Mapping in a Participatory Culture:

Simulation and Boundaries

Nick Seaver and Lana Swartz

Project NML: Learning in a Participatory Culture
Our coordinate system

stories production layers space boundaries

Our coordinate system

stories production layers space boundaries

civic
engagement

engaging
popular
culture

representations

modeling
real-world
systems

collaborative
expertise
Our coordinate system

stories production layers space boundaries

civic
engagement

engaging
popular
culture

representations

modeling
real-world
systems

collaborative
expertise
Our coordinate system

stories production layers space boundaries

civic
engagement

engaging What stories do fans

tell about their
popular favorite TV series
culture using maps?

representations

modeling
real-world
systems

collaborative
expertise
Our coordinate system

stories production layers space boundaries

civic
engagement

engaging What stories do fans

tell about their
popular favorite TV series
culture using maps?

representations

modeling What kinds of maps

can you make to
real-world model urban
systems development?

collaborative
expertise
Our coordinate system

stories production layers space boundaries

How can annotating

civic maps facilitate
engagement community
involvement?
engaging What stories do fans
tell about their
popular favorite TV series
culture using maps?

representations

modeling What kinds of maps

can you make to
real-world model urban
systems development?

collaborative
expertise
Our coordinate system

stories production layers space boundaries

How can annotating

civic maps facilitate
engagement community
involvement?
engaging What stories do fans
tell about their
popular favorite TV series
culture using maps?

representations

modeling What kinds of maps

can you make to
real-world model urban
systems development?
How does the layout
collaborative of the classroom
expertise affect the way
learning happens?
Our coordinate system

stories production layers space boundaries

How can annotating

civic maps facilitate
engagement community
involvement?
engaging What stories do fans
tell about their
popular favorite TV series
culture using maps?
How does the way
borders are
representations
represented change
how they function?
modeling What kinds of maps
can you make to
real-world model urban
systems development?
How does the layout
collaborative of the classroom
expertise affect the way
learning happens?
Our coordinate system

stories production layers space boundaries

How can annotating

civic maps facilitate
engagement community
involvement?
engaging What stories do fans
tell about their
popular favorite TV series
culture using maps?
How does the way
borders are
representations
represented change
how they function?
modeling What kinds of maps
can you make to
real-world model urban
systems development?
How does the layout
collaborative of the classroom
expertise affect the way
learning happens?
 Boundaries
Participatory
Where do people sit in Structure:
...are physical the cafeteria?
sites of political Student-
negotiation or generated
Video interview Examples rules
metaphorical
with the teacher of student
sites of social
work
negotiation.

Profile of teacher using

demography surveys to
How wide is a line? The Redistricting Game understand politic
Francis Alÿs districts and engage in
If a border is drawn trailing a green Gerrymander political political process
at a certain width line of paint districts in order to make
on a map at a along the certain parties win, while Fair Housing Monopoly
certain scale, how Green Line keeping populations the
big is it in the real same Video with game designer
world? about modifying games for
link: teaching the Pythagorean spatial and systemic thinking
Theorem with online maps modeling real-world systems
Modeling Real-World Systems

Profile of teacher using

The Redistricting Game
Gerrymander political
districts in order to make
certain parties win, while
keeping populations the
same
modeling real-world systems
demography surveys to
understand politic
districts and engage in
political process
Fair Housing Monopoly
Changing the rules of Monopoly
to highlight inequalities in the
housing market.

Video with game designer

about modifying games for
spatial and systemic thinking
Students doing demography

Chris Highfield
8th Grade, Corvallis Waldorf School
Corvallis, OR
 The Redistricting Game
Gerrymander
political districts in
order to make
certain parties win,
while keeping
populations the
same

USC Game Innovation Lab, Annenberg

Chris Swain
Fair Housing Monopoly
Player # 1 is only allowed to buy
the properties Mediterranean &
Baltic

Player # 2 is only allowed to buy

Mediterranean & Baltic and
Boardwalk & Park Place.

Player # 3 is only allowed to buy

railroads and utilities

Player # 4: is only allowed to buy

properties leading up to Free
Parking

Player # 5: is allowed to buy

anything
Game mods as simulation
Your turn