Using games to enhance learning and teaching Dr Nicola Whitton Education and Social Research Institute

Session Overview Introduction (20 minutes) What’s so great about games? Characteristics of games Some examples Activity (30 minutes) Applying game-based learning to your own situations Conclusions (10 minutes) What are the challenges? Questions

Introduction (20 minutes)

What’s so great about games?

Characteristics of games

Some examples

Activity (30 minutes)

Applying game-based learning to your own situations

Conclusions (10 minutes)

What are the challenges?

Questions

What’s so great about games? Our students are digital natives Students are motivated to play games High-spec games make learning engaging Games can make anything fun so students won’t even realise they’re learning

Our students are digital natives

Students are motivated to play games

High-spec games make learning engaging

Games can make anything fun so students won’t even realise they’re learning

None of this is true

Our students are digital natives

So what do we know? Students don’t value the use of technology for it’s own sake IPSOS MORI (2007) Student expectations study . Bristol: JISC. Apparent ease with technology but lack of critical and analytic skills Traits associated with young people actually exhibited by whole population CIBER (2008) Information behaviour of the researcher of the future . Bristol: JISC.

Students don’t value the use of technology for it’s own sake

IPSOS MORI (2007) Student expectations study . Bristol: JISC.

Apparent ease with technology but lack of critical and analytic skills

Traits associated with young people actually exhibited by whole population

CIBER (2008) Information behaviour of the researcher of the future . Bristol: JISC.

“ a considered and rigorous investigation that includes the perspectives of young people and their teachers, and genuinely seeks to understand the situation before proclaiming the need for widespread change “ Bennett, S., Maton, K. & Kervin, L. (2008) The ‘digital natives’ debate: A critical review of the evidence. British Journal of Educational Technology , 39/5, 775-786.

“ a considered and rigorous investigation that includes the perspectives of young people and their teachers, and genuinely seeks to understand the situation before proclaiming the need for widespread change “

Bennett, S., Maton, K. & Kervin, L. (2008) The ‘digital natives’ debate: A critical review of the evidence. British Journal of Educational Technology , 39/5, 775-786.

Students are motivated to play games

Motivated 63% Neither 28% Demotivated 9%

So we can’t assume games are motivational… … why use them?

High-spec games make learning engaging

Games can make anything fun so students won’t even realise they’re learning

What’s so great about games? Our students are increasingly diverse Games are active learning environments Games can use many technologies Games are another tool in the toolkit

Our students are increasingly diverse

Games are active learning environments

Games can use many technologies

Games are another tool in the toolkit

Characteristics of games Clear, achievable goals, rules, measurable outcomes and rewards Appropriate challenge, gradually increasing difficulty Interaction and feedback A safe environment to explore and in which to make mistakes Collaboration and/or competition A narrative or fantasy setting

Clear, achievable goals, rules, measurable outcomes and rewards

Appropriate challenge, gradually increasing difficulty

Interaction and feedback

A safe environment to explore and in which to make mistakes

Collaboration and/or competition

A narrative or fantasy setting

Some examples…

© Innovative Learning Solutions Inc.

ARGOSI Project, MMU and UoB

Elisabeth Yaneske, University of Teeside

© ImpactGames www.peacemaker.com

Activity In pairs… think about an example where game-based learning could be applied to your own teaching (10 mins). What is the pedagogic benefit? How might you implement it? People? Organisation? Environment? Technology? What questions do you have? Be prepared to feed back your ideas (20 mins)

In pairs… think about an example where game-based learning could be applied to your own teaching (10 mins).

What is the pedagogic benefit?

How might you implement it?

People? Organisation? Environment? Technology?

What questions do you have?

Be prepared to feed back your ideas (20 mins)

Challenges of game-based learning Appropriateness for learning Finding the right game Ensuring engagement and motivation More research evidence and robust studies

Appropriateness for learning

Finding the right game

Ensuring engagement and motivation

More research evidence and robust studies

Questions?

Thank you [email_address] playthinklearn.net