Enlightenment of Gadamer's Game Theory on Educational Games

Enlightenment of Gadamer's Game Theory on Educational Games

I. Introduction

As an ancient activity, games have existed in primitive society. For animals, it can be used as an important way to train survival skills such as predation and competition. As far as human beings are concerned, it not only retains the characteristics of being an animal activity, but also develops it according to its own needs, thus forming a variety of powerful game activities.

The educational function of games has long been recognized by people. For example, Confucius, an educator in our country, advocates that "the knower is not as good as the doer, and the doer is not as good as the musician", which contains the game idea of entertaining through education; German educator Froebel thinks that "games are the highest stage of children's development" and clearly puts forward the educational function of games. With the continuous development of game development technology, the theoretical construction and practical application of educational games have become the focus of educational technology research.

In Greek, game (Paidiá) and education (Paideia) have the same root-"pais", which shows that the relationship between them has always been concerned. In the field of philosophy, people focus on analyzing the ontological value of games to human survival and social life. However, in the field of pedagogy, "the idea of ontological understanding of games is rare, and many people still think from the perspective of instrumental rationality, that is, games are only a means and method to implement teaching tasks and achieve educational goals." (Gao Jie, 20 10)

"Educational games are games first, and then educational games." (Zhang et al., 2007) The study of educational games should be based not only on educational theory, but also on game theory. However, in recent years, the research on educational games is more from the perspective of education, supported by rich educational theories, and less attention is paid to the game characteristics of educational games themselves. On the basis of empirical research, Peking University Shang and other scholars pointed out that educational games are faced with triple dilemmas: surface (time, technology and concept), deep (teaching effect) and essence (game characteristics), among which the game characteristics are the essential dilemma in the development and application of educational games. (Shang et al., 2008) Therefore, the study of educational games should attach importance to game theory and seek enlightenment from it. With the help of the characteristics of games, we can build better educational information resources, effectively meet students' learning needs, and thus achieve better teaching results.

Second, Gadamer's game theory analyzes educational games: Why?

Plato, Aristotle, Jia Huiqing, Gadamer and other sages expounded the characteristics of the game from their own angles, discussed the essence of the game, and formed different theoretical viewpoints. These game theories can provide enlightenment for analyzing the essential problems of educational games and provide reference for how to apply games to promote education. Among them, Gadamer formed a unique game theory based on his hermeneutics and reflection on Kant and Schiller's game theory, which is of great value to the analysis of educational games.

1. How to integrate games with education: an important proposition in the study of educational games.

"Educational games adhere to the principle of" entertaining ",effectively combine teaching content with games, reflect the educational value of games, and use games to better educate." (Li Tongtong et al., 20 10) Whether education is integrated into games or games are integrated into education, educational games are neither pure entertainment games nor a simple addition of education and games. "In essence, educational games absorb the external independence of education and the internal freedom of games, so they have the characteristics of both educational activities and game activities." (Zhang et al., 2007) How to organically combine game forms with educational purposes has become an important proposition in educational game research. For example, Ma Yingfeng and others, on the basis of exploring the combination of games and education, put forward that developing online game-based activity courses that are entertaining and entertaining is the best balance point for the combination of games and education. (Ma Yingfeng et al., 2005)

Theoretically, on the one hand, many people regard games as recreation and think that games are a waste of study time, thus excluding students from playing games. "This view treats the game in a negative sense, only seeing the entertainment and gameplay in the game form, but not realizing the meaning and value hidden behind the game form." (Gao Jie, 20 10) On the other hand, "if only the lively form of games is introduced into educational activities, and the inner spirit of games is not paid attention to, games in education will become a tool to instill knowledge." (Gao Jie, 20 10) Under the influence of this view, people tend to analyze the temporary effect of games on education from the perspective of tools.

From the practical application, although many educational games have been developed and applied, they have not been popularized in classroom teaching. As early as 2007, Professor Yi Lee of Nanjing Normal University was worried that educational games developed by game production companies could not be recognized by parents and teachers and could not open the market. However, some educators and educational experts are afraid to use the word "game" in education, and instead use "animation" in education. The reason is that many educational games developed by game companies are either game products with obvious entertainment characteristics but insufficient educational characteristics, or learning software with educational characteristics but lacking gameplay. Few excellent educational games combine education and games very well. (Shang et al., 2008)

Educational games take games as educational means and education as game purpose, so it is necessary to keep a balance between education and playfulness. "It is necessary to retain the characteristics of' engagement' in the game and realize' happy learning', and let the game carry learning strategies and let the game tasks accompany the process of knowledge exploration." (Zhang Qi et al., 2009) Facing the current situation and problems of practical application, educational games need to "cater to the psychological characteristics of the learning subject with the sensibility of the game, and constantly guide the learning subject to rationality with the rationality of education" (Zhang Qi et al., 2009), so as to get rid of the phenomenon of high game value and low educational value and better realize the goal of entertaining.

2. Reflection on traditional game theory: too much emphasis on the subjectivity of players.

People's understanding of games is gradually deepened with the development of history. Plato was the first person to study the relationship between them. But he only regards the game as an activity, and thinks that the game is an activity to cultivate the survival and living ability of children of animals or people. Later, Aristotle regarded the game as a rest and entertainment after intense work, and thought that the game was a behavioral activity without any purpose.

The philosopher Kant first discussed the game from the theoretical level, and interpreted "game" as "the freedom of activity and the smooth flow of vitality", thinking that the game is to express people's subjective freedom. Later, the aesthetician Schiller raised his understanding of games to the depth of human nature, and put forward that "a person can only play if he is completely human;" Only when people play, he is a complete human being "thinks that the game impulse can eliminate the double pressure of human sensibility and rationality, and promote people to return to harmony and unity from the state of opposition and division between subject and object." Hu Yiqing, the pioneer of game research, regards game as "the most fundamental category of life" and draws the conclusion that "man is a player", emphasizing the essence of human game.

On the whole, the game theories of Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Schiller and Jia Huiqing are all based on the theory of subjectivity, with a strong tendency of subjectivism. These traditional game theories believe that the core of the game is human's subjective freedom, and people realize subjective freedom in the process of the game; People play a leading role in the game process and play a leading role in the game activities; People show their creativity by participating in game activities.

Traditional game theory overemphasizes the subjectivity of players, and there is a problem of dichotomy between subject and object philosophy. If limited to this understanding, the intrinsic value of the game will be submerged in the pursuit of utility, and the real game will exist in name only in education. The study of educational games must go beyond the limitation of traditional thinking mode, analyze the abstract game characteristics through the entity's game behavior, and then grasp the essence of educational games from the ontological level to realize the organic integration of games and education.

3. Beyond Gadamer's game theory: pay attention to the unity of games and players.

Gadamer, as a landmark philosopher in the history of western philosophy, is also famous for talking about games. As a representative of hermeneutics, Gadamer's game theory has its unique historical and cultural background. In the process of hermeneutics, he gradually formed a view of game, and put forward a unique game theory on the basis of reflecting and criticizing Kant and Schiller.

Gadamer distinguishes the player's behavior from the game itself, and thinks that the game is independent of the consciousness of the people engaged in the game, and the main body of the game is the game rather than the player; The game is not determined by the game consciousness, but has its own way of existence; There must always be an audience before the game can form a meaning. Gadamer's game theory turned from subjectivity to ontology. At this point, the game is no longer an attitude or subjective emotion in game activities, but a way of self-expression; The game is no longer the object that players know, but expresses themselves in the uncovering of existence; Players and spectators participate in the game, and both the subject and the object have been integrated into the game.

Gadamer's game theory solved the problem of separation of subject and object in the game to a certain extent, and realized the transformation from individual position to the same field. Accurately speaking, Gadamer's game is an understanding activity between subjects. At this time, the "game" as a cognitive activity is a kind of ideological exchange activity, and the players and viewers are essentially the consciousness of participating in the game, excluding the body as the bearer of consciousness (players). It can be said that Gadamer's game theory breaks through the shackles of modern epistemological mode, profoundly grasps the relationship between players and games, and is a more accurate understanding of the internal relationship between players and games.

Compared with the strong subjectivism tendency of traditional game theory, Gadamer's game theory can guide people to reflect on the problem of over-emphasizing players, and play a corrective role in the in-depth educational game of subject and object. It can promote educational games to keep the tension between players and games, and better achieve the educational purpose of educational games.

Third, Gadamer's game theory explains educational games: what is it?

As a unique form of games, educational games combine the characteristics of educational content and games, and have broad application prospects in the field of education. However, "educational games are a great challenge to the education sector in terms of content, technology, application and evaluation." Therefore, it is difficult to make a qualitative breakthrough in educational games by standing still and blindly carrying out idealized research and development. (Zhang Qi et al., 2009) Gadamer's game theory breaks through the shackles of modern epistemological model, and analyzes the essence of the game from the ontological level, which is helpful for people to analyze the characteristics of educational games from the philosophical level and explore how to play the value of educational games.

1. The real subject of educational games: the game itself.

In order to explain the concept of educational games, it is necessary to distinguish the part of speech of the word "game". In Chinese, game has two parts of speech: verbs and nouns. The verb "play" refers to a kind of behavior and action, that is, play. The term "game" refers to the game behavior as an activity and the game tool as an entity. In the traditional concept, people generally think that the subject of the game is the person engaged in the game activities, which presupposes the existence of the subject engaged in the game.

However, people often say "playing games" or "playing games" are essentially synonymous and polysemous structures. This shows that the game is an activity with internal purpose, not an activity with external purpose; Not foreign, but self-sufficient. Repetition is very important for the basic rules of the game Gadamer used light games and wave games to explain that the game is a repetitive movement, constantly updating itself in each repetition. Among them, what matters is the game itself, not the existence of a subject. As Gadamer said: "The main body of the game is not the player, but the game can only be expressed by the player." (Hans-Georg Gadamer, 2004) In the game activities, individual consciousness forms a communication relationship, participates in each other and blends with each other, thus forming a blend of consciousness. At this point, the individual consciousness integrated into the overall consciousness no longer exists independently and cannot have the subject qualification; The integration of individual consciousness (that is, the game itself) is the complete existence and the real subject of the game.

Gadamer's judgment on the subject of the game does not go against people's experience, but conforms to the reality of educational games at a higher level. Because in real educational game activities, players are always immersed in the game wholeheartedly, and they don't regard the game as their own object at all. "The main body of the game is the game itself, which means that the meaning of the game points to the game itself, not the subjectivity of the player in subjective aesthetics." (Qin Jia, 2008) Therefore, in educational game activities, learners "are easy to shake with the rhythm of the dance of Heaven even if they get rid of the secular burden". (Thomas Goodall et al., 2000)

It can be seen that educational games are the existence of individual integration and participation. When learners play games, the original individual subjectivity no longer exists, but the whole game composed of individuals exists. Learners' individual behavior can not be called a game, but only a part of the game. At this time, learners are selfless and even completely integrate their thoughts and behaviors into the game, not with a special purpose.

2. The existence of educational games: self-expression.

In Gadamer's view, "the way of existence of games is self-expression. Self-expression is a universal state in nature. The activity of the game has never been aimed at stopping it, but only updating itself in constant repetition. " (Hans-Georg Gadamer, 2004) According to Gadamer's hermeneutics, the cycle of games actually refers to understanding the cycle characteristics of activities.

The game can be understood repeatedly in the performance. "In the performance of the game, what appears is something that belongs to redemption and reversion, and what is revealed and displayed is something that is constantly concealed and shaken off." (H.G. Gadamer, 1987) At this time, the self-expression of the game is no longer a single process, but a process in which players interact with the game. The game realizes its own performance through the player, and the player also expresses himself through the game. Especially in the multimedia environment, "the information in the game loses the otherness irrelevant to the player, but has" you "or even" me "for the player to experience and communicate. (Zhao, 2008)

For educational games, its self-expression is based on the combination of players' past and present experiences. The ultimate goal of self-expression in educational games is not the realization of intention, but the process of intention realization. Therefore, every game of the player reveals the hidden meaning of the game through self-expression. In this sense, repetition in educational games is not a simple repetitive display, but a constant self-renewal.

Educational games are constantly updated in repetition, which shows that they are creative, can accommodate unlimited possibilities and provide creative space for players. "Faced with various choices in the game and the diversity and possibilities it brings, players can maximize their initiative, freely expand their imagination and boldly try various things, thus enjoying the fun brought by creation." (Gao Jie, 20 10)

3. The significance of educational games: the audience is present.

The charm of the game lies in allowing players to express themselves during the game. The performance of the game depends on watching, so there must be an audience. At this point, the viewer of the game appeared and formed an indispensable part of the game. According to Gadamer's hermeneutics, the self-expression of the game needs the viewer, and the player can only understand the meaning of the game as the viewer. The understanding at this time is not the reproduction of the original intention of the game, but the process of mutual exchange and integration between the player's spiritual world and the game world, forming a new spiritual world with you and me.

Specific to educational games, the self-expression of educational games is not aimless, but aimed at viewers. In educational game activities, if there is no taste of the viewer, self-expression becomes meaningless. Through watching, the interaction and integration between the game and the players make the game activities show creativity or re-creativity.

First of all, the viewer is a player. On the one hand, players can only become spectators if they join the game and recognize the rules of the game. On the other hand, players take their own game activities as the viewing objects, thus becoming spectators. The people who can really feel the game are the people who watch it. "Spectators and players * * * participate in the game, and the game itself is a unified whole composed of players and spectators." (Guan Ning, 2006) In educational games, learners and players can cooperate to complete the game activities and gain the meaning of the game by watching the activities.

Secondly, watching is not a detached spectator, but an ideological recognition. "Identity is participation. People who agree with something know exactly what it is. Watching activities is a real way to participate. " (H.G. Gadamer, 1987) In game activities, the viewer is intoxicated, forgetful, reflective and creative. The recognition of the game can only be realized by expressing it to the viewer.

Finally, the meaning of the game is formed through watching. "The people who really feel the game and express their meaning correctly are those who don't participate in the game but just watch it." (Hans-Georg Gadamer, 2004) Although the main body of the game is the game itself, the viewer participates in the formation of the meaning of the game. So "the meaning of the game is not determined after the player shows it." The formation of the meaning of the game also involves the participation of the viewer. Only when it comes to the viewer can the meaning of the game be finally formed. "(Qin Jia, 2008)

Fourth, Gadamer's game theory constructs educational games: How to?

"In the process of designing educational games, how to balance their educational characteristics and game characteristics is a very difficult problem." (Shang et al., 2008) For a long time, educational games have always been unable to get rid of the dilemma of "teaching and playing are difficult to blend". Although people usually think that games can be used to help learning, there are few educational games that can be widely promoted. Gadamer's game theory advocates the harmonious unity of game subject and object, which not only corrects the deep division between subject and object of educational games in theory, but also guides the construction of educational games in practice, and further exerts the educational function of games.

1. Entertainment and seriousness are closely combined: guiding learners into the game.

The game is composed of performers and spectators, and the participants assimilate each other, thus forming a new holistic existence. In Gadamer's view, real players should devote themselves to the game and be regulated by the internal order of the game, rather than just maintaining their subjective consciousness during the game. "What makes the first game completely a game is not the connection with seriousness in the game itself, but the seriousness when playing the game. Whoever doesn't take the game seriously is the destroyer of the game. " (Hans-Georg Gadamer, 2004)

"Although the game is an entertainment activity, it is not an easy job." (Sun Yuan, 20 12) The seriousness of the game shows that the "will" of the game is fully displayed through "selfless" players. In the process of playing games, learners will not feel completely relaxed, but will also have a certain degree of tension, difficulty and pressure. "It's just that this kind of difficulty and pressure is not imposed by the outside world, but is voluntarily accepted by the player for his internal needs, so he can experience the happiness of self-realization in it." (Gao Jie, 20 10)

The essential function of educational games can only be reflected by the needs and satisfaction of learners. When learners are immersed in a game, the original individual subjectivity no longer exists, leaving only these individuals as a whole. Learners don't play with a special purpose in the game, but forget their own input, show their unique happiness, and even forget their own existence. Only when learners concentrate on the game can the game achieve its goal.

When constructing educational games, we should closely combine entertainment with seriousness to guide learners to integrate into the games. In the process of designing and developing educational games, on the one hand, we should reflect the entertainment characteristics of educational games, but we can't design teaching software or CAI courseware with insufficient gameplay; On the other hand, "we should pay attention to the scientific and educational content of games, not as casual as designing ordinary entertainment games, and we should not design some content that is not interesting, lacks correct value orientation or even false and wrong in order to attract students' interest." (Zhang et al., 2007)

2. Keep the tension between rules and freedom: optimize the learners' game process.

The process of players participating in the game is the process of freely choosing possible intentions. As Gadamer thinks: There is no transcendental intention or center in the game, only countless possibilities. Although players have the freedom to choose, they also have to bear the corresponding risks. So, "we can only play with serious possibilities. We are enjoying a freedom to make decisions, and this freedom is also taking risks and being irretrievably restricted. " (Gadamer, 1987)

No matter what kind of game players play, they must abide by the restrictions and constraints of the rules of the game. "Where the rules of the game are involved, there can be no room for doubt, because the principles contained in these rules are unshakable truths." (Hui, 1998) If a player violates the rules, he violates the game itself. "The game is a rule-based interpersonal interaction activity and a meaningful exchange to build a fair, just and harmonious order. The supremacy of rules determines the equality of players participating in the game before the rules, which in turn determines the adequacy of interaction and the harmony within the whole activity. " (Xiao Yaozhong, 2005)

As far as educational games are concerned, the rules of the game are the rules that restrict the behavior of players. Learners have the freedom to choose various possibilities and plans, but these freedoms are also limited by the rules of the game. "Any game, even a game with a very high degree of freedom, such as the Sims, still has perfect and detailed rules. Every player must strictly abide by these rules if he wants to advance smoothly in the game. " (Sun Yuan, 20 12) It can be seen that educational games need to guide learners to freely participate in game activities according to unique rules. At this time, the tension between freedom and rules constitutes the charm of educational games, attracting learners to indulge in educational games.

In educational games, learners must abide by the rules of the game before the game can continue. The learner's restrictions are not unlimited, and he has the freedom to choose one game instead of another. Players distinguish the relatively closed game world from other worlds by choosing. Educational games should maintain an appropriate tension between rules and freedom, fully reflect the openness and diversity of the game process, and make it easier for both teachers and students to participate in the educational process as real individuals, engage in active dialogue, open themselves up, listen to each other, understand each other and attract each other, thus becoming a' game' for teachers and students. (Zhang Qi et al., 2009)

3. Mutual penetration of watching and participation: promoting learners to gain meaning.

As a structure composed of players and spectators, games are understood in performances. Regarding the significance of the game, Gadamer thinks: "Only for the audience, not for the players, can the game play its role in the audience, not for the players." (Hans-Georg Gadamer, 2004) Only when players participate in the game as spectators can they get complete meaning. "From the viewer's point of view, this game seems to have been upgraded to its ideal state." (Hans-Georg Gadamer, 2004) It can be seen that the game that truly realizes its own value is not the product created by the author, but the spiritual fusion between the subjects created by the viewer.

Educational games contain rich contents and are expected to be understood. Its understanding process is an activity that combines players' ideas with educational games. Observation, as a purposeful and planned perceptual activity, runs through the whole process of educational games. Learners observe the game all the time, including the observation of the game material (such as props) and the observation of the game environment (such as scenes). In watching and participating, learners forget themselves outside themselves; Both intoxicated and forgotten, but also reflected and created. For example, in the game, learners will first observe the shape, color and size of the game materials, and then think about what they can do and how to do it.

Watching educational games is not a simple reproduction of past experience, but an active re-creation. Educational games must allow learners to understand educational content by watching games. The educational game design of www.dylw.net No.1 Middle School should pay full attention to learners' meaningful watching activities on the basis of respecting the dominant position of game participants. On the one hand, when watching educational games, learners need to actively think about how to determine the theme, how to combine past experience with the current situation, and how to deal with the relationship between roles. On the other hand, in learners' watching activities, teachers should not adopt rigid indoctrination methods, which makes learners' observation in a passive state. Instead, we should make full use of language cues and expression cues to arouse learners' initiative, enthusiasm and creativity in observation.

Therefore, the design of educational games should be based on the basic principle of respecting the initiative of players to watch, and the ultimate goal is to guide players to get the meaning of the game. "Educational games should change the monotonous graphic presentation and naive preaching in disguised form, but should stimulate learners' learning motivation and let learners actively participate in it." (Zhang Qi et al., 2009) Only in this way can learners form an indissoluble bond with games out of watching interest, create things in game activities, constantly pursue the display of their inner potential, and create their own meaningful world.

;