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lrn2play

rachel smith the new media consortium

Zoelle has defeated Arex in a duel.

[Arex]: dang! pwnt! (Congratulations! That was impressive!)

[Zoelle]: that was close. vanish ftw (You were very good too. I only triumphed because I had a slight technological edge.)

[Arex]: I hate rogues /cry

(No, no, your technique was clearly superior.)

[Zoelle]: lol lrn2play noob (Keep trying -- practice makes perfect!)

how does this topic make you feel?

so where do we start?

google: sudoku

google: miniclip, escapa

what they have in common

•  games set up a situation by having rules

•  players work within those rules to accomplish a goal or goals

•  each game requires a certain amount of focus to succeed

…the previous examples are all entertainment games.

live long and prosper

google: MIT live long prosper

google: nmc campus

compare to comic books & manga

from My Cat Loki (Tokyopop.com)

google: educational comic books

remember learning objects?

AFRICA

what I’m not talking about

•  unguided learning

•  replacing teachers with games

•  using games in places where they don’t make sense

•  cramming education into entertainment-based games

study: students repeatedly said that it’s the teacher who makes the course – not the technology

looking deeper

google: horizon report, esa essential facts

www.nickyee.com/daedalus

research

how many people?

www.mmogchart.com

where the money is

www.mmogchart.com

game design degree programs

•  Houston Community College – Southwest

•  UC Santa Cruz

•  Michigan State University

•  University of Advancing Technology (UAT)

•  Online programs (Kaplan University)

•  George Brown College

google: game design degree

games & girls

Michigan State University aliengames.org

game theory

gametheory.net

for educators, students, professionals…

and geeks.

what can we learn from games?

. . . from playing games

•  with any game, you learn the rules to play it •  understanding of strategy comes later •  cooperation for multi-player games; concentration

for solo games •  physical coordination for sports, hand-eye

coordination for games involving manual dexterity •  quick decision-making for fast-paced video games •  hand-eye coordination & reflexes for “twitch”

games

games are more complicated than they used to be

are these useful leadership skills? •  role assignment

•  task delegation

•  crisis management

•  logistical planning

•  determining how to share rewards among group members

•  motivating group members

•  dealing with negative attitudes

•  dealing with group conflicts

•  encouraging group loyalty and cohesion

Yee, 2006

engagement

•  learning is assisted by engagement in the topic on the part of the learner

•  games are engaging (good ones, anyway) –  storytelling –  flexibility – problem-solving

•  games in the workplace –  repetitive tasks –  learning that involves repetition and practice

google: games2train, monkey wrench consipiracy, gaming workplace

accidentally educational

•  music (Guitar Hero)

•  business & economics (SimCity, Roller Coaster Tycoon, Rich Man Game)

•  evolution & culture (Spore, Civilization)

•  ecology (that one with the eagles and the mice)

•  history (Call of Duty 2)

•  physical skills (Dance Dance Revolution)

•  cooperation, leadership, interpersonal skills (Everquest, Neverwinter Nights, World of Warcraft)

intentionally educational

google: arden, educational MOO, nmc campus

•  Arden

•  Simulations in Second Life

•  Remember MOOs? –  Meridian

–  MediaMOO

–  Language MOOs

learning occurs in and around these spaces

the community of MMOs

source: www.worldofwarcraft.com

new art forms: machinima

Billy McClure by Terran “Liadov” Gregory

The Ballad of the Noob by Jun Falkenstein source: www.youtube.com

Big Blue Dress by Cranius

. . . from designing games

•  designing puzzles – researching answers, coming up with questions; teaching is a good way to learn

•  designing simple games – game theory, rules, strategy

•  designing paper-based worlds and adventures (like D&D) – geography, history, language, politics

•  designing an online game – art & illustration; computer science; 3D modeling; working with game engines

new interfaces

google: wii, guitar hero, dance pad

the flip side

what’s problematic about games?

•  understanding when they are appropriate

•  making them

•  creating good content (educational and fun)

•  assessing progress and learning

•  getting people to take them seriously

looking ahead

•  more research & development •  more studies, pilots, anecdotes •  authoring tools

–  game-editor.com (2D games for PCs and mobiles) –  Neverwinter Nights modding tools –  game engines (Multiverse, Croquet)

•  more experimentation in online environments •  more games •  more people talking about, thinking about, writing

about educational gaming

new worlds, new possibilities… •  exploration of identity

•  relationship-building

•  global communities

33 years | 40 years | 89%

source: Essential Facts about Games and Youth Violence, ESA, 2006

mmorpgs (MMOs)

virtual worlds: nmc campus

stay tuned . . .

we’re playing with the future.

lrn2play

Education