Games as Innovative Teaching Designing COTS GBL Richard Van Eck, Associate Professor Instructional Design & Technology University of North Dakota [email_address] idt.und.edu Copyright Richard Van Eck, 2008. This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author. Q & A Session, Microsoft Innovative Teachers’ Conference May 29, 2008

Three Approaches to GBL Games are created by students Students take on role of game designers In building, learn content, problem-solving, programming Time intensive and limited domains Educational games could be built from scratch We design games to seamlessly integrate learning and game play Resource intensive Lead to edutainment/Shavian Reversals (Papert, 1998) Commercial games are integrated into the curriculum Support, deliver, and/or assess learning in the classroom Most cost effective Leave game play to designers, learning to teachers Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) GBL

Games are created by students

Students take on role of game designers

In building, learn content, problem-solving, programming

Time intensive and limited domains

Educational games could be built from scratch

We design games to seamlessly integrate learning and game play

Resource intensive

Lead to edutainment/Shavian Reversals (Papert, 1998)

Commercial games are integrated into the curriculum

Support, deliver, and/or assess learning in the classroom

Most cost effective

Leave game play to designers, learning to teachers

Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) GBL

Having Students Create Games Tools exist for game development Game Maker ( http://www.gamemaker.nl/index.html ) Power Game Factory ( http://www.sawbladesoftware.com /) Neverwinter Nights ( http://nwn.bioware.com/builders/ ) Stagecast Creator ( http://www.stagecast.com /) Kahootz ( http://www.kahootz.com/kz/ ) Multimedia Fusion, Games Factory, Klik & Play ( http://www.clickteam.com ) Campus “Gaming” School 5th- and 6th-grade students played and designed games Manitoba Girl Game Project Can yield interesting findings Girls came to believe technology was not difficult/related to science Challenges Full range of game types not possible; labor- and time-intensive

Tools exist for game development

Game Maker ( http://www.gamemaker.nl/index.html )

Power Game Factory ( http://www.sawbladesoftware.com /)

Neverwinter Nights ( http://nwn.bioware.com/builders/ )

Stagecast Creator ( http://www.stagecast.com /)

Kahootz ( http://www.kahootz.com/kz/ )

Multimedia Fusion, Games Factory, Klik & Play ( http://www.clickteam.com )

Campus “Gaming” School

5th- and 6th-grade students played and designed games

Manitoba Girl Game Project

Can yield interesting findings

Girls came to believe technology was not difficult/related to science

Challenges

Full range of game types not possible; labor- and time-intensive

Building Educational Games Many examples Education Arcade: Environmental Detectives & Revolution Carnegie Mellon HazMat : Hot Zone William Massy/Enlight Software: Virtual U Chris Dede: River City Steck-Vaughn & Top Drawer: Adventures in Problem Solving Van Eck: Math Builders & AP Adventure Challenges Labor intensive Need to get ID and game developers on same page Shavian Reversals

Many examples

Education Arcade: Environmental Detectives & Revolution

Carnegie Mellon HazMat : Hot Zone

William Massy/Enlight Software: Virtual U

Chris Dede: River City

Steck-Vaughn & Top Drawer: Adventures in Problem Solving

Van Eck: Math Builders & AP Adventure

Challenges

Labor intensive

Need to get ID and game developers on same page

Shavian Reversals

COTS GBL Practical considerations Can’t cover them all Similarities to all technology integration See Morrison & Lowther; Grabe & Grabe Some principles as heuristic for thinking about COTS GBL Aligning with the curriculum and the content What to do about missing/inaccurate content How to create extension activities

Practical considerations

Can’t cover them all

Similarities to all technology integration

See Morrison & Lowther; Grabe & Grabe

Some principles as heuristic for thinking about COTS GBL

Aligning with the curriculum and the content

What to do about missing/inaccurate content

How to create extension activities

Challenges Commercial games are not designed to teach Topics will be limited But there are ways around this Content will be inaccurate or incomplete But this is actually a good thing Commercial games are expensive to purchase But not as expensive as building from scratch And not as expensive as implementing ineffective games

Commercial games are not designed to teach

Topics will be limited

But there are ways around this

Content will be inaccurate or incomplete

But this is actually a good thing

Commercial games are expensive to purchase

But not as expensive as building from scratch

And not as expensive as implementing ineffective games

Integrating COTS Games in Learning Not all games alike Card games Matching, numbers, patterns Jeopardy-style games Verbal information, facts, concrete concepts Arcade style (“twitch” games) Speed, visual processing, automaticity Adventure Hypothesis testing, problem solving

Not all games alike

Card games

Matching, numbers, patterns

Jeopardy-style games

Verbal information, facts, concrete concepts

Arcade style (“twitch” games)

Speed, visual processing, automaticity

Adventure

Hypothesis testing, problem solving

Matching Taxonomies

Sometimes topic matches content of course For Example: Choosing a Suitable Game Game Game Content Course Content Age of Empires, Civilization History History Sim City Geography, Civil Engineering Geography, Civil Engineering Law & Order, C.S.I. Criminal Justice, Forensic Sciences Criminal Justice, Forensic Sciences

Sometimes topic matches content of course

For Example: Choosing a Suitable Game Other times, gameplay matches content of course Game Gameplay Course Content Contraption, Roller Coaster Tycoon Build Machines To Specification & Tolerances Physics, Mathematics, Engineering Cruise Ship Tycoon Manage Budgets, Purchase Supplies, Ensure Financial Success Business, Economics, Resort Management

Other times, gameplay matches content of course

How Is Game Aligned With Curriculum? Top-down or bottom-up Game as frame for new learning (top-down) Game as chance to synthesize and apply prior knowledge (bottom-up) Hybrid of both

Top-down or bottom-up

Game as frame for new learning (top-down)

Game as chance to synthesize and apply prior knowledge (bottom-up)

Hybrid of both

How Is Game Aligned with Content? What IS covered? Breadth vs. depth (Civilization vs. Call of Duty) What is NOT covered? Missing topics (breadth); missing content within topic (depth); Pre-requisite knowledge required What is wrong? (teachable moments) Inaccurate information (poetic license) Misleading information Alternate viewpoints/interpretations (Conquest of the Americas) Inappropriate/incorrect strategies

What IS covered?

Breadth vs. depth (Civilization vs. Call of Duty)

What is NOT covered?

Missing topics (breadth); missing content within topic (depth); Pre-requisite knowledge required

What is wrong? (teachable moments)

Inaccurate information (poetic license)

Misleading information

Alternate viewpoints/interpretations (Conquest of the Americas)

Inappropriate/incorrect strategies

Design & Evaluation Missing & inaccurate content Which content will you have to add? Who will provide this? (you, students, both) Maximize learner responsibility How will you manage gameplay? Saved games, play in/out of class What activities can be created to address weaknesses? Math & numbers: Budgets, spreadsheets, reports/charts, databases Writing: Diary, reports, letters, legal briefs, faxes, multiple viewpoints Science: Duplicate/conduct experiments (endogenously!); conduct feasibility studies Research: Assess game veracity, provide missing data

Missing & inaccurate content

Which content will you have to add?

Who will provide this? (you, students, both)

Maximize learner responsibility

How will you manage gameplay?

Saved games, play in/out of class

What activities can be created to address weaknesses?

Math & numbers: Budgets, spreadsheets, reports/charts, databases

Writing: Diary, reports, letters, legal briefs, faxes, multiple viewpoints

Science: Duplicate/conduct experiments (endogenously!); conduct feasibility studies

Research: Assess game veracity, provide missing data

Stay in the Game Learning is integral to story in commercial games Leads to flow (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990: The psychology of optimum experience) Optimal learning state Intrinsic motivation (Malone & Lepper, 1987) Endogenous vs. exogenous fantasy (in relation to content) Endogenous fantasy will promote flow When not IN game, keep activities & roles endogenous TO game

Learning is integral to story in commercial games

Leads to flow (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990: The psychology of optimum experience)

Optimal learning state

Intrinsic motivation (Malone & Lepper, 1987)

Endogenous vs. exogenous fantasy (in relation to content)

Endogenous fantasy will promote flow

When not IN game, keep activities & roles endogenous TO game

Making the Call Is it worth the time? Good games can easily take 30 to 50 hours to fully play Is the amount of potential learning justified by the amount of work and time to implement the game? Are you willing to admit it is not?

Is it worth the time?

Good games can easily take 30 to 50 hours to fully play

Is the amount of potential learning justified by the amount of work and time to implement the game?

Are you willing to admit it is not?

Technology Integration Movement toward integration Authentic problem-solving Collaboration, team-based All those things not doing now... Match technology to learning Minimize weaknesses, maximize strengths Must integrate immersive technologies like games Good news: teaching problem-solving is ALSO teaching content

Movement toward integration

Authentic problem-solving

Collaboration, team-based

All those things not doing now...

Match technology to learning

Minimize weaknesses, maximize strengths

Must integrate immersive technologies like games

Good news: teaching problem-solving is ALSO teaching content

NTeQ iNtegrating Technology for inQuiry Teacher is technologically competent; assumes role of designer, manager, and facilitator Student is actively engaged; assumes role of researcher; becomes technologically competent Computer is used as a tool to solve realistic problems using real data Lesson is student-centered, problem-based, and authentic; technology is integral component Environment incorporates multiple resources

iNtegrating Technology for inQuiry

Teacher is technologically competent; assumes role of designer, manager, and facilitator

Student is actively engaged; assumes role of researcher; becomes technologically competent

Computer is used as a tool to solve realistic problems using real data

Lesson is student-centered, problem-based, and authentic; technology is integral component

Environment incorporates multiple resources

Technology as a tool Every technology has its strengths and weaknesses Must use right tool for right job Blith-whopping Spreadsheets are good for: Databases are good for: PowerPoint is good for:

Every technology has its strengths and weaknesses

Must use right tool for right job

Blith-whopping

Spreadsheets are good for:

Databases are good for:

PowerPoint is good for:

Why NTeQ & Games Share common theoretical framework Both focus on PBL Both emphasize Situated Learning & Cognition Both support question asking (inquiry) & scaffolding (support) Games are relevant Games reflect 21st century skill sets

Share common theoretical framework

Both focus on PBL

Both emphasize Situated Learning & Cognition

Both support question asking (inquiry) & scaffolding (support)

Games are relevant

Games reflect 21st century skill sets

Examples I Spy Zoo Tycoon Sim City

I Spy

Zoo Tycoon

Sim City

NTeQ Students Spend most of their time: Interacting with others Formulating questions Gathering and organizing data Testing hypotheses Organizing and presenting conclusions

Spend most of their time:

Interacting with others

Formulating questions

Gathering and organizing data

Testing hypotheses

Organizing and presenting conclusions

Media Use in the Schools “AV in the schools will revolutionize learning!” “Kids are different today” “Media is more motivating” “Media reaches more learners” Hundreds of “horse race” studies Meta-analyses show “no significant difference” (NSD) Why? Never accounted for the strengths and weaknesses Never aligned media, learning outcomes, & pedagogy Mistook use for integration

“AV in the schools will revolutionize learning!”

“Kids are different today”

“Media is more motivating”

“Media reaches more learners”

Hundreds of “horse race” studies

Meta-analyses show “no significant difference” (NSD)

Why?

Never accounted for the strengths and weaknesses

Never aligned media, learning outcomes, & pedagogy

Mistook use for integration

Computing Technology in the Schools “Computers in schools will revolutionize learning!” “Kids are different today” “Computers are more motivating” Educators and IDers: “Where’s the Beef?” Inconsistency of implementation, ID Hundreds of studies, some good SOME evidence to support optimism, but. . . Overall, no significant difference Same Story

“Computers in schools will revolutionize learning!”

“Kids are different today”

“Computers are more motivating”

Educators and IDers: “Where’s the Beef?”

Inconsistency of implementation, ID

Hundreds of studies, some good

SOME evidence to support optimism, but. . .

Overall, no significant difference

Same Story