Conjuring up creativity:The effect of performing magic tricks on divergent thinking

© 2021 Wiseman et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, to view a copy of the license, see: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Research suggests that learning to perform magic tricks can promote both physical and psychological wellbeing. The current study extended this work by examining the impact of learning magic tricks on divergent thinking. A group of 10- to 11-year-old children completed Guilford’s Alternate Uses Test both before and after participating in either a magic-based, or art-based, activity. As predicted, compared to the art-based activity, the magic-based activity resulted in a significantly greater increase in both AUT Fluency and AUT Originality scores. Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem Scale and Dweck’s Implicit Theories of Intelligence Scale for Children was also completed after each activity, and participants’ self-esteem scores were higher after the art-based activity than the magic-based activity. In an exploratory aspect of the study, the AUT was re-administered to both groups three weeks later, and yielded no significant differences. The practical and theoretical implications of these findings are discussed, along with recommendations for future research.Peer reviewe

Conjuring cognition : A review of educational magic-based interventions

For hundreds of years, magic tricks have been employed within a variety of pedagogic contexts, including promoting science and mathematics, delivering educational messaging, enhancing scepticism about the paranormal, and boosting creative thinking for product design. This review examines this diverse body of work, focusing on studies that have assessed the impact of such interventions. Although the studies tended to yield positive outcomes, much of the work suffered from methodological shortcomings, including measuring the impact of interventions over a relatively short period of time, focusing on self-report measures and failing to employ control groups. The paper makes several recommendations for future study in the area, including assessing the longer-term impact of magic-based interventions, comparing these interventions to other types of pedagogic techniques, focussing on knowledge retention and behavioural outcomes, and collaborating with magicians to develop more impactful interventions.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

Estetika Interaksi dalam Game Perkembangan Teknologi dan Pengalaman Bermainnya

Penelitian topik game kini tidak terpisahkan antara bidang teknologi, sains, dan artistik. Unsur estetika dalam game semakin majemuk sejalan dengan keragaman konten media interaktif dan perkembangan teknologi. Artikel ini mendeskripsikan perjalanan perkembangan teknologi konsol game dan aktifitas pengalaman bermainnya. Inti diskusinya pada hubungan kemajuan teknologi dengan dinamika interaksifitas terhadap estetika interaksi. Studi ini menginvestigasi aktifitas penggunaan konsol dan game controller melalui pengalaman bermain, baik melalui observasi maupun informasi dari penelitian-penelitian sebelumnya. Secara umum, perkembangan teknologi mendorong respon aktifitas bermain yang lebih bervariasi. Stimulasi sebagian besar indera pemain semakin dirasakan, sehingga estetika di media digital interaktif ini semakin beragam. Kemajuan teknologi game berpotensi mendorong modifikasi pendekatan MDA linier menjadi sirkuit yang saling mempengaruhi antara mekanis, dinamis, dan estetis dalam proses pengembangan game

T-Shifting Identities and Practices: Interaction Designers in the Fourth Industrial Age

We report findings from our two-year research study to investigate the practices, processes and roles of professional creatives working on interaction design and wider digital design projects. The study contributes insights from interviews conducted to support the development of 13 high profile industry case studies involving 21 of their creators. Through thematic analysis of interview transcripts we constructed key themes of Project Scope, Design Stances, Skills Sets and Studio Practice. We discuss these as representative of the perpetual shifting of the cornerstones of how designers have traditionally understood and embodied their own and peers’ roles and combinations of competencies. This, we argue, is challenging perceptions and expectations around designers’ traditional ‘T-shape’ organisation of skills and knowledge. The article goes on to identify areas of emerging design practice brought about by rapid technological changes associated with the Fourth Industrial Age that warrant further research. These include anticipatory design and personalisation, branded interactions and magic technology. The article concludes by calling for wide sharing of designers’ stories as a pragmatic resource to demonstrate and communicate emerging practices that support the development of graduates and other designers entering this rapidly-changing field