Using Mental Models to Design for Learning: Lessons from Game Development

摘要

Of the many approaches game designers take to understand the way their experiences and messages will be perceived, a good deal of these approaches include explicitly or implicitly evaluating user mental models. These mental models are formed implicitly and explicitly during a range of activities from mundane to game play. Individuals hold mental models that they use to interpret the world and experiences. When one's mental model is incorrect or incomplete they may or may not have success on the execution of an intended action, similarly, the action may not have evaluated the situation appropriately, so their action may be ineffective or even detrimental. This phenomenon can be seen manifested in the actions in the physical world, in interaction with software applications, in interaction with various hardware, and in games. Because many solutions to real world problems that can be solved by simple shifts in mental models, this paper highlights the activities that games do well to train users (players) to grow and evolve their mental models through game play that is designed for interaction. The process of designing an interface for interaction is a communication process that involves the designer conveying messages and experiences to elicit emotion, behavior or cognition and in order to guide users to desired actions. During this process the designer must consider the motivations and preconceived perspectives of what to expect from and experience and how to engage with that experience. This paper highlights strategies to teaching players how to play video games and the approaches game designers take to understand and shift mental models that have been employed in games. These strategies and approaches are then used to make recommendations on how to transfer those lessons about humans and mental models to other learning software systems.