Evaluating Software From a Learning-Theory Perspective
The Learning Theories
I found the RollerCoaster Tycoon software to be overwhelmingly behaviorist. It utilizes reinforcement, confidence building, and feedback. When the user makes a decision it gives useful feedback with statistics, how many of a certain amenity you already have (restrooms, first-aid), where the closest food stand is located, etc. If the user makes poor decisions it also has consequences. Without enough food areas or restrooms, your patrons can die from starvation and dehydration, have toilet accidents, and bleed from injuries if there are not enough first-aid areas. If you don't have enough rides and the lines get too long, the patrons get disgruntled and demand to get their money refunded, they may also pass out from heat exhaustion if the lines are not adequately shaded. Confidence is built when there are profits being made and when the patrons are happy. If no one dies or gets injured on a ride there is positive feedback. The patrons can also give the park a rating once they have tested it out, and that is also a confidence builder.
There are constructivist overtones in this software. If the user/student has visited an amusement park in the past, they will be able to draw from their experiences as to how they would like to design theirs or perhaps change some things. The entire game is centered on the learner and his/her choices.
There are heuristic overtones in RollerCoaster Tycoon as well. There is no set step-by-step process on how to build the amusement park, so the learner is forced to make decisions along the way. This software offers something that many others do not, it provides the very thing that Lev Landa believes most computer software lacks; it attempts to figure out why an error may have occurred. When a user makes a detrimental decision, the software gives the learner a heads up, like a chance to change their choice prior to implementation.
I also made connections to Bandura's social learning theory. I felt that his whole idea of being able to remember what you paid attention to, and then translate it into an actual behavior, is the very idea that I spoke about earlier. Students are given a chance to pull together everything that they have been studying in the classroom and translate it into a meaningful behavior: a functioning amusement park. This software fulfills all of Bandura's motivation and self-efficacy requirements by providing a reason for participating (a grade, computer time, fun idea), and consequences for behaviors (showing students how all the subjects that they are learning are useful).
Vygotsky is another theorist that rears his head into this software. Students have a venue in which to interact with each other, their teachers, and the real world. If the project is based on a group effort, students learn cooperation, teamwork, and shared problem solving. This software provides a chance to really test out the idea of scaffolding. The teacher would get the students started by explaining the software, what they will be doing, and go through the provided tutorial with the students. The teacher could then withdraw little by little as the students gain confidence.
All of the theories listed are incorporated into the design of RollerCoaster Tycoon. Behaviorism is the most relied upon theory, simply because of the nature of the game, i.e. practice/reinforcement. I think that this is an engaging, entertaining, and educational piece of software that would be an asset to any innovative classroom. I believe that this game was designed with learning theory in mind as well as an inclusive attempt to employ various skills/knowledge levels and abilities. Kudos to Micro Prose for the development of RollerCoaster Tycoon!
Jennafer Kuhns received her M.S. in Instructional Technology from Bloomsburg University, Bloomsburg, PA. She received her B.A. in Psychology from Lycoming College, Williamsport, PA. While in graduate school she taught two online courses: "Introduction to Wine Tasting" and "Tackling Tables in HTML." She has 10 years of restaurant management experience and is currently employed as an Instructional Designer for Concurrent Technologies Corporation.
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