beyond edutainment : a new generation of game-based learning assistant professor, phd simon...

Beyond Edutainment: A New generation of game-based learning

Assistant professor, PhD Simon Egenfeldt-NielsenIT-Universitet København

CEO Serious Games Interactive

28. November 2006, CopenhagenMost of what goes under the name "edutainment" reminds me of George Bernard Shaw's response to a famous beauty who speculated on the marvelous child they could have together: "With your brains and my looks ..." He retorted, "But what if the child had my looks and your brains?"

(Papert, 1998: 88)

9 appetizers on learning games…

Games used for education since 18th century

Learning games used profesionally since 1960s

Electroicn learning games used since 1970s

Increased motivation and interest in a given subject

Create positive and active learning environments

Dynamic presentation of information

Most succesful learning game in 2006 had +4 mio. downloads

US army use around $4 mia. yearly on simulations/games

60% of all people play computer games sometimes

Agenda

1. Maturing: Quick browse through games

2. Edutainment: A buzzword gone bad

3. Serious Games: The new hype

4. Case 1: McDonalds by Molleindustria

5. Case 2: Global Conflicts-Palestine

6. Working: What’s the evidence

Quick browse through games...

Yes, there are many different genres (action, simulation, strategy, adventure, RPG)..

On different platforms (pc, consoles, mobiles)

With different complexity level: Singelplayer -> multiplayer 2D graphics -> 3D graphics Small universe -> large univers 15 minutes -> 50 hours playtime

Everybody might play games, although many still don’t and games are played very differently. Latest US survey find average gamer is 33 years...

What is edutainment…

Matematik i Måneby (Bitfrost)

Pixeline(Krea Medie )

Magnus & Myggen(Ivanoff)

Der kræves QuickTime™ og et TIFF (ukomprimeret)-komprimeringsværktøj,for at man kan se dette billede.

Der kræves QuickTime™ og et TIFF (ukomprimeret)-komprimeringsværktøj,for at man kan se dette billede.

Der kræves QuickTime™ og et TIFF (ukomprimeret)-komprimeringsværktøj,

for at man kan se dette billede.

Der kræves QuickTime™ og et TIFF (ukomprimeret)-komprimeringsværktøj,

for at man kan se dette billede.

MathBlasterI(Knowledge Adventure)

Der kræves QuickTime™ og et TIFF (ukomprimeret)-komprimeringsværktøj,

for at man kan se dette billede.

Der kræves QuickTime™ og et TIFF (ukomprimeret)-komprimeringsværktøj,

for at man kan se dette billede.

Straight shooter(Games2train)

Titles within eduation sector most wellknown

This is not about edutainment…

Little intrinsic motivation: Extrinsic motivation through rewards, rather than intrinsic motivation.

No integrated learning experience: Lacks integration of the learning experience with playing experience - learning subordinated play experience.

Drill-and-practice learning principles: Rely on drill-and-practice rather than understanding – training above learning.

No teacher presence: No demands on teachers or parents.

Simple gameplay: Built on a simple gameplay from classic titles.

Small budgets: Produced on limited budgets with limited technology.

The new hype on serious games...

In principal, any gameGames with an agenda

Educating, enlightening..Not only entertaining

EdutainmentAdvertainmentBusiness gamesMilitary gamesPolitical gamesSatirical games

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressorare needed to see this picture.

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressorare needed to see this picture.

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressorare needed to see this picture.

Same topics - different game...

Sales training Fona

1. Quiz show: The player must get all the answers right and compete with other colleagues.

2. Treasure hunt: The player must explore different web-sites and sources in competition with colleagues to answer the most questions

3. Virtual job: The player explores a virtual universe with different sources, people and methods for making the sale in competition with other colleagues.

Edutainment

Next-gen

Case 1: McDonalds

• Player part of the environment & making relevant actions

• Aimed at understanding the underlying dynamics of the corporation

• Challenging, engaging & appealing

• Have to understand elements of the corporation to win the game

Learning goal: to make people aware of the evil empire McDonalds’ methods

Inspiration can be found in strange places

The large case: Global Conflicts - Palestine

Create the world’s best computer games with

an agenda beyond entertainment

What is Global Conflicts: Palestine

Vision

Global Conflict : Feel and understand the tense atmosphere

and problems in Palestine

You as freelance journalist will draft a way

out of the conflict

The gameWhat is Global Conflicts: Palestine

Private market: People that are intellectual curious & not afraid to try new things.

Educational market: 13-19 years social studies in Western world

Target groupsWhat is Global Conflicts: Palestine

“I learned more history in one day

than the last 6 months”

Student, 16 years

Play trailerWhat is Global Conflicts: Palestine

Freelance journalist

Get the best article

Find informants

Gain their trust

Get their story

Dig out best quotes

Put together article

Highest journalist level

GameplayWhat is Global Conflicts: Palestine

You

Goal

Means

Winning

What problems did we try to solve

Perspective: Provide different perspectives on a topic Involvement: Provide involvement in a topic Engagement: Make the player feel they make a difference Realism & atmosphere: Develop realistic atmosphere Curriculum ties: Fit it in with some curriculum

What is Global Conflicts: Palestine

Setup

Sample: 51 Danish High school low-middle class students (16-20 years) after a one-week course

Traditional lecturing 4 weeks on theme

Play missions 2 students (note taking)

Group discussion 4 students (Poster w. timeline)

Plenum discussion all students

Survey

Video observation

Interviews

Test & evaluation

Empirical study

Different rooms for learning styles

Group work

Reflectiveobservation

Activeexperimentation

GC: Palestine

Lecture Abstractconcepts

Concreteexperiences

•Kolb’s cycle covered with different teaching forms in the course.

• The teacher is crucial to facilitate a full learning experience.

Empirical study

Qualitative feedback

“Global Conflicts: Palestine is a fun and different way to receive learning” (Female student, 18 years)

“You had a greater desire to learn about the topic from Global Conflicts: Palestine” (Male student, 16 years)

”You learn a lot about how Israelis and Palestinians respectively look at the conflict, because you talk to

different persons... I think it is good that the stories derive from reality, providing the stories with a realistic tone.”

(Female student, 18 years)

Empirical study

90% students find it the be an interesting course

88% Students find it to be an interesting educational material

59 % of students find they learned more

90% of students wants to try a similar course again

Students want more...Empirical study

Other support for effiency

More motivated & engaged Activity perceived as more challenging Rention is often better

Most research say you learn from games - at least the same as

other teaching methods. Below overview of studies that support

learning from games

Yes Maybe No

20 1 2

Closing

Next generation of game-based learning is in the making. Research suggest that game-based learning is very effective Team needed to build next-gen game-based learning more complex Nordic learning approach gaining ground

Contact: sen@seriousgames.dk