La narrativa en los videojuegos: un espacio cultural de aprendizaje socioemocional

Abstract

De acuerdo con las investigaciones psicopedagógicas desarrolladas en el campo de los videojuegos (Esnaola Horacek, G. 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007; Frasca, G. 1997, 1999; San Martin Alonso, A. 2006; Levis, D. 2005, 2007; Gross, B. 2000; Ferrés, J. 2000) queda demostrada su intervención en los procesos de construcción de la identidadsocial de los jóvenes de estos tiempos. Sostenemos que los videojuegos, en tanto objetos culturales, conllevan una narrativa lúdica particular que remite a las características propias del contexto social que las diseña. Asumimos una postura crítica y valorativa de las posibilidades educativas que brindan los videojuegos deshechando argumentos funcionalistas que los señalan como propiciadores de conductas hiperviolentas o compulsivas. La propuesta lúdica y el relato que se despliega en estos particulares entornos interactivos constituyen un espacio cultural simbólico (Bourdieu 1990) privilegiado de simulación y construcción de la dinámica de las interacciones sociales y afectivas que es preciso comprender para incorporar a las propuestas educativas. Consideramos que es de suma importancia advertir el valor de las narrativas digitales para intervenir en ellas contribuyendo a la optimización y resguardo de la calidad de los productos que se ofrecen. Estas consideraciones brindarán orientaciones de interés para los desarrolladores, la industria de videojuegos como así también los consumidores de juegos en general.

We want to analyze the characteristics of nowadays learning and the constructionof the social identity through the storytelling of videogames. We recognize these technologies as an homogeneous culture discourse that can only be understood searching the keys that move the world beyond the walls of the school. From this perspective we are interested in the new spaces of power and authority that these technologies introduce in the institutions. To understand these processes we organize the analysis around certain aspects that operate in the interaction between children and this object. These reasons will guide us in the analyses. The problem of our investigation is defined by stating that videogames are involved in the construction of the social identity of the users facilitating archetypes of identification models. These discourses, also, design learning modes that generate a microculture of practices and meanings with a particular logic different from the school culture. As educators, we are interested in understanding how students organize their behaviours and identifications once immersed in this technological culture. Furthermore, we aim at comprehending the communicative strategies developed by users when utilizing this technology. We claim that these cultural behaviours bring aboutconsequences in academic learning. This investigation presents basic aspects of the theoretical background, underpinning the construction of the social identity in the context of the global condition and the hybridization of cultures. We point out the characteristics of the cultural scenario linking the students and the Informational Society. It also studies in depth the characteristics of the digitalization of the narrative space and the ludic area, which offer us the possibility to analyze videogames from a complex perspective. To sum up, our main interest is to ascertain the characteristics of learning within the storytelling and game narrative generated by videogames. We propose an educational intervention which promotes both the development of thought, and the comprehension of cultural meanings.