The present dissertation is aimed at offering an explorative perspective toward original forms, organizations and contents of learning which characterize the present "media ecology", proposing an ethnographic and qualitative mapping of participatory dynamics as pertaining the discussion, modification, design, and creation of games (be them digital or "analog") within a plurality of communities and contexts, be them "virtual" or "real", within and without formal learning institutions. These communities and contexts will be thematized as "playgrounds", spaces of production and interaction characterized by horizontality, heterarchy and reticularity, spaces where a systems-oriented, constructivist, cooperative and transdisciplinary literacy is being built from the grassroots, a literacy necessary to be an active and participative "world maker" in the present Information Age. Part I of this tractation will be aimed at contextualizing the study of play and games from an historical and transdisciplinary standpoint, both through a literature review aimed at highlighing the contested relationship between playfulness and the serious character of formal learning contexts, and through an exploration of play's relevance in psychological, social, cultural and evolutive processes, concluding with the proposal of "game design" as a possible, unifying metaphor for the diversity of the sciences of living systems. Part II will explore the close links between the present participatory patterns within media cultures and the methodological choices I operated during my fieldwork, highlighting the political relevance of the "Information Revolution" in disrupting institutional infrastructures through its influence on the patterning of learning systems both formal and informal, evidencing the consequences of this paradigm shift on the epistemological fundations of research in human sciences. Part III will then offer, through a series of Cases and "ethnographic sketches", a synthetic panorama of the plural realities of ludic "Do It Together", evidencing within them the use and co-construction of complex models and metaphors (both on a formal and on an aesthetical level). In discussing the fieldwork within communities of game creators (be them formal or informal, online or offline), ample space will be given to difficulties, criticalities and insights, so as to further highlight the methodological quandaries of working in these specificcontexts. The whole of this work will, in conclusion, be aimed at proposing a new, possible role for learning professionals: that of the meta-designer, co-constructor of interactive open spaces and catalyst of ludic/learning/researching communities, where the activities, defined through non-programmatic and co-designed patterns of participation, will move through and beyond media education, meant as a meta-discipline aimed at the construction of an inclusive, distributed and democratic paradigm of learning.
La presente tesi mira ad offrire una prospettiva esplorativa rispetto a forme, organizzazioni e contenuti di apprendimento originali e caratterizzanti l'attuale "ecologia dei media", proponendo una mappatura etnografica e qualitativa delle dinamiche partecipative inerenti la discussione, la modificazione, la progettazione e la creazione di giochi (digitali o "analogici") all'interno di comunità e contesti sia "virtuali" che "reali", dentro e fuori dalle istituzioni educative formali. Queste comunità e questi contesti saranno visti come "playgrounds", spazi di produzione orizzontali, eterarchici e reticolari in cui viene ad oggi costruita dal basso l'alfabetizzazione sistemica, costruttivista, cooperativa e transdisciplinare necessaria per essere attivi "costruttori di mondi" nell'era dell'informazione. La prima parte delle trattazione sarà intesa a contestualizzare storicamente e transdisciplinarmente lo studio del gioco e del giocare, sia attraverso una retrospettiva bibliografica intesa ad evidenziare il rapporto contrastato tra atteggiamenti giocosi e "serietà" dei contesti di apprendimento formale, che con un esplorazione della rilevanza delle dinamiche ludiche nei processi psichici, sociali, culturali ed evolutivi, concludendo con la proposta del "game design" come possibile metafora unificante, atta ad esplorare proficuamente la varietà delle scienze del vivente. La seconda parte approfondirà lo stretto legame tra l'attuale configurazione "partecipativa" delle culture mediali e le scelte metodologiche operate durante il mio lavoro di ricerca, evidenziando la rilevanza politica della rivoluzione digitale nel perturbare gli assetti istituzionali attraverso la sua influenza sulla strutturazione dei sistemi di apprendimento formale ed informale, nonché le conseguente di questo spostamento di paradigma sulle fondamenta epistemologiche della ricerca in ambito sociale. La terza parte offrira quindi, attraverso una serie di casi e "schizzi etnografici, un sintetico spaccato delle realtà plurali del "Do It Together" ludico, evidenziando in esse l'uso e la co-costruzione di metafore e modelli complessi (sul piano sia logico-formale che estetico). Verranno inoltre illustrate difficoltà, criticità e momenti di "insight" incontrati nel corso del lavoro sul campo svolto nelle comunità di creatori di giochi, in contesti sia formali che informali, online e offline. L'intero percorso sarà volto a proporre un nuovo possibile ruolo per le professioni educative: quello del meta-designer, co-costruttore di spazi interattivi aperti e animatore di comunità ludiche/educanti/ricercanti le cui attività, definite attraverso modalità non-programmatiche e co-progettate, possano muoversi attraverso ed al di là della media education, intesa come meta-disciplina volta alla costruzione di un modello inclusivo, distribuito e democratico dell'apprendere.
(2015). The World Makers' Playgrounds: Mapping the Networked Spaces of Ludic Creation. (Tesi di dottorato, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, 2015).
The World Makers' Playgrounds: Mapping the Networked Spaces of Ludic Creation
MORINI, LUCA
2015
Abstract
The present dissertation is aimed at offering an explorative perspective toward original forms, organizations and contents of learning which characterize the present "media ecology", proposing an ethnographic and qualitative mapping of participatory dynamics as pertaining the discussion, modification, design, and creation of games (be them digital or "analog") within a plurality of communities and contexts, be them "virtual" or "real", within and without formal learning institutions. These communities and contexts will be thematized as "playgrounds", spaces of production and interaction characterized by horizontality, heterarchy and reticularity, spaces where a systems-oriented, constructivist, cooperative and transdisciplinary literacy is being built from the grassroots, a literacy necessary to be an active and participative "world maker" in the present Information Age. Part I of this tractation will be aimed at contextualizing the study of play and games from an historical and transdisciplinary standpoint, both through a literature review aimed at highlighing the contested relationship between playfulness and the serious character of formal learning contexts, and through an exploration of play's relevance in psychological, social, cultural and evolutive processes, concluding with the proposal of "game design" as a possible, unifying metaphor for the diversity of the sciences of living systems. Part II will explore the close links between the present participatory patterns within media cultures and the methodological choices I operated during my fieldwork, highlighting the political relevance of the "Information Revolution" in disrupting institutional infrastructures through its influence on the patterning of learning systems both formal and informal, evidencing the consequences of this paradigm shift on the epistemological fundations of research in human sciences. Part III will then offer, through a series of Cases and "ethnographic sketches", a synthetic panorama of the plural realities of ludic "Do It Together", evidencing within them the use and co-construction of complex models and metaphors (both on a formal and on an aesthetical level). In discussing the fieldwork within communities of game creators (be them formal or informal, online or offline), ample space will be given to difficulties, criticalities and insights, so as to further highlight the methodological quandaries of working in these specificcontexts. The whole of this work will, in conclusion, be aimed at proposing a new, possible role for learning professionals: that of the meta-designer, co-constructor of interactive open spaces and catalyst of ludic/learning/researching communities, where the activities, defined through non-programmatic and co-designed patterns of participation, will move through and beyond media education, meant as a meta-discipline aimed at the construction of an inclusive, distributed and democratic paradigm of learning.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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