Designing and Evaluating Malinowski's Lens: An AI-Native Educational Game for Ethnographic Learning

TL;DR

This paper presents 'Malinowski's Lens', an innovative AI-native educational game that transforms anthropological texts into interactive learning experiences, demonstrating effective teaching and engagement through AI-generated visuals and ethical considerations.

Contribution

It introduces the first AI-native educational game for anthropology that combines retrieval-augmented generation and AI visuals, advancing educational game design and ethnographic learning.

Findings

High learning outcomes with non-specialists (average quiz score 7.5/10)

Excellent usability score (SUS 83/100)

Expert users gained new insights from gameplay

Abstract

This study introduces 'Malinowski's Lens', the first AI-native educational game for anthropology that transforms Bronislaw Malinowski's 'Argonauts of the Western Pacific' (1922) into an interactive learning experience. The system combines Retrieval-Augmented Generation with DALL-E 3 text-to-image generation, creating consistent VGA-style visuals as players embody Malinowski during his Trobriand Islands fieldwork (1915-1918). To address ethical concerns, indigenous peoples appear as silhouettes while Malinowski is detailed, prompting reflection on anthropological representation. Two validation studies confirmed effectiveness: Study 1 with 10 non-specialists showed strong learning outcomes (average quiz score 7.5/10) and excellent usability (SUS: 83/100). Study 2 with 4 expert anthropologists confirmed pedagogical value, with one senior researcher discovering "new aspects" of Malinowski's work through gameplay. The findings demonstrate that AI-driven educational games can effectively convey complex anthropological concepts while sparking disciplinary curiosity. This study advances AI-native educational game design and provides a replicable model for transforming academic texts into engaging interactive experiences.