Video Games and Higher Order Thinking Doug Adams ALTEC

Resources and Files My Wiki page: http://dadams- altec.wetpaint.com Technology Expectations in Education Games and Education This PowerPoint: http:// www.slideshare.net/dadams.altec

My Wiki page:

http://dadams- altec.wetpaint.com

Technology Expectations in Education

Games and Education

This PowerPoint:

http:// www.slideshare.net/dadams.altec

What kinds of games? I’m talking about: Puzzle games Simulation games Problem-solving games Story games Collaborative games Music games NOT today: Arcade games Drill and practice games

I’m talking about:

Puzzle games

Simulation games

Problem-solving games

Story games

Collaborative games

Music games

NOT today:

Arcade games

Drill and practice games

Why Games? 21 st Century Skills

21 st Century Skills

The Millennial Generation Millennials Generation Y N-Gen, Generation Next Digital Natives Oyayubizoku ( 親指族 ) “Thumb Tribe” “ Kids say e-mail is, like, sooooo dead.” – CNET News , July 18, 2007

Millennials

Generation Y

N-Gen, Generation Next

Digital Natives

Oyayubizoku ( 親指族 ) “Thumb Tribe”

The Millennial Generation “ Today’s students are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach” Mark Prensky

“ Today’s students are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach”

Mark Prensky

Millennial Attitudes “ I have to ‘ power down ’ when I go to school.” “ When I am really busy, I hate going to school because I can’t do any work there.”

“ I have to ‘ power down ’ when I go to school.”

“ When I am really busy, I hate going to school because I can’t do any work there.”

Characteristics of Digital Natives Active Multi-tasking Non-linear thinking Ubiquity Technical Fluency Feedback Individualization Risk-taking Collaborative

Active

Multi-tasking

Non-linear thinking

Ubiquity

Technical Fluency

Feedback

Individualization

Risk-taking

Collaborative

Attitudes in the Millennial World “ Our knowledge comes from the intelligence of the mob . There are websites that let us view user ratings on news , bookmarks , definitions , wines , burritos , beers , and videos . I want to have that same experience when searching for my first home. Show me what the community thinks. Give me the data the way I am used to receiving it…. ” -- Beam Me Up Jimmy - A Look At Tomorrow's 1st Time Home Buyer http:// realestatetomato.typepad.com

“ Our knowledge comes from the intelligence of the mob . There are websites that let us view user ratings on news , bookmarks , definitions , wines , burritos , beers , and videos . I want to have that same experience when searching for my first home. Show me what the community thinks. Give me the data the way I am used to receiving it…. ”

-- Beam Me Up Jimmy - A Look At Tomorrow's 1st Time Home Buyer

http:// realestatetomato.typepad.com

Brain Research The brain developed to solve problems related to surviving in an unstable outdoor environment that occur in near constant motion. John Medina, Brain Rules

The brain developed to solve problems related to surviving in an unstable outdoor environment that occur in near constant motion.

John Medina, Brain Rules

Brain Research If you wanted to create an educational environment that is directly opposed to the way the brain is good at doing, you would probably design something like the modern classroom . John Medina, Brain Rules

If you wanted to create an educational environment that is directly opposed to the way the brain is good at doing, you would probably design something like the modern classroom .

John Medina, Brain Rules

Patterns The human brain loves patterns. We see patterns all around, in everyday life, in nature, in manmade objects. We see patterns even when they don’t exist

The human brain loves patterns. We see patterns all around, in everyday life, in nature, in manmade objects.

We see patterns even when they don’t exist

Emotion Our brains work best when there are emotions involved Excitement Engagement Enthusiasm Exploration Frustration

Our brains work best when there are emotions involved

Excitement

Engagement

Enthusiasm

Exploration

Frustration

Collaboration Our brains want to work with others

Our brains want to work with others

Games… …provide structured patterns …create emotional connections …encourage collaboration

…provide structured patterns

…create emotional connections

…encourage collaboration

“ Better theories of learning are embedded in the video games many children play than in the schools they attend.” James Paul Gee What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy

“ Better theories of learning are embedded in the video games many children play than in the schools they attend.”

James Paul Gee What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy

What kinds of theories? Student-centered learning Peer teaching Scaffolding Feedback Problem-solving Empathy, role-play Collaboration Practice Development of expertise

Student-centered learning

Peer teaching

Scaffolding

Feedback

Problem-solving

Empathy, role-play

Collaboration

Practice

Development of expertise

How Games Teach Activity – a game depends on learner not being passive Engagement – longer time on task, greater involvement, rewards X2: Exploration and Experimentation – support creativity, scientific thinking, opportunity for (relatively consequence free) failure

Activity – a game depends on learner not being passive

Engagement – longer time on task, greater involvement, rewards

X2: Exploration and Experimentation – support creativity, scientific thinking, opportunity for (relatively consequence free) failure

How Games Teach Frequent achievement – smaller tasks with individual rewards, motivating Expanding competence – scaffolding and breadcrumbs No right answer Working within a set of rules Language – signs, symbols, slang all promote language skills. Game literacy = world literacy

Frequent achievement – smaller tasks with individual rewards, motivating

Expanding competence – scaffolding and breadcrumbs

No right answer

Working within a set of rules

Language – signs, symbols, slang all promote language skills. Game literacy = world literacy

How Games Teach Social nature Identity and empathy – students identify with characters and situations Simulation – students can explore situations that are otherwise impossible Practice – drill and repetition

Social nature

Identity and empathy – students identify with characters and situations

Simulation – students can explore situations that are otherwise impossible

Practice – drill and repetition

How Games Teach Application – learn and apply new knowledge Context – relationship between objectives and game content Feedback cycle – analysis > decision > feedback > analysis

Application – learn and apply new knowledge

Context – relationship between objectives and game content

Feedback cycle – analysis > decision > feedback > analysis

How Games Teach Multimodal – text, images, sounds, symbols, actions Reflection – emphasis on thinking, problem solving rather than “twitch” Mastery – Experienced players teach new players, experts become mentors Challenge – game players seek out difficult or challenging tasks

Multimodal – text, images, sounds, symbols, actions

Reflection – emphasis on thinking, problem solving rather than “twitch”

Mastery – Experienced players teach new players, experts become mentors

Challenge – game players seek out difficult or challenging tasks

Concerns about Games They cause violence They are just for boys They are just for kids They are just for solitary loners who spend all their time in the basement eating Cheetohs and drinking Mountain Dew

They cause violence

They are just for boys

They are just for kids

They are just for solitary loners who spend all their time in the basement eating Cheetohs and drinking Mountain Dew

Umm, what?

Challenges for Teachers Time Alignment with Standards Cost Software Hardware Assessment Rubrics, participation, presentations

Time

Alignment with Standards

Cost

Software

Hardware

Assessment

Rubrics, participation, presentations

Game Examples Food Force Stop Disasters Magic Pen You Are the Historian Team Treks Third World Farmer Minyanland ElectroCity Nanoquest Real Lives Traveler IQ The Forbidden City Virtual History: Settling America Discover Babylon Dimension Math Lunar Quest Web Rangers Peacemaker Budget Hero

Food Force

Stop Disasters

Magic Pen

You Are the Historian

Team Treks

Third World Farmer

Minyanland

ElectroCity

Nanoquest

Real Lives

Traveler IQ

The Forbidden City

Virtual History: Settling America

Discover Babylon

Dimension Math

Lunar Quest

Web Rangers

Peacemaker

Budget Hero

Doug Adams [email_address] http://altec.org