Skip to main content
Log in

A case study on collective cognition and operation in team-based computer game design by middle-school children

  • Published:
International Journal of Technology and Design Education Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This case study examined team-based computer-game design efforts by children with diverse abilities to explore the nature of their collective design actions and cognitive processes. Ten teams of middle-school children, with a high percentage of minority students, participated in a 6-weeks, computer-assisted math-game-design program. Essential processes of collective design cognition and operation emerged from the data: (a) collective exploration of design constraints during problem framing, (b) aggregation of identity, experience, and memory for collective solution generation, and (c) development of coalition and task interdependence during design execution. Salient contexts supporting collective design included team-role fulfillment with presence of leadership and scaffolding for mutuality in design talk. The study findings also indicated perceived learning of school children during collaborative math-game design.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. Participants’ names in this paper are pseudonyms.

References

  • Barron, B. (2009). Achieving coordination in collaborative problem-solving groups. Journal of the Learning Sciences, 9(4), 403–436.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baytak, A., & Land, S. M. (2011). An investigation of the artifacts and process of constructing computers games about environmental science in a fifth grade classroom. Educational Technology Research and Development, 59(6), 765–782.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beckman, S. L., & Barry, M. (2007). Innovation as a learning process: Embedding design thinking. California Management Review, 50, 25–56.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bosch, M., Faber, M. J., Cruijsberg, J., Voerman, G. E., Leatherman, S., Grol, R. P., et al. (2009). Review article: Effectiveness of patient care teams and the role of clinical expertise and coordination a literature review. Medical Care Research and Review, 66(6), 5S–35S.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, T. (2008). Design thinking. Harvard Business Review, 86, 85–92.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bucciarelli, L. L. (1994). Designing Engineers. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chandrasekaran, B. (1990). Design problem solving: A task analysis (pp. 59–71). Winter issue: AI Magazine.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cross, N. (2004). Expertise in design: An overview. Design Studies, 25(5), 427–441.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Doise, W., & Mugny, W. (1984). The social development of the intellect. Oxford: Pergamon Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dym, C. L., Agogino, A. M., Eris, O., Frey, D. D., & Leifer, L. J. (2005). Engineering design thinking, teaching, and learning. Journal of Engineering Education, 94(1), 103–120.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Faraj, S., & Sproull, L. (2000). Coordinating expertise in software development teams. Management Science, 46(12), 1554–1568.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gibbs, R. W, Jr, & Mueller, R. A. G. (1990). Conversation as coordinated, cooperative interaction. In S. P. Robertson, W. Z. Zachary, & J. B. Black (Eds.), Cognition, computing, and cooperation. Norwood, NJ: Ablex.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gibson, C. B. (2001). From knowledge accumulation to accommodation: Cycles of collective cognition in work groups. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 22(2), 121–134.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goel, V. (1995). Sketches of thought. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldschmidt, G. (1994). On visual design thinking: The via kids of architecture. Design Studies, 15(2), 158–174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hutchins, E. (1991). The social organization of distributed cognition. In L. B. Resnick, J. M. Levine, & S. D. Teasley (Eds.), Perspectives on socially shared cognition (pp. 283–307). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Kafai, Y. B. (2006). Playing and making games for learning: Instructionist and constructionist perspectives for game studies. Games and Culture, 1(1), 36–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kafai, Y. B., Fields, D. A., & Burke, W. Q. (2010). Entering the clubhouse: Case studies of young programmers joining the online Scratch communities. Journal of Organizational and End User Computing, 22(2), 21–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kangas, K., Seitamaa-Hakkarainen, P., & Hakkarainen, K. (2011). Design expert’s participation in elementary students’ collaborative design process. International Journal of Technology and Design Education,. doi:10.1007/s10798-011-9172-6.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keller, C., & Keller, J. (1996). Cognition and tool use: The blacksmith at work. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolodner, J.L., Camp, P.J., Crismond, D., Fasse, B., Gray, J., Holbrook, J., Puntambekar, S., & Ryan, M. (2003). Problem-based learning meets case-based reasoning in the middle-school science classroom: Putting learning by design into practice. Journal of the Learning Sciences, 15327809, 12(4), 495–547.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu, Y.-T. (1996). Is designing one search or two? A model of design thinking involving symbolism and connectionism. Design Studies, 17, 435–449.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marshall, M., & Rossman, G. B. (2006). Designing qualitative research. Thousands Oaks: Sage Publication.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nagai, Y., & Noguchi, H. (2003). An experimental study on the design thinking process started from difficult keywords: Modeling the thinking process of creative design. Journal of Engineering Design, 14(4), 429–437.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Owen, C. (2007). Design thinking: Notes on its nature and use. Design Research Quarterly, 2(1), 16–27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peppler, K. A., & Kafai, Y. B. (2007). From SuperGoo to Scratch: Exploring creative digital media production in informal learning. Learning, Media and Technology, 32(2), 149–166.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Razzouk, R., & Shute, V. (2012). What Is Design Thinking and Why Is It Important? Review of Educational Research, 82(3), 330–348.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seitamaa-Hakkarainen, P., & Hakkarainen, K. (2000). Visualization and sketching in design process. The Design Journal, 3(1), 3–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shaffer, D.W. (2005). Studio mathematics: The epistemology and practice of design pedagogy as a model for mathematics learning. Wisconsin Center for Education Research Working paper, No. 2005-3.

  • Simon, H. A. (1973). The structure of ill-structured problems. Artificial Intelligence, 4, 181–204.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sotamaa, O. (2005). Creative user-centered design practices: Lessons from game cultures. In L. Haddon (Ed.), Innovatory users and communication technologies (pp. 105–116). New York, NY: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stake, R. (1995). The art of case research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stempfle, J., & Badke-Schaube, P. (2002). Thinking in design teams—an analysis of team communication. Design Studies, 23, 473–496.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wegner, D. M. (1987). Transactive memory: A contemporary analysis of the group mind. In Theories of group behavior (pp. 185–208). New York: Springer.

  • West, G. P. (2007). Collective cognition: When entrepreneurial teams, not individuals, make decisions. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 31, 77–102.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wetzstein, A., & Hacker, W. (2004). Reflective verbalization improves solutions. The effects of question-based reflection in design problem solving. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 18, 145–156.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wielinga, B. J., & Schreiber, A. T. (1997). Configuration design problem solving. IEEE Expert/Intelligent Systems and Their Application, 12(2), 49–56.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yin, R.K. (2008). Case study research: Design and methods (Vol. 5). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Inc.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fengfeng Ke.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ke, F., Im, T. A case study on collective cognition and operation in team-based computer game design by middle-school children. Int J Technol Des Educ 24, 187–201 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-013-9248-6

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-013-9248-6

Keywords

Navigation