Trend Focus: The Use of Play as an Instructional Tool
Written by Mary Anne Matel
Dr. Alan Reid
Old Dominion University
Introduction
    From the well known simplicity of tic-tac-toe to the vast complexity of 3-Dimensional Virtual Worlds, the concept of play has been reconstructed over time into a variety of forms. Most play tools and activities administered in a learning setting, are often perceived as being used for entertainment purposes rather than educational. This report will attempt to connect the concepts of learning and play through identifying the use of game play and how it has evolved into an effective and meaningful instructional tool in the developing field of Instructional Design and Technology.
Defining Game Play
    Play can be experienced through various types of activities including games, simulations and simulation games (Kaufman & Suave 2010, Zemliansky & Wilcox 2010). Some specific examples of these activities are real-time strategy games, virtual simulations and massive online multiplayer role-playing games.  These activities have the power to fully immerse players in experimental learning environments where they are encouraged to demonstrate a combination of knowledge acquisition and application, strategic reasoning, problem solving, cooperation and metacognition to resolve challenges and obstacles in presented narratives. Nearly all instructional theories and concepts can be identified in play tools and activities but, behavioral theory, cognitive information processing theory and constructivism are among those commonly associated. A majority, if not all, of the activities developed are learner-centered (Kaufman & Suave 2010).
    Many researchers have found it necessary to differentiate the terms game and simulation. Games are commonly associated with being single or multiplayer activities that use competition to achieve a goal and incorporate predetermined rules and constraints. Simulations take on a more constructivist approach as they are often created to mimic reality and are preferably left open-ended to encourage players to explore possible outcomes and achieve a variety of results. The term serious games was developed for activities specifically used for teaching and training purposes. These can include educational games or simulations used to facilitate context-based or on-the-job learning. The term edutainment games was developed for products and activities that are created more so for entertainment rather than as a training vehicle (Zemliansky & Wilcox 2010).
The Development of Game Play
    According to Kaufman and Suave, the use of game play was first recognized in the 1600s by the Roman Empire. Their military forces would draw out plans and use various objects as pawns to develop war strategies, plan invasions and demonstrate techniques to their soldiers. In modern day, we can see this idea represented in the game of chess (Kaufman & Suave 2010).
    Many professional organizations have embraced the use of play activities in their training programs as it provides an artificial risk-free platform for the trainees to practice or learn from. For example, a computer program could be developed to teach a new employee basic functions of a piece of machinery or a life-size patient model could be created to teach students about the anatomy of the body.
    When developing play tools and activities, designers must not only consider learning theories, but the characteristics of their audience, learning motivations and the players’ accessibility to the learning platforms. If any of these factors are slightly misconstrued, the outcome could be drastically affected in an undesired way. These activities can be self-paced and may provide immediate feedback to inform the player of the status of their performance. It is also wise for designers to consider the cause of any cognitive overload or use of stereotypes that could lower player motivation.
The Advantages and Challenges of Game Play
    One of the most obvious advantages of game play is it’s ability to assist with learning transfer by creating environments where learners may be more receptive to the teaching of complex concepts. Play tools and activities have the power to test persistence, creativity and spatial abilities. As many of the processes we wish to assess take place cognitively, it can be difficult to produce quantifiable and testable results that measure effectiveness (Kaufman & Suave 2010). Recently, tools have been developed that are less obtrusive such as a program that captures a player’s screen activity and audio input. Before such tools, designers relied on material self-produced by students and teachers (Zemliansky & Wilcox 2010). Play activities can be great introduction materials, but can often fail to include real-life elements or factors such as sound, taste or smell. With that said, it is always recommended for designers to test their own products and provide appropriate and informative guides for their users (Moore 2009). The next step for designers would be to begin incorporating assessments into their products (Kaufman & Suave 2010).
Conclusion
    An increasing amount of learners from today’s generation are capable of multitasking, grasping complex concepts and interested in engaging in activities where they are given more freedom to take command of their experiences. Play tools and activities have advanced widely from their initial elementary implementation of drill and practice methods. Moving on from linear concepts, players now have the ability to engage in dynamic domains through social negotiations, critical thinking and a high degree of interest and enthusiasm (Kaufman & Suave). Today, designers are continuing to disprove the recurring challenge of viewers not taking the use of play seriously, as they create environments and tools that meaningfully influence and motivate learners across a variety of platforms.
References
David Kaufman, Louise Sauvé. Educational Gameplay and Simulation Environments:
        Case Studies and Lessons Learned. 1-26, 96-105, 125-145, 195-213 Information Science Reference, 2010.
Fran C. Blumberg. Learning by Playing: Video Gaming in Education. Psychology
         Learning & Teaching 77–79 SAGE Publications, 2015.
Kenneth Moore. Effective Strategies for Teaching: From Theory to Practice. 209 - 211,
         216 SAGE Publications Inc., 2009.
Pavel Zemliansky, Diane Wilcox. Design and Implementation of Educational Games:
        Theoretical and Practical Perspectives. 1-16, 17-31, 108-125, 126-140 Information Science Reference, 2010.
Robert A. Reiser, John V. Dempsey. Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology (4th ed.).
        193–196 Pearson, 2018.