Hasbro) offers remedies to this issue in the form of a central nucleus: the colour pie. The purpose of this research was to investigate the merits of the game design of MTG and to adapt it for our own use in a new card game. A similar framework has been devised for a history-for-education trading card game currently in development called "Dogs of War" (DoW). The research has up until this point only focused on designing DoW, but once the game is complete, a research project will be conducted to study its efficacy. This research reports on the extent to which tangible results (mechanically, and otherwise) can be accrued by formulating and implementing such a philosophical design foundation. Results include giving examples of Dogs of War and how it was adapted from MTG.
NWU self-directed learning series, Dec 31, 2022
NWU self-directed learning series, Dec 31, 2022
Yesterday and today, 2023
Current digital game-based learning (DGBL) methods for teaching history require a significant out... more Current digital game-based learning (DGBL) methods for teaching history require a significant outlay in information and communications technology (ICT). This, in effect, constitutes a significant obstacle in implementing DGBL in the South African and Zimbabwean school context. Most schools do not have the infrastructure to equip entire classes with gaming-capable computers or sufficient access to electricity or the internet. This paper investigates how access to DGBL can be improved in challenged teaching and learning contexts by designing a pedagogy that is more readily adaptable to challenges presented in South African and Zimbabwean classrooms. The research uses a design-based research design where compatibility issues of DGBL are analysed with the aim of developing a more integrated approach that is then tested and evaluated in order to redesign the approach. The primary research question was: "How can Game Based Learning techniques and traditional history pedagogy be integrated to promote the use of Napoleon Total War in Southern African secondary school history classrooms?"
Yesterday and Today, 2021
This paper aims to elucidate upon a model that imbeds historical skills, concepts and categorizat... more This paper aims to elucidate upon a model that imbeds historical skills, concepts and categorizations into a source-based analysis approach utilizing levels of cognitive complexity by combining different types of sources into a coherent system. This model will focus on the South African school context. In this paper, concepts such as cause and effect and chronology will be explored, as well as historical categorizations of social, economic and political history. The taxonomy of source-based questioning will also be highlighted, as well as the variety of sources that could be used in a history classroom. Various theories and perspectives have emerged in the field of History, and these will also be explored to better understand the model in question. The paper will conclude with an in-depth explanation as to how this Historically Imbedded Source-Based Analysis Model could be used in the history classroom and the potential benefits that this model holds.
New Generation History for Grade 11 was compiled by a team of highly qualified and experienced Hi... more New Generation History for Grade 11 was compiled by a team of highly qualified and experienced History teaching practitioners. The book is quite impressive, learner-friendly, as well as highly attractive with a memorable front cover, riddled with photographs of some of the most important figures in modern history.
Yesterday and Today, 2009
Nurturing creative thinking abilities in all learning areas and subjects is one of the cornerston... more Nurturing creative thinking abilities in all learning areas and subjects is one of the cornerstones and ideals of Outcomes-Based Education (OBE) in South Africa. This article reports on the results obtained with a pilot study that set out to determine the extent to which creativity is presently nurtured in the History classroom. A qualitative study by means of semi-structured, oneon-one interviews with learners (n = 4) and teachers (n = 2) of History at a secondary school was conducted to determine learner and teacher perceptions related to the nurturing of creativity through the instructional practices of teachers applied during teaching and learning. The results revealed that the nurturing of creativity has not yet become reality in the History classroom. It was disconcerting to note that direct instruction dominates the teaching and learning of History and that very little opportunity for practical experience and interaction during teaching and learning exists. The article concludes with recommendations to teachers on how to purposefully enhance creativity during the teaching of History. This pilot study was conducted as partial fulfillment of the requirements for a BEd Honours degree, and to set the scene for a more extended study on creative thinking in History with larger groups of learners and teachers.
My sincere thanks and gratitude go to the following people whose advice, guidance, support and mo... more My sincere thanks and gratitude go to the following people whose advice, guidance, support and motivation have helped me to complete this study. The Lord God, Jesus Christ my saviour, who has helped and carried me through my studies with love and grace. My study leaders, Professor M.M. Grosser and Doctor M.J. Booysen, for their leadership, patience, guidance and support throughout the study period. Mrs Aldine Oosthuizen for the capturing of the data, her assistance with the statistical analysis of data and the technical editing of this dissertation. Mrs Denise Kocks for the professional language editing of the dissertation. Professor C Lessing for the technical editing of the bibliography. The staff of the Ferdinand Postma Library (Vaal Triangle campus), for helping me to find the literature needed for my research. My colleagues at the School of Educational Sciences for their advice and continued support. All the teachers and learners who participated in this research study. To my parents, Prof. John Bunt and Erna Bunt, my brother, Lance, and all my friends for their unconditional love and support. A very special word of thanks goes to my wife, Laurel Bunt, for all her patience, love, support and understanding during the completion of this study.
Creative Education, 2022
Contemporary serious game development remains largely improvised and haphazard. Many hindering as... more Contemporary serious game development remains largely improvised and haphazard. Many hindering aspects are to blame for this, including: project scope, available resources, stakeholder makeup, subject expert consultation(s), etc. Most significantly for this paper, however, game designers typically struggle to imbue philosophical depth into their projects. The popular trading card game "Magic: The Gathering" (Wizards of the Coast, Hasbro) offers remedies to this issue in the form of a central nucleus: the colour pie. The purpose of this research was to investigate the merits of the game design of MTG and to adapt it for our own use in a new card game. A similar framework has been devised for a history-for-education trading card game currently in development called "Dogs of War" (DoW). The research has up until this point only focused on designing DoW, but once the game is complete, a research project will be conducted to study its efficacy. This research reports on the extent to which tangible results (mechanically, and otherwise) can be accrued by formulating and implementing such a philosophical design foundation. Results include giving examples of Dogs of War and how it was adapted from MTG.
Yesterday and Today, 2021
As tertiary institutions globally transitioned into an online teaching framework as a consequence... more As tertiary institutions globally transitioned into an online teaching framework as a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is critical that history education lecturers reconsider their teaching and learning strategies. This article reports on the planning and implementation of an online teaching programme within the History in Education subject group at the NorthWest University (NWU), in South Africa. The author is the subject group leader of the subject group and from observations and experiences, this article will report on how this program was implemented. First and foremost, how we handled teaching in an online setting is vastly different from a face-to-face setting. Few lecturers might have taught students studying in distance programs for some time, but for many lecturers and students who are accustomed to face-to-face instruction, the online world may often be new and even intimidating. The existing scenario calls for a full rethink in teaching and learning. Through proper preparation, we will not only provide our lecturers through greater versatility in the delivery of online classrooms, but also represent our students when making the best of the opportunities we have at our disposal. This article wishes to undertake a critical experiential evaluation of this online teaching strategy that was used in 2020 in the History Education subject group at the NorthWest University. A literature review focusing on online teaching, History in Education online teaching as well as COVID-19's impact on tertiary education. The methodology of the research is then discussed, followed by the initial planning stage, culminating in the lessons learned and possible future changes to this plan.
NWU self-directed learning series, Dec 23, 2020
Peer review declaration The publisher (AOSIS) endorses the South African 'National Scholarly Book... more Peer review declaration The publisher (AOSIS) endorses the South African 'National Scholarly Book Publishers Forum Best Practice for Peer Review of Scholarly Books'. The manuscript was subjected to a rigorous twostep peer review process prior to publication, with the identities of the reviewers not revealed to the author(s). The reviewers were independent of the publisher and/or authors in question. The reviewers commented positively on the scholarly merits of the manuscript and recommended that the manuscript should be published. Where the reviewers recommended revision and/or improvements to the manuscript, the authors responded adequately to such recommendations. Research justification This book disseminates original research on learning in and from practice in pre-service teacher education. Authors such as Lederman and Lederman (2015:670) have described the student teaching practicum or work-integrated learning (WIL), which is an essential component of pre-service teacher education, as the 'elephant in the room'. These authors noted that '… the capstone experience in any teacher education programme is the student teaching practicum … (a)fter all, this is where the rubber hits the road' (Lederman & Lederman 2015:670). However, many teacher educators will agree that this WIL component is sometimes very insufficient in assisting the student teacher to develop an own footing and voice as a teacher. This is the 'gap' that this research book addresses. Most of the chapters in the book report empirical data, with the exception of two chapters, that can be categorised as systematic reviews. Work-integrated learning is addressed from various angles in the chapters. Chapter 6 focusses on research related to what makes Finnish teacher education so effective, and in Chapter 4, researchers of the University of Johannesburg disseminate their findings on establishing a teaching school (based on Finnish insights) in Johannesburg. Chapter 3 highlights the challenges faced in open learning and distance learning teacher education contexts. Several of the chapters disseminate research findings on alternative interventions to classic WIL, namely, where 'safe spaces' or laboratories are created for student teachers to learn and grow professionally. These could either be simulations, such as software programs and avatars in the intervention described in Chapter 2, student excursions, as portrayed in the findings in Chapter 5, Chapter 7 and Chapter 10, or alternative approaches to WIL (e.g. Ch. 11 and Ch. 12). The book is devoted to scholarship in the field of pre-service teacher education. The target audience of this book comprises scholars working in the fields of pre-service teacher education, WIL and self-directed learning. The book makes a unique contribution in terms of firstly its extensive use of cultural-historical activity theory as a research lens, and secondly in drawing on various theoretical frameworks. Both quantitative and qualitative research informed the findings of the book. In accordance with the requirements of the Department of Higher Education and Training, this book contains more than 50% original content not published before, and no part of this work has been plagiarised.
Smart Learning Environments, Apr 15, 2020
This paper presents a methodology for developing critical reflection among student teachers by us... more This paper presents a methodology for developing critical reflection among student teachers by using a novel artificial life simulation called Creatures. The paper is a report of an initial investigation that connects some theory to the affordances of a particular video game, and is a conceptual paper. In this paper, the various theories and concepts central to the methodology is outlined, and ultimately be combined and explored in depth. The game Creatures is also explored for its potential use as a reflective teaching tool. The actual methodology is then outlined for future research using this approach, ultimately concluding with tentative hypotheses regarding the significance of using artificial life for teacher education. Based on our combined experience in a higher education context lecturing education modules, student teachers do not critically reflect on their practice sufficiently and especially on the impact that their teaching will have on learners in the future. The Creatures simulation offers a viable solution to this problem, in which artificial creatures called Norns can be interacted with and taught important language and behavioral skills. In so doing, the student teachers who play the simulation may have a non-invasive manner in which to experience firsthand how their decisions may impact on future learning, and to reflect upon it using critical reflection.
NWU self-directed learning series, 2022
Despite increased interest in open education worldwide, not all institutions have seen widespread... more Despite increased interest in open education worldwide, not all institutions have seen widespread uptake of open educational resources (OERs). To address this issue, higher education institutions (HEIs) worldwide have established initiatives to support the development and use of OERs. This chapter provides the context for the rest of the book by discussing such an initiative at a South African university; it was decided to establish a fellowship programme based on self-directed learning principles to empower lecturers in order to adapt or create OERs for their classrooms. This research involved the collection of qualitative data based on reflections by the OER fellows who were part of the programme. The research provides insight into the overall process of envisioning, designing and executing the fellowship. The opportunities and challenges during the process are discussed from the viewpoint of different stakeholders, with a special focus on aspects of self-directedness.
PONTE International Scientific Researchs Journal
Tenth Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning, Sep 1, 2022
In order to create an enabling environment for widespread uptake of open educational resources (O... more In order to create an enabling environment for widespread uptake of open educational resources (OERs) at a South African university, it was decided to establish an OER Fellowship Programme. This programme was designed to empower lecturers in order to adapt or create OERs for their classrooms and do research about the process. For the sake of effective implementation and learning with OERs, this paper proposes that lecturers should become selfdirected in terms of the learning of aspects required for successful open education. Under this OER Fellowship programme pedagogical and technical support was provided to the fellows to facilitate the process creation, adoption and adaption of OERs. The Fellowship programme also involved a research component which involved fellows researching an aspect of their choice regarding the development process or use of OERs. This research involved qualitative collection of data based on reflections by the OER Fellows as well as the facilitators of the programme. The study also provides insight into the overall process of envisioning, designing and executing the Fellowship along with the challenges encountered. The pedagogical aspects and shifts resulting by use of OERs and open pedagogy within the unique South African context will also be reported on. Finally, the affordances and future prospects of such an incentive-driven fellowship for OERs and its implications is discussed.
NWU self-directed learning series, 2022
Creative Education, 2022
Contemporary serious game development remains largely improvised and haphazard. Many hindering as... more Contemporary serious game development remains largely improvised and haphazard. Many hindering aspects are to blame for this, including: project scope, available resources, stakeholder makeup, subject expert consultation(s), etc. Most significantly for this paper, however, game designers typically struggle to imbue philosophical depth into their projects. The popular trading card game "Magic: The Gathering" (Wizards of the Coast, Hasbro) offers remedies to this issue in the form of a central nucleus: the colour pie. The purpose of this research was to investigate the merits of the game design of MTG and to adapt it for our own use in a new card game. A similar framework has been devised for a history-for-education trading card game currently in development called "Dogs of War" (DoW). The research has up until this point only focused on designing DoW, but once the game is complete, a research project will be conducted to study its efficacy. This research reports on the extent to which tangible results (mechanically, and otherwise) can be accrued by formulating and implementing such a philosophical design foundation. Results include giving examples of Dogs of War and how it was adapted from MTG.