From Design to Management of Digital Epistemic Games

Key insights

6 takeaways

01
Digital Epistemic Games shift the focus of serious gaming from static software to the orchestration of dynamic, multidisciplinary scenarios that mirror authentic professional challenges.
02
The JEN.lab project utilizes a Design-Based Research methodology to bridge the gap between theoretical game design and practical classroom implementation.
03
The JEN Model provides educators with a structured, six-phase framework to design, manage, and adapt complex learning environments.
04
The ADDEGames authoring system serves as a practical tool developed through iterative, participatory collaboration between researchers and teachers to ensure pedagogical alignment.
05
Prototypes such as Insectophagia and Rearth demonstrate a scalable model for game-based learning that prioritizes professional authenticity and user ergonomics.
06
Effective learning in this framework is driven by the educational situation and instructional design rather than the digital artifact itself.

Summary

Digital Epistemic Games represent a pedagogical evolution in serious gaming, shifting the focus from static digital artifacts to the dynamic interaction between learners, educators, and complex, authentic professional contexts. The primary thesis posits that effective learning emerges not from the game software itself, but from the orchestration of multidisciplinary scenarios that mirror real-world professional challenges. By prioritizing the educational situation over the technology, this approach seeks to provide a more robust framework for immersive, play-based learning in academic environments.

To bridge the gap between theoretical design and classroom implementation, the JEN.lab project employs a Design-Based Research methodology. This iterative, participatory process involves close collaboration between researchers and teachers to develop practical tools, such as the ADDEGames authoring system and the JEN Model. These resources provide educators with a structured, six-phase framework to design, manage, and adapt complex learning scenarios. Through agile development and multiple rounds of user testing, the project ensures that these tools remain ergonomically sound and pedagogically aligned with the needs of both instructors and students.

The scope of this work encompasses the intersection of educational technology and instructional design, specifically targeting the creation of sophisticated, inquiry-based digital environments. By analyzing prototypes like Insectophagia and Rearth, the research establishes a scalable model for game-based learning that emphasizes usability and professional authenticity. Ultimately, the integration of these co-design processes and management tools empowers educators to move beyond traditional serious games, fostering a more flexible and effective environment for developing deep, epistemic understanding in learners.