UC Berkeley

Many people in general think that digital game environment has potential as a learning

environment. However, empirical research in digital game environment and education is a still relative young field, so to create a digital learning environment where students are actively engaged in the learning process is a great challenge. In part, it has been challenged by differences between the games domain and context of learning, and also the lack of understanding of the many different professionals who are involved in the process of making it.

Over the past three years (2005-2008), the Digital Design Research Group at University of California, Berkeley, has had an opportunity to design a Multi-User Online Game environment representing Seventh Street, West Oakland, where players can experience and learn about an important historical and cultural place that was destroyed by various urban renewals about half a century ago. Is "being" in the authentic environment enough for learners to gain the knowledge they need? How do we balance design tensions between meeting learning objectives and creating an engaging learning environment?

This dissertation looks at various learning theories that build a framework for learning

environments. It then explores the idea of using the new media, the digital game environment, as a new learning environment. Following these discussions, the West Oakland game environment is analyzed as a learning environment. The outcome of this analysis emphasizes the importance of content development in Multiplayer Digital Game Learning Environment.

Guidelines for designers of Multiplayer Digital Game Learning Environment are discussed. This study has broad, practical implications for designers who seek to both educate and engage learners, and who like to recognize why we, as architectural designers, need to be involved in creating learning environments beyond physical environments.