PhD Oral Exam - Kristopher Alexander, Education

When studying for a doctoral degree (PhD), candidates submit a thesis that provides a critical review of the current state of knowledge of the thesis subject as well as the student’s own contributions to the subject. The distinguishing criterion of doctoral graduate research is a significant and original contribution to knowledge.

Once accepted, the candidate presents the thesis orally. This oral exam is open to the public.

Abstract

This creation-as-research thesis examines the semiotics of multimedia and interactivity within the context of instruction, focusing on theoretical and practical representations in video game design, and the cultural models therein. This is further articulated through the planning, creation, development and delivery of a 15-week online post-secondary course entitled Gaming, Interactive, and Multiplatform media, a course that teaches video game design principles, while emulating those design principles as part of the instructional platform. The course is a manifestation of the findings in this thesis, which suggests that video games, through their innate interactivity via the inclusion of multimedia as part of their design, hold critical implementation frameworks for course-based instructional design, when multimedia is used as part of the instructional process.