[Dutch-chapter] Call for Papers Methodology Track ISAGA2009
J. Klabbers
jklabbers at kmpc.nl
Sat Jan 17 11:03:59 UTC 2009
40th ISAGA 2009 conference
Singapore, 29 June to 3 July 2009
Theme: Learn to Game and Game to Learn
http://www.ISAGA2009.org
C a l l for P a p e r s
Track
Gaming & Simulation Methodology
Design is a key activity in gaming & simulation. As Klabbers (2008)
has pointed out, design - broadly conceived - aims at implementing
courses of action with the purpose of changing existing
(dysfunctional) situations or systems into preferred ones. According
to Klabbers we need to distinguish two levels of design: a) design-in-
the-small and b) design-in-the-large. Design-in-the-large offers a
basis for various forms of consulting, training and education in an
attempt to foster new ways of thinking and acting in the context of
organizational development. Games & simulations, and related design
methodologies offer effective approaches to the framing and better
understanding of social systems and to the generation of ideas and
the shaping of action repertoires for change. Design-in-the-small
produces games and simulations (artifacts) as such, and related
interactive learning environments with the aim of modifying existing
organizational cultures and structures. Used with that goal in mind,
they contribute to the design-in the-large process of social systems.
Games can be designed for dual purposes: a) to generate a practical
tool (artifact) for supporting the design-in-the-large, or b) to
devise a method or model in the analytical science tradition for
developing and testing theories. In both cases games are being used
to simulate (to model) existing social systems. Klabbers stresses the
fact that members of gaming and simulation associations represent two
distinct branches of science: a) design sciences (communities of
practice) and b) analytical sciences (community of observers). The
basic concept of the design sciences is to build games and assess
their effects and usability. The scientific methods of the analytical
sciences aim at using games for developing and testing theories. Both
communities focus on different notions of causality and use different
criteria for success.

Figure: Framework of two interconnected gaming and simulation
communities (Klabbers, 2008).
The methodology track will focus on and welcome papers that explore
such topics as,
· game design
· theory testing
· assessment studies (evaluation)
· Gaming & change processes (design-in-the-small & design-in-
the-large)
· Game research (e.g., comparison between various sorts of
games or classification schemes, playfulness of rigid-rule versus
free-form games, competitive versus cooperative gaming, and so on).
Submissions are welcome on all methodology related issues with
respect to simulation and gaming, their design, use, and evaluation.
We plan “traditional” paper presentations with discussion and we
also plan to organise a panel discussion with interactive Q&A session
on “Bridging the gap between design science and analytical science
domains of gaming & simulation”. We further plan a joint publication
with invited participants of the track.
Excellent background discussions can be found in the following
symposiums (guest editor Jan Klabbers) in Simulation & Gaming: An
Interdisciplinary Journal http://sg.sagepub.com:
· “State of the Art and Science of Simulation & Gaming”,
Volume 32, 4, 2001
· “Simulation and Gaming: The Art and Science of Design”,
Volume 34, 4, 2003
· “Artifact Assessment versus Theory Testing”, Volume 37,
2, 2006
The symposium (guest editor Willy Kriz) in Simulation & Gaming:
· “Bridging the Gap: Transforming Knowledge into Action
through Gaming and Simulation”, Volume 40, 1, 2009.
The books:
· Duke, R. & Geurts, J. (2004). Policy games for Strategic
Management. Tilburg.
· Klabbers, J. H. G. (2008). The Magic Circle: Principles of
Gaming & Simulation. Rotterdam.
Procedures and Deadlines
Paper proposals - March 1, 2009
Notification about acceptance - April 1, 2009
Optional: draft paper è May 1, 2009 è Feedback, May 15, 2009
Final paper June 1, 2009
Please send you contribution to isaga2009 at ssags.org
*****
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mail.digra.org/pipermail/dutch-chapter/attachments/20090117/f14f3eba/attachment-0001.html
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: clip_image002.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 6640 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://mail.digra.org/pipermail/dutch-chapter/attachments/20090117/f14f3eba/attachment-0001.jpg
More information about the Dutch-chapter
mailing list