Westchester Library-Alice Robison-October 2007

Slide 1: Videogames at the Library?! Using Games as Learning Tools Alice J. Robison Massachusetts Institute of Technology alicerobison.org ajr@mit.edu Thursday, November 8, 2007 1

Slide 2: How many of you are gamers? Thursday, November 8, 2007 2

Slide 3: Define “Gamer” Thursday, November 8, 2007 3

Slide 4: Define “Gamer” • Teenage boys in the basement? Nope! Thursday, November 8, 2007 3

Slide 5: Define “Gamer” • Teenage boys in the basement? Nope! • 90 million gamers up to age 35 Thursday, November 8, 2007 3

Slide 6: Define “Gamer” • Teenage boys in the basement? Nope! • 90 million gamers up to age 35 • 77 million baby boomers--retirees largest growing segment of gamers Thursday, November 8, 2007 3

Slide 7: Define “Gamer” • Teenage boys in the basement? Nope! • 90 million gamers up to age 35 • 77 million baby boomers--retirees largest growing segment of gamers • 2003 Pew Internet study of college student gamers--70% play once in a while, 65% play regularly Thursday, November 8, 2007 3

Slide 8: Define “Gamer” • Teenage boys in the basement? Nope! • 90 million gamers up to age 35 • 77 million baby boomers--retirees largest growing segment of gamers • 2003 Pew Internet study of college student gamers--70% play once in a while, 65% play regularly • Average gamer age is 31-33 Thursday, November 8, 2007 3

Slide 9: Games are Changing Guitar Hero, Rock Band Wii Sports, Wii Play Casual Games Sports Games Strategy Games Literature-themed Thursday, November 8, 2007 4

Slide 10: Where do Gamers Play? • Home • Hospitals • School • Online • Ofﬂine • Libraries! Thursday, November 8, 2007 5

Slide 11: Thursday, November 8, 2007 6

Slide 12: More than half of all American teens--and 57% of teens who could use the internet--could be considered media creators. Thursday, November 8, 2007 6

Slide 13: More than half of all American teens--and 57% of teens who could use the internet--could be considered media creators. 22% have their own homepages Thursday, November 8, 2007 6

Slide 14: More than half of all American teens--and 57% of teens who could use the internet--could be considered media creators. 22% have their own homepages 32% report they’ve experienced “cyberbullying” Thursday, November 8, 2007 6

Slide 15: More than half of all American teens--and 57% of teens who could use the internet--could be considered media creators. 22% have their own homepages 55% protect their personal information online 32% report they’ve experienced “cyberbullying” Thursday, November 8, 2007 6

Slide 16: More than half of all American teens--and 57% of teens who could use the internet--could be considered media creators. 22% have their own homepages 55% protect their personal information online 32% report they’ve 85% use Facebook experienced “cyberbullying” Thursday, November 8, 2007 6

Slide 17: More than half of all American teens--and 57% of teens who could use the internet--could be considered media creators. 22% have their own homepages 55% protect their personal information online 32% report they’ve 85% use Facebook experienced if available on their campus “cyberbullying” Thursday, November 8, 2007 6

Slide 18: More than half of all American teens--and 57% of teens who could use the internet--could be considered media creators. 22% have their own homepages 55% protect their personal information online 33% share what they create online with others 32% report they’ve 85% use Facebook experienced if available on their campus “cyberbullying” Thursday, November 8, 2007 6

Slide 19: More than half of all American teens--and 57% of teens who could use the internet--could be considered media creators. 22% have their own homepages 55% protect their personal information online 33% share what they create online with others 32% report they’ve 85% use Facebook experienced if available on their campus “cyberbullying” 19% blog and 19% remix content they find online Thursday, November 8, 2007 6

Slide 20: More than half of all American teens--and 57% of teens who could use the internet--could be considered media creators. 22% have their own homepages 55% protect their personal information online 33% share what they create online with others 32% report they’ve 85% use Facebook experienced if available on their campus “cyberbullying” 19% blog and 19% remix content they find online 55% use online social networking regularly Thursday, November 8, 2007 6

Slide 33: This isn’t Just About Technology Lankshear & Knobel, 2006; Jenkins, et. al, 2006 Thursday, November 8, 2007 8

Slide 34: This isn’t Just About Technology technical stuff: we can now use cool stuff to do the same kinds of things we have previously known; a “physical-industrial” mindset--individualized, enclosed, product-centered, hierarchical Lankshear & Knobel, 2006; Jenkins, et. al, 2006 Thursday, November 8, 2007 8

Slide 35: This isn’t Just About Technology technical stuff: we can now use cool stuff to do the same kinds of things we have previously known; a “physical-industrial” mindset--individualized, enclosed, product-centered, hierarchical Lankshear & Knobel, 2006; Jenkins, et. al, 2006 Thursday, November 8, 2007 8

Slide 36: This isn’t Just About Technology technical stuff: we can now use cool stuff to do the same kinds of things we have previously known; a “physical-industrial” mindset--individualized, enclosed, product-centered, hierarchical ethos stuff: co-existence of physical space and cyberspace; a “cyberspatial, post-industrial” mindset--collective, distributed, decentered, process- focused, change-based Lankshear & Knobel, 2006; Jenkins, et. al, 2006 Thursday, November 8, 2007 8

Slide 37: What are Gamers Good At? Thursday, November 8, 2007 9

Slide 38: What are Gamers Good At? • See themselves as heroes on quests Thursday, November 8, 2007 9

Slide 39: What are Gamers Good At? • See themselves as heroes on quests • Willing to experiment and keep trying--like to fix things, not afraid to low-penalty risks Thursday, November 8, 2007 9

Slide 40: What are Gamers Good At? • See themselves as heroes on quests • Willing to experiment and keep trying--like to fix things, not afraid to low-penalty risks • Are “systems thinkers;” see the world as a designed space Thursday, November 8, 2007 9

Slide 41: What are Gamers Good At? • See themselves as heroes on quests • Willing to experiment and keep trying--like to fix things, not afraid to low-penalty risks • Are “systems thinkers;” see the world as a designed space • Willing to seek expertise and ask for help--also willing to share expertise, tutor others Thursday, November 8, 2007 9

Slide 42: What are Gamers Good At? • See themselves as heroes on quests • Willing to experiment and keep trying--like to fix things, not afraid to low-penalty risks • Are “systems thinkers;” see the world as a designed space • Willing to seek expertise and ask for help--also willing to share expertise, tutor others • Collaboration is crucial with both problem-solving and execution Thursday, November 8, 2007 9

Slide 43: What are Gamers Good At? • See themselves as heroes on quests • Willing to experiment and keep trying--like to fix things, not afraid to low-penalty risks • Are “systems thinkers;” see the world as a designed space • Willing to seek expertise and ask for help--also willing to share expertise, tutor others • Collaboration is crucial with both problem-solving and execution • Thrive at fast decision-making and know how to prioritize Thursday, November 8, 2007 9

Slide 44: What are Gamers Good At? • See themselves as heroes on quests • Willing to experiment and keep trying--like to fix things, not afraid to low-penalty risks • Are “systems thinkers;” see the world as a designed space • Willing to seek expertise and ask for help--also willing to share expertise, tutor others • Collaboration is crucial with both problem-solving and execution • Thrive at fast decision-making and know how to prioritize • Are good at multitasking and continuous partial attention Thursday, November 8, 2007 9

Slide 45: What are Gamers Good At? • See themselves as heroes on quests • Willing to experiment and keep trying--like to fix things, not afraid to low-penalty risks • Are “systems thinkers;” see the world as a designed space • Willing to seek expertise and ask for help--also willing to share expertise, tutor others • Collaboration is crucial with both problem-solving and execution • Thrive at fast decision-making and know how to prioritize • Are good at multitasking and continuous partial attention Thursday, November 8, 2007 9

Slide 46: What are Games Good At? Thursday, November 8, 2007 10

Slide 47: What are Games Good At? • Recruit collaborative problem-solving and execution--many games deliberately designed for social strategies Thursday, November 8, 2007 10

Slide 48: What are Games Good At? • Recruit collaborative problem-solving and execution--many games deliberately designed for social strategies • Invite players to take risks and experiment in low-risk settings before giving high-stakes challenges: failure is part of the puzzle Thursday, November 8, 2007 10

Slide 49: What are Games Good At? • Recruit collaborative problem-solving and execution--many games deliberately designed for social strategies • Invite players to take risks and experiment in low-risk settings before giving high-stakes challenges: failure is part of the puzzle • Help players view the world as a designed space, which enables players to unpack hidden systems, underlying themes Thursday, November 8, 2007 10

Slide 50: What are Games Good At? • Recruit collaborative problem-solving and execution--many games deliberately designed for social strategies • Invite players to take risks and experiment in low-risk settings before giving high-stakes challenges: failure is part of the puzzle • Help players view the world as a designed space, which enables players to unpack hidden systems, underlying themes • Invite players to take on multiple identities in situated contexts and then reflect on those choices Thursday, November 8, 2007 10

Slide 51: What are Games Good At? • Recruit collaborative problem-solving and execution--many games deliberately designed for social strategies • Invite players to take risks and experiment in low-risk settings before giving high-stakes challenges: failure is part of the puzzle • Help players view the world as a designed space, which enables players to unpack hidden systems, underlying themes • Invite players to take on multiple identities in situated contexts and then reflect on those choices • Instant, frequent feedback on behaviors, choices, execution-- often communicated in a variety of modes (cutscenes, graphs) Thursday, November 8, 2007 10

Slide 52: What are Games Good At? • Recruit collaborative problem-solving and execution--many games deliberately designed for social strategies • Invite players to take risks and experiment in low-risk settings before giving high-stakes challenges: failure is part of the puzzle • Help players view the world as a designed space, which enables players to unpack hidden systems, underlying themes • Invite players to take on multiple identities in situated contexts and then reflect on those choices • Instant, frequent feedback on behaviors, choices, execution-- often communicated in a variety of modes (cutscenes, graphs) • Encourage production, participation, affinity, data circulation & display Thursday, November 8, 2007 10

Slide 53: What are Games Good At? • Recruit collaborative problem-solving and execution--many games deliberately designed for social strategies • Invite players to take risks and experiment in low-risk settings before giving high-stakes challenges: failure is part of the puzzle • Help players view the world as a designed space, which enables players to unpack hidden systems, underlying themes • Invite players to take on multiple identities in situated contexts and then reflect on those choices • Instant, frequent feedback on behaviors, choices, execution-- often communicated in a variety of modes (cutscenes, graphs) • Encourage production, participation, affinity, data circulation & display Thursday, November 8, 2007 10

Slide 54: information literacy-> gaming literacy identity play affiliations affinity spaces collaborative problem-solving circulating information & data surfing with others Thursday, November 8, 2007 11

Slide 56: What do we mean by “literacies?” encoded texts that can be retrieved, worked with, and made available independent of the physical presence of another person (Lankshear & Knobel, 2006) Thursday, November 8, 2007 12

Slide 58: What do we mean by “new literacies?” blogging, fanfic writing, manga-producing, meme-ing, photoshopping, podcasting, vodcasting, gaming, html-ing (Lankshear & Knobel, 2006) Thursday, November 8, 2007 13

Slide 59: it’s not a big truck “The internet isn’t just something you dump something on. It’s not a big truck. It’s...it’s a series of tubes.” --Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) John Hodgman’s Reply Ted Stevens Remix Thursday, November 8, 2007 14

Slide 60: newest gamer cultures Thursday, November 8, 2007 15

Slide 61: online social networks Thursday, November 8, 2007 16

Slide 62: alternate reality games Thursday, November 8, 2007 17

Slide 63: passive gaming Thursday, November 8, 2007 18

Slide 64: passive gaming PMOG “adds an element of score-keeping, gentle competition, cooperation and self-reflection through scorekeeping and game dynamics added to web- browsing” (Justin Hall, 2007) Thursday, November 8, 2007 18

Slide 65: passive gaming PMOG “adds an element of score-keeping, gentle competition, cooperation and self-reflection through scorekeeping and game dynamics added to web- browsing” (Justin Hall, 2007) It opens our eyes to what the web really holds, to expand our grasp of meaning-making experiences with the web Thursday, November 8, 2007 18

Slide 66: “Gamers...in the Library?” --Eli Neiburger “WHY?! For the love of dear old Melvil Dewey, why would we take our hallowed houses of learning and sully them with these vile, prurient, mind-rotting entertainments? Well, it’s a fair question, so long as you remember that they were saying exactly the same thing about Pride and Prejudice not that long ago. Minus the Dewey part, of course.” Thursday, November 8, 2007 19

Slide 67: “Gamers...in the Library?” --Eli Neiburger “We’ve also learned that content is not just about text, and that media doesn’t have to be socially redeeming, or even any good, for our patrons to want to consume it.... ...If we were supposed to restrict ourselves to offering materials with purely redeeming social qualities and educational value, we’d have to throw out half the collection.” Thursday, November 8, 2007 20

Slide 68: A Zero-Sum Game? • Content • Knitting clubs, romance novels, large-print books, movies, discussion groups, storytime • Connections, community • Instruction Thursday, November 8, 2007 21

Slide 69: digitallearning.macfound.org Thursday, November 8, 2007 22

Slide 70: New Media Literacies Play Performance Simulation Appropriation Participation Gap Multitasking Distributed Cognition Transparency Collective Intelligence Problem Judgment Transmedia Ethics Problem Navigation Networking Negotiation Thursday, November 8, 2007 23

Slide 71: NML Framework http://projectnml.org Play: involves experimenting with Collective intelligence: pooling one’s surroundings as problem-solving knowledge toward a common goal Performance: involves adopting Judgment: evaluating the reliability alternative identities and credibility of different sources Simulation: involves interpreting Transmedia navigation: following and constructing dynamic models narratives across multiple modes Appropriation: meaningfully Networking: searching for, sampling and remixing media content synthesizing, and disseminating information Multitasking: scanning one’s environment and shifting focus as Negotiation: traveling across needed communities, discerning perspectives, norms Distributed cognition: interacting with tools to expand mental capacities Thursday, November 8, 2007 24

Slide 72: NML Thinking • Kodak Picture Gallery --> • stickiness--> syndication Flickr • demographics--> identity • Britannica Online --> play Wikipedia • developer-written--> • personal websites --> players co-writing blogging • individual competencies • evite -->upcoming.org --> collaborative questing • publishing--> • value dependent on participation scarcity of products--> • content management value dependent on systems --> wikis behavior choices • directories (taxonomy)--> • surfing alone--> surfing tagging ("folksonomy") with others Thursday, November 8, 2007 25

Slide 73: What Does it Mean if... Thursday, November 8, 2007 26

Slide 74: What Does it Mean if... • Gaming is the new golf? Thursday, November 8, 2007 26

Slide 75: What Does it Mean if... • Gaming is the new golf? • You’re not making connections in WoW, etc., or you have no reference for it? Thursday, November 8, 2007 26

Slide 76: What Does it Mean if... • Gaming is the new golf? • You’re not making connections in WoW, etc., or you have no reference for it? • You don’t know how to visualize data, problem- solve with others, know how to think with systems Thursday, November 8, 2007 26

Slide 77: What Does it Mean if... • Gaming is the new golf? • You’re not making connections in WoW, etc., or you have no reference for it? • You don’t know how to visualize data, problem- solve with others, know how to think with systems • You don’t know how to interact online and socialize in games, virtual worlds, or interactive sites? Thursday, November 8, 2007 26

Slide 78: What Does it Mean if... • Gaming is the new golf? • You’re not making connections in WoW, etc., or you have no reference for it? • You don’t know how to visualize data, problem- solve with others, know how to think with systems • You don’t know how to interact online and socialize in games, virtual worlds, or interactive sites? • You don’t know how to present yourself online? Thursday, November 8, 2007 26

Slide 79: Adopt the new literacies ethos Thursday, November 8, 2007 27

Slide 80: Adopt the new literacies ethos • Use design principles of good games Thursday, November 8, 2007 27

Slide 81: Adopt the new literacies ethos • Use design principles of good games • Low-risk opportunities for failure Thursday, November 8, 2007 27

Slide 82: Adopt the new literacies ethos • Use design principles of good games • Low-risk opportunities for failure • Encourage design-system thinking Thursday, November 8, 2007 27

Slide 83: Adopt the new literacies ethos • Use design principles of good games • Low-risk opportunities for failure • Encourage design-system thinking • Reappropriate, circulate, visualize data Thursday, November 8, 2007 27

Slide 84: Adopt the new literacies ethos • Use design principles of good games • Low-risk opportunities for failure • Encourage design-system thinking • Reappropriate, circulate, visualize data • Legitimate peripheral participation Thursday, November 8, 2007 27

Slide 85: Adopt the new literacies ethos • Use design principles of good games • Low-risk opportunities for failure • Encourage design-system thinking • Reappropriate, circulate, visualize data • Legitimate peripheral participation • Don’t erase judgment, ethical decision-making Thursday, November 8, 2007 27

Slide 86: Adopt the new literacies ethos • Use design principles of good games • Low-risk opportunities for failure • Encourage design-system thinking • Reappropriate, circulate, visualize data • Legitimate peripheral participation • Don’t erase judgment, ethical decision-making • Problem-based learning Thursday, November 8, 2007 27

Slide 87: Adopt the new literacies ethos • Use design principles of good games • Low-risk opportunities for failure • Encourage design-system thinking • Reappropriate, circulate, visualize data • Legitimate peripheral participation • Don’t erase judgment, ethical decision-making • Problem-based learning • Information literacy Thursday, November 8, 2007 27

Slide 88: Adopt the new literacies ethos • Use design principles of good games • Low-risk opportunities for failure • Encourage design-system thinking • Reappropriate, circulate, visualize data • Legitimate peripheral participation • Don’t erase judgment, ethical decision-making • Problem-based learning • Information literacy • Go outside the game: transmedia, fan cultures Thursday, November 8, 2007 27

Slide 89: Adopt the new literacies ethos • Use design principles of good games • Low-risk opportunities for failure • Encourage design-system thinking • Reappropriate, circulate, visualize data • Legitimate peripheral participation • Don’t erase judgment, ethical decision-making • Problem-based learning • Information literacy • Go outside the game: transmedia, fan cultures • Identity play Thursday, November 8, 2007 27

Slide 90: Adopt the new literacies ethos • Use design principles of good games • Low-risk opportunities for failure • Encourage design-system thinking • Reappropriate, circulate, visualize data • Legitimate peripheral participation • Don’t erase judgment, ethical decision-making • Problem-based learning • Information literacy • Go outside the game: transmedia, fan cultures • Identity play • Affinity spaces Thursday, November 8, 2007 27

Slide 91: Adopt the new literacies ethos • Use design principles of good games • Low-risk opportunities for failure • Encourage design-system thinking • Reappropriate, circulate, visualize data • Legitimate peripheral participation • Don’t erase judgment, ethical decision-making • Problem-based learning • Information literacy • Go outside the game: transmedia, fan cultures • Identity play • Affinity spaces • PLAY GAMES--failure is part of the game, remember? Thursday, November 8, 2007 27

Slide 92: References, Further Reading Thursday, November 8, 2007 28

Slide 93: References, Further Reading • “Meet the Gamers” -- Squire & Steinkuehler, Libraryjournal.com, 2005 Thursday, November 8, 2007 28

Slide 94: References, Further Reading • “Meet the Gamers” -- Squire & Steinkuehler, Libraryjournal.com, 2005 • Gaming and Libraries: Intersection of Services-- Jenny Levine, ALA (theshiftedlibrarian.com) Thursday, November 8, 2007 28

Slide 95: References, Further Reading • “Meet the Gamers” -- Squire & Steinkuehler, Libraryjournal.com, 2005 • Gaming and Libraries: Intersection of Services-- Jenny Levine, ALA (theshiftedlibrarian.com) • Henry Jenkins’ ALA Keynote (TechSource, Gaming, Learning, and Libraries Symposium), 2007 Thursday, November 8, 2007 28

Slide 96: References, Further Reading • “Meet the Gamers” -- Squire & Steinkuehler, Libraryjournal.com, 2005 • Gaming and Libraries: Intersection of Services-- Jenny Levine, ALA (theshiftedlibrarian.com) • Henry Jenkins’ ALA Keynote (TechSource, Gaming, Learning, and Libraries Symposium), 2007 • What Video Games Have to Teach Us about Learning and Literacy-- James Paul Gee (2003) Thursday, November 8, 2007 28

Slide 97: References, Further Reading • “Meet the Gamers” -- Squire & Steinkuehler, Libraryjournal.com, 2005 • Gaming and Libraries: Intersection of Services-- Jenny Levine, ALA (theshiftedlibrarian.com) • Henry Jenkins’ ALA Keynote (TechSource, Gaming, Learning, and Libraries Symposium), 2007 • What Video Games Have to Teach Us about Learning and Literacy-- James Paul Gee (2003) • Got Game: How the Gamer Generation is Reshaping Business Forever-- Beck & Wade (2005) Thursday, November 8, 2007 28

Slide 98: References, Further Reading Thursday, November 8, 2007 29

Slide 99: References, Further Reading • Bibliographic Gaming-- bibliogaming.blogspot.com Thursday, November 8, 2007 29

Slide 100: References, Further Reading • Bibliographic Gaming-- bibliogaming.blogspot.com • Game On: Games in Libraries-- libgaming.blogspot.com Thursday, November 8, 2007 29

Slide 101: References, Further Reading • Bibliographic Gaming-- bibliogaming.blogspot.com • Game On: Games in Libraries-- libgaming.blogspot.com • Pop Goes the Library--popgoesthelibrary.com Thursday, November 8, 2007 29

Slide 102: References, Further Reading • Bibliographic Gaming-- bibliogaming.blogspot.com • Game On: Games in Libraries-- libgaming.blogspot.com • Pop Goes the Library--popgoesthelibrary.com • http://www.eye4youalliance.youthtech.info/ Thursday, November 8, 2007 29

Slide 103: References, Further Reading • Bibliographic Gaming-- bibliogaming.blogspot.com • Game On: Games in Libraries-- libgaming.blogspot.com • Pop Goes the Library--popgoesthelibrary.com • http://www.eye4youalliance.youthtech.info/ • Global Kids Digital Media Initiative (NYC)-- holymeatballs.org Thursday, November 8, 2007 29

Slide 104: References, Further Reading • Bibliographic Gaming-- bibliogaming.blogspot.com • Game On: Games in Libraries-- libgaming.blogspot.com • Pop Goes the Library--popgoesthelibrary.com • http://www.eye4youalliance.youthtech.info/ • Global Kids Digital Media Initiative (NYC)-- holymeatballs.org • Project New Media Literacies (MIT): projectnml.org Thursday, November 8, 2007 29

Slide 105: References, Further Reading • Bibliographic Gaming-- bibliogaming.blogspot.com • Game On: Games in Libraries-- libgaming.blogspot.com • Pop Goes the Library--popgoesthelibrary.com • http://www.eye4youalliance.youthtech.info/ • Global Kids Digital Media Initiative (NYC)-- holymeatballs.org • Project New Media Literacies (MIT): projectnml.org • Goodplay Project (Harvard): goodworkproject.org/ research/digital.htm Thursday, November 8, 2007 29

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