The Game School:
Developing Theories
and Practices Around
Gaming Literacies
Alice Robison
Massachusetts Institute of Technology &
The Game School
alicerobison.org
flickr.com/photos/iand
Monday, June 9, 2008 1

Goals & Methods:
2nd-Generation Literacy Scholars
Follow theory-builders of 1st
generation.
Are gathering evidence,
collecting data using
sociological and
anthropological methods.
Take as their goal to “provide
information about the
epistemology, practices and
interpretation of literacy
xkcd.com/208
practices over time” (Tyner).
Monday, June 9, 2008 2

Positions: 2nd-gen. Literacy Scholars
Contrary to recent NEA reports,
literacy is not connected to large-
scale social or cognitive
consequences (Graff).
Written cultures are not superior
to oral ones (Scribner & Cole).
What “counts” as literacy is a
range of complex practices
situated in particular contexts and
http://icanhascheezburger.com/2007/01/26/invisible-sandwich/
cultures (The New London
Group).
Monday, June 9, 2008 3

What Does it Mean if...
• Videogaming is the new golf?
• You’re not making connections in virtual spaces, or
you have no reference for it?
• You don’t know how to visualize data, problem-solve
with others, simulate processes, think with systems?
• You don’t know how to present yourself online?
• You can’t maintain relationships both on and offline?
• Can’t use the tools, parse the messages, synthesize the
information?
Monday, June 9, 2008 4

The Game School
image © interactiondesign.com.au
Monday, June 9, 2008 5

The Game School
Developed by the Institute of Play (instituteofplay.org), NYC, led by
Katie Salen (gamersmob.com).
image © interactiondesign.com.au
Monday, June 9, 2008 5

The Game School
Developed by the Institute of Play (instituteofplay.org), NYC, led by
Katie Salen (gamersmob.com).
Partnership project with New Visions for Public Schools (NYC) and
the MacArthur Foundation’s Digital Learning Initiative
(digitallearning.macfound.org).
image © interactiondesign.com.au
Monday, June 9, 2008 5

The Game School
Developed by the Institute of Play (instituteofplay.org), NYC, led by
Katie Salen (gamersmob.com).
Partnership project with New Visions for Public Schools (NYC) and
the MacArthur Foundation’s Digital Learning Initiative
(digitallearning.macfound.org).
Set to open in Fall 2009 with 6th grade, adding grades each year.
image © interactiondesign.com.au
Monday, June 9, 2008 5

The Game School
Developed by the Institute of Play (instituteofplay.org), NYC, led by
Katie Salen (gamersmob.com).
Partnership project with New Visions for Public Schools (NYC) and
the MacArthur Foundation’s Digital Learning Initiative
(digitallearning.macfound.org).
Set to open in Fall 2009 with 6th grade, adding grades each year.
The school’s design process “aims to harness strategic thinking
around gaming and game design as an innovative curricular and
learning paradigm, and actively seeks to change the way
institutions of learning are conceived of and built” (Planning
Document).
image © interactiondesign.com.au
Monday, June 9, 2008 5

The Game School
Developed by the Institute of Play (instituteofplay.org), NYC, led by
Katie Salen (gamersmob.com).
Partnership project with New Visions for Public Schools (NYC) and
the MacArthur Foundation’s Digital Learning Initiative
(digitallearning.macfound.org).
Set to open in Fall 2009 with 6th grade, adding grades each year.
The school’s design process “aims to harness strategic thinking
around gaming and game design as an innovative curricular and
learning paradigm, and actively seeks to change the way
institutions of learning are conceived of and built” (Planning
Document).
Will emphasize immersion in basic literacy practices in addition to
“ways of knowing and doing,” such as the ability to think, read,
and interact critically, to solve complex problems in mathematics
and science, and to express oneself persuasively through language
and media as authors, agents, and consumers” (Planning
Document). image © interactiondesign.com.au
Monday, June 9, 2008 5

What Do Gamers Learn?
They must seek expertise and ask for
help, to share expertise and tutor
others (forums, boards, guilds).
That collaboration is crucial with
both problem-solving and execution.
Indeed, collaborative play is a
designed objective.
They must thrive at fast decision-
making and know how to prioritize
in order to work collectively toward
a common goal.
Monday, June 9, 2008 6

What Do Gamers Learn?
They learn to see
the world as a
designed space,
as a series of
systems.
Can synthesize
both macro- and
micro-data in
order for quick
analysis.
Are good at
multitasking and
continuous
partial attention.
Phase by Harmonix Studios, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Monday, June 9, 2008 7

What Do Gamers Learn?
Real-time, immediate assessment
and visual feedback.
They work toward an end-goal, a
quantifiable outcome.
They are willing to experiment
and keep trying, to fix things,
take risks, failure is part of the
objective.
flickr.com/photos/conexaogamer
Monday, June 9, 2008 8

What Do Gamers Learn?
See themselves as heroes on a
quest, identify with
protagonists.
Experimental identities,
strategies, solutions (guitar
player, drummer).
Low-risk testing of living in an
immersive space, role-playing
(a bee in a bee’s world)
flickr.com/photos/foreverdigital
Monday, June 9, 2008 9

Games-Based Thinking
Gamers see themselves as heroes on quests, solving a series of ever-
increasing puzzles and problems.
They work toward an end-goal, a quantifiable outcome.
They are willing to experiment and keep trying, to fix things, take risks.
Failure is part of the objective.
They learn to see the world as a designed space, as a series of systems.
They are willing to seek expertise and ask for help, to share expertise and
tutor others, just because it’s fun.
They learn that collaboration is crucial with both problem-solving and
execution.
Gamers thrive at fast decision-making and know how to prioritize.
They often practice multitasking and continuous partial attention.
Monday, June 9, 2008 10

Game School Core Practices
Taking on Identities Responding to a Need to Know
Using Game Design and Interacting with Others
Systems Thinking
Experimenting and Imagining
Practicing in Context Possibilities
Playing and Reflecting Giving and Receiving Feedback
Theorizing and Testing Inventing Solutions
© Institute of Play; Do Not Cite
Monday, June 9, 2008 11

Ways of Knowing, Learning
Systems-based thinking Need to know
Interdisciplinary thinking Need to share and reflect
User-Centered design Occasion to share
Specialist language Context for ongoing feedback
and evaluation
Meta-level reflection
Channels for distribution
Network literacies across internal and external
communities
Productive/tool literacies
© Institute of Play; Do Not Cite
Monday, June 9, 2008 12

Institute of Play
http://www.viddler.com/explore/instituteofplay/videos/2/
Monday, June 9, 2008 13

Potential Uses of Gaming
© Institute of Play; Do Not Cite
Monday, June 9, 2008 14

Potential Uses of Gaming
• Authoring systems--using games to
produce an artifact (e.g., game designs,
mods, videos, visual texts, avatars, body
of code, written texts, etc.)
© Institute of Play; Do Not Cite
Monday, June 9, 2008 14

Potential Uses of Gaming
• Authoring systems--using games to
produce an artifact (e.g., game designs,
mods, videos, visual texts, avatars, body
of code, written texts, etc.)
• Content systems--COTS games used to
supplement understanding (e.g.
Civilization for history, Everquest for
economics)
© Institute of Play; Do Not Cite
Monday, June 9, 2008 14

Potential Uses of Gaming
• Authoring systems--using games to
produce an artifact (e.g., game designs,
mods, videos, visual texts, avatars, body
of code, written texts, etc.)
• Content systems--COTS games used to
supplement understanding (e.g.
Civilization for history, Everquest for
economics)
• Simulations for manipulation--testing
theories about how systems work, how
principles of design are implemented--as
well as for measuring internal assessment
measures (data)
© Institute of Play; Do Not Cite
Monday, June 9, 2008 14

Potential Uses of Gaming
• Authoring systems--using games to
produce an artifact (e.g., game designs,
mods, videos, visual texts, avatars, body
of code, written texts, etc.)
• Content systems--COTS games used to
supplement understanding (e.g.
Civilization for history, Everquest for
economics)
• Simulations for manipulation--testing
theories about how systems work, how
principles of design are implemented--as
well as for measuring internal assessment
measures (data)
• Experiential context or “trigger systems”
for understanding concepts (e.g., play
Mafia to experience ethical dilemma)
© Institute of Play; Do Not Cite
Monday, June 9, 2008 14

Potential Uses of Gaming
• Authoring systems--using games to • Gateways to technologies needed to help
produce an artifact (e.g., game designs, understand and/or master another
mods, videos, visual texts, avatars, body medium (learning Photoshop for Sims,
of code, written texts, etc.) then Second Life)
• Content systems--COTS games used to
supplement understanding (e.g.
Civilization for history, Everquest for
economics)
• Simulations for manipulation--testing
theories about how systems work, how
principles of design are implemented--as
well as for measuring internal assessment
measures (data)
• Experiential context or “trigger systems”
for understanding concepts (e.g., play
Mafia to experience ethical dilemma)
© Institute of Play; Do Not Cite
Monday, June 9, 2008 14

Potential Uses of Gaming
• Authoring systems--using games to • Gateways to technologies needed to help
produce an artifact (e.g., game designs, understand and/or master another
mods, videos, visual texts, avatars, body medium (learning Photoshop for Sims,
of code, written texts, etc.) then Second Life)
• Content systems--COTS games used to • Illustration--reflective systems used as
supplement understanding (e.g. contexts for meta-cognitive tasks. COTS
Civilization for history, Everquest for and board games help reflect on decision-
economics) making
• Simulations for manipulation--testing
theories about how systems work, how
principles of design are implemented--as
well as for measuring internal assessment
measures (data)
• Experiential context or “trigger systems”
for understanding concepts (e.g., play
Mafia to experience ethical dilemma)
© Institute of Play; Do Not Cite
Monday, June 9, 2008 14

Potential Uses of Gaming
• Authoring systems--using games to • Gateways to technologies needed to help
produce an artifact (e.g., game designs, understand and/or master another
mods, videos, visual texts, avatars, body medium (learning Photoshop for Sims,
of code, written texts, etc.) then Second Life)
• Content systems--COTS games used to • Illustration--reflective systems used as
supplement understanding (e.g. contexts for meta-cognitive tasks. COTS
Civilization for history, Everquest for and board games help reflect on decision-
economics) making
• Simulations for manipulation--testing • Exemplars of points-of-view--identity
theories about how systems work, how play, RPGs, etc.
principles of design are implemented--as
well as for measuring internal assessment
measures (data)
• Experiential context or “trigger systems”
for understanding concepts (e.g., play
Mafia to experience ethical dilemma)
© Institute of Play; Do Not Cite
Monday, June 9, 2008 14

Potential Uses of Gaming
• Authoring systems--using games to • Gateways to technologies needed to help
produce an artifact (e.g., game designs, understand and/or master another
mods, videos, visual texts, avatars, body medium (learning Photoshop for Sims,
of code, written texts, etc.) then Second Life)
• Content systems--COTS games used to • Illustration--reflective systems used as
supplement understanding (e.g. contexts for meta-cognitive tasks. COTS
Civilization for history, Everquest for and board games help reflect on decision-
economics) making
• Simulations for manipulation--testing • Exemplars of points-of-view--identity
theories about how systems work, how play, RPGs, etc.
principles of design are implemented--as
well as for measuring internal assessment • Code worlds--code systems such as
measures (data) writing as primary mechanic of game
play (text adventures, text-based mobile
• Experiential context or “trigger systems” games). Writing is mode of action,
for understanding concepts (e.g., play thinking, and expression.
Mafia to experience ethical dilemma)
© Institute of Play; Do Not Cite
Monday, June 9, 2008 14

References
Gee, J.P. (2003). What video games have to teach us about learning and literacy. NY: Palgrave MacMillan.
Graff, H. (1995). The labyrinths of literacy: Reflections on literacy past and present. Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh UP.
Jenkins, H., Purushotma, R., Clinton, K., Weigel, M., & Robison, A. (2006). Confronting the challenges of participatory
culture: Media education for the 21st century. Retrieved from http://digitallearning.macfound.org/site/
c.enJLKQNlFiG/b.2029291/k.97E5/Occasional_Papers.htm
Lankshear, C. & Knobel, M. (2006). New literacies: Everyday practices and classroom learning (2nd ed.). London: Open
UP.
The New London Group (1996). A Pedagogy of multiliteracies: Designing social futures. Harvard Educational Review
66(1), 60-92.
Salen, K., Torres, R., Wolozin, L., Rufo-Tepper, R. (2008). The Game School planning document: Draft 1.0. Personal copy.
Scribner, S. & Cole, M. (1981). The psychology of literacy. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP.
Tyner, K. (1998). Literacy in a digital world. Mahwah, NJ: LEA, Inc.
Unitd States. National Endowment for the Arts. (2007, November). To Read or not to read: A Question of national
consequence. Retrieved 1 December 2007 from the NEA website: http://www.nea.gov/pub/pubLit.php
Monday, June 9, 2008 15

instituteofplay.org
The Game School:
Developing Theories
and Practices Around
Gaming Literacies
Alice Robison
Massachusetts Institute of Technology &
The Game School
alicerobison.org
flickr.com/photos/iand
Monday, June 9, 2008 16