Episode 13 – Discovery Learning in The Vanishing of Ethan Carter

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is a 2014 all-around spooky game that doesn't hold your hand. There's even a note at the beginning stating that you're on your own. You're expected to learn as you go, figuring out not only how complex puzzles work but also sometimes the fact that you're being confronted with a puzzle at all. That approach matches up quite nicely with the theory of discovery learning. In that framework, learners are expected to figure out underlying concepts on their own, through experimentation and inductive reasoning. This week's episode opens with a discussion of expository vs discovery learning, has a mention of J.S. Bruner's wonderful term "intellectual potency," and explores the motivation provided to players in Ethan Carter. But all is not well in the world of discovery learning - check back next week for a look at the dark side of this kind of instruction. Show Notes & Links Stanford's Virtual Crash Course in Design Thinking “Scientific Discovery Learning with Computer Simulations of Conceptual Domains” by De Jong and Van Joolingen, 1998, Review of Educational Research J.S. Bruner (who did actually just pass away in June 2016) Educational Psychology by Anita Woolfolk The Act of Discovery by Bruner, 1961, Harvard Educational Review Other games mentioned in this episode Halo 's Chiron TL-34 teleporter-centric multiplayer level Gone Home

You can listen to Episode 13 – Discovery Learning in The Vanishing of Ethan Carter online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Episode 13 – Discovery Learning in The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is an episode from Unlocking Games by Chad Haefele & Brandon Carper.

This episode is 0:00 long.

This episode was published on Nov 11, 2016.

Yes. Use the heart button on the episode page to add it to your favorite episodes list.

Yes. This page shows related episodes from Unlocking Games when more episodes are available from the podcast feed.