The Game of Make BelieveLet’s Play

How To Play Make BelieveGoals: explain what children will learn.What You Need: list things you need to play the game.Before You Play: tell what to do before you play the game.Instructions: tell how to play the game.

RulesPick a character; Stay in characterBe an active participant informed by the character you pickAt the end, make comments as your true selfYou will have to pick a role/character before knowing what the game is

Your PurposeEnsure I apply Gee’s Principles to my gameCan this game achieve its goal?What is missing that will enhance the purpose?What ethical issues might be faced?How realistic is this?Will it take up too much time?How do you win/lose? Can you win/lose?

Audience: Pick a RoleGame developerEA Sports Representative Games for Change RepresentativeRepresentative for/with KishonnaStudent-AthleteAcademic CoachAthletic CoachGame Studies ScholarUniversity RepresentativeAlumni/Previous StudentParentOther: Please specify

Let the Games Begin

NCAA: The Simulated CoachAddressing the Intersections of the Student AthleteInstitute for Social Justice in GamingGame For Learning Proposal

BackgroundStudent Athlete Graduation RatesSocial Inequities Among Graduation Rates Failures of Student-Athlete Reforms

Gender and Racial BreakdownsFootball Player Graduation RatesBlack/African Americans 54%White/European Americans 76%Women’s BasketballUCONN and Stanford have 100% GRIn all sports combinedBlack athletes 59%White athletes 82%

What’s the ProblemCurrent Academic Reform ApproachesFail to look at intersectionsEligibility main focusDon’t address social inequalitiesWhat Simulated Coach Will doTake into account personal factors traditionally ignoredProvide a supplement to the academic coach

The Simulated CoachNCAA 10 Main Menu and Attribute Model (see screenshots for visuals)Semester Intake FormWeekly Inputs from athletes, coaches, and instructorsAction InputsAsk a questionAutomatic Report GenerationBased on responses…

Main Screen Option 1

Main Screen Option 2

Calendar Screen Shot

Attribute Page Screen Shot

Applying Gee’s Learning PrinciplesPsychosocial Moratorium PrincipleCommitted Learning PrincipleIdentity PrincipleSelf-Knowledge PrincipleIncremental PrincipleProbing Principle

Psychosocial Moratorium PrincipleLearners can take risks in a space where real-world consequences are lowered

Committed Learning PrincipleLearners participate in an extended engagement (lots of effort and practice) as an extension of their real-world identities in relation to a virtual identity to which they feel some commitment and a virtual world that they find compelling.

Identity PrincipleLearning involves taking on and playing with identities in such a way that the learner has real choices (in developing the virtual identity) and ample opportunity to meditate on the relationship between new identities and old ones.

Learning situations are ordered in the early stages so that earlier cases lead to generalizations that are fruitful for later cases. Incremental Principle

Self-Knowledge PrincipleThe virtual world is constructed in such a way that learners learn not only about the domain but also about themselves and their current and potential capacities

Achievement principleFor learners of all levels of skill there are intrinsic rewards from the beginning, customized to each learners level, effort, and growing mastery and signaling the learner’s ongoing achievements.

Probing PrincipleLearning is a cycle of probing the world (doing something); reflecting in and on this action and, on this basis, forming a hypothesis; reprobing the world to test hypothesis; and then accepting or rethinking the hypothesis.

How Will This Help?Ease Student Fear and AnxietyAsk any questionDatabase of questions and answers Athletes/Academic Coaches What questions/problems ariseReport GenerationGet students thinking about consequences and outcomesHelp students manage their lives on and off the field

Questions, Comments, Criticisms, SuggestionsAnd grade from Dr. Robison!