IT Fluency via Games and Virtual Worlds Barbara Z. Johnson, M.Ed. Graduate Student (Education) UM-Duluth

Thanks to: Elizabeth (Beth) King Dr. Elisabeth (Betty) Hayes Lauren Silverman Dr. Constance Steinkuehler Dr. Jim Gee MacArthur Foundation The Tech Savvy Girls!!

Elizabeth (Beth) King

Dr. Elisabeth (Betty) Hayes

Lauren Silverman

Dr. Constance Steinkuehler

Dr. Jim Gee

MacArthur Foundation

The Tech Savvy Girls!!

Overview Introduction to the project Measures of success Selection of tools Evolution of the project Learning through creating in Second Life

Introduction to the project

Measures of success

Selection of tools

Evolution of the project

Learning through creating in Second Life

Purposes of Project Middle school - many girls stop enrolling in science and math classes Increase general IT fluency among middle-school girls Increase interest in SMET class choice and potential careers among middle school girls

Middle school - many girls stop enrolling in science and math classes

Increase general IT fluency among middle-school girls

Increase interest in SMET class choice and potential careers among middle school girls

Measures FITness Standards Intellectual capacities IT Concepts IT Skills Life-long usable skills Applicable to wide range of careers Not just “programming”

FITness Standards

Intellectual capacities

IT Concepts

IT Skills

Life-long usable skills

Applicable to wide range of careers

Not just “programming”

Method to the Madness Game PLAY not sufficient “ Tinkering activities” (diSessa, 2000) Interest-driven projects Constructivist learning Islands of expertise in a learning ecology Studies on game modification or game construction in teaching subjects like history and math

Game PLAY not sufficient

“ Tinkering activities” (diSessa, 2000)

Interest-driven projects

Constructivist learning

Islands of expertise in a learning ecology

Studies on game modification or game construction in teaching subjects like history and math

Modding & Content Creation Go beyond the designed play dynamics Create objects that become part of the game Create maps or change the landscape of the game Modify the rules of the game Create the world and its functionality (SL) Total conversion (creating a new game using the frame of the old)

Go beyond the designed play dynamics

Create objects that become part of the game

Create maps or change the landscape of the game

Modify the rules of the game

Create the world and its functionality (SL)

Total conversion (creating a new game using the frame of the old)

But which game??? Interesting to girls Puzzle Adventure Simulation Acceptable to parents Modifiable Relatively easy to play and learn to modify Social network

Interesting to girls

Puzzle

Adventure

Simulation

Acceptable to parents

Modifiable

Relatively easy to play and learn to modify

Social network

Year 1: The Sims Single player creates and controls actions of characters in the game (the “Sims”) Simulation game centered around domestic life, fulfillment of game-character needs and desires, and relationships between Sims Open-ended game Many expansion packs Runs on computers, consoles, handhelds, iPods

Single player creates and controls actions of characters in the game (the “Sims”)

Simulation game centered around domestic life, fulfillment of game-character needs and desires, and relationships between Sims

Open-ended game

Many expansion packs

Runs on computers, consoles, handhelds, iPods

Typical Sims Scenario

The Newly Rendered Mesh Becomes the Newly Created Gown

Year 1: Results Pro Girls like the Sims (100 million copies of Sims 2 sold) Easy to start modification of content “ Cheats” to change game limits Extensive social networks online Can share content between games Significant gains in IT fluency Con Reinforces many social stereotypes Limits to types of content and actions Players can’t PLAY together but only parallel No opportunity to change interactivity (I.e. programming)

Pro

Girls like the Sims (100 million copies of Sims 2 sold)

Easy to start modification of content

“ Cheats” to change game limits

Extensive social networks online

Can share content between games

Significant gains in IT fluency

Con

Reinforces many social stereotypes

Limits to types of content and actions

Players can’t PLAY together but only parallel

No opportunity to change interactivity (I.e. programming)

Year 2: (Teen) Second Life Online Segregated by age (teen vs. 18+) You are represented by an avatar Interact with multiple people from around the world Virtual world - not a game No game roles or game rules Mostly user created world

Online

Segregated by age (teen vs. 18+)

You are represented by an avatar

Interact with multiple people from around the world

Virtual world - not a game

No game roles or game rules

Mostly user created world

What Is Second Life? Company created world User created world Pre-determined rules, roles, and score Users make own rules and roles Second Life, Active Worlds Most video games and MMOGs (3-D) social networking Original Star Wars Galaxies EVE Online, Ultima Online, Lineage … Customizable MUDs, MOOs, MUSHs Game mods

What do you DO in Second Life? Pretty much anything you want Socialize Work/Business Creation and artistic expression

Pretty much anything you want

Socialize

Work/Business

Creation and artistic expression

Summer ‘07: Preparation Create accounts Get equipment Establish locations for project Create activities and instructions

Create accounts

Get equipment

Establish locations for project

Create activities and instructions

Physical Sessions One mentor physically at site Two mentors in Second Life 2-hour meetings twice per week after school OR 4 hours on Saturday Computers purchased via grant At lab or library

One mentor physically at site

Two mentors in Second Life

2-hour meetings twice per week after school OR 4 hours on Saturday

Computers purchased via grant

At lab or library

Initial Activities in Second Life Quests to explore potential of Second Life Discussed student interests

Quests to explore potential of Second Life

Discussed student interests

Welcome to the 60’s Movie “Hairspray” Fashion & Interior Decorating/Design Social Justice Issues Gender Identity Science and Math

Movie “Hairspray”

Fashion & Interior Decorating/Design

Social Justice Issues

Gender Identity

Science and Math

History and Fiction

Scripting and interaction

Create and Manage a Business

FITness: Intellectual Capacities evidenced Engage in sustained reasoning Manage complexity Test a solution Manage problems in faulty solutions Organize and navigate information structures Collaborate Communicate to other audiences Legal and ethical issues regarding Intellectual Property

Engage in sustained reasoning

Manage complexity

Test a solution

Manage problems in faulty solutions

Organize and navigate information structures

Collaborate

Communicate to other audiences

Legal and ethical issues regarding Intellectual Property

FITness: IT skills evidenced Setting up a personal computer Using basic operating system features Using a word processor Using graphics or artwork packages Connecting a computer to a network Using the Internet to find information Using a computer to communicate with others

Setting up a personal computer

Using basic operating system features

Using a word processor

Using graphics or artwork packages

Connecting a computer to a network

Using the Internet to find information

Using a computer to communicate with others

FITness: IT concepts evidenced Networks Digital representation of information Information organization Modeling and abstraction Algorithmic thinking and programming Societal impact of information and information technology

Networks

Digital representation of information

Information organization

Modeling and abstraction

Algorithmic thinking and programming

Societal impact of information and information technology

Success Factors A place to meet in Second Life Rent, own, or use a public space Don’t have to be expert builders Support from other educators List-servs Yearly convention Wiki

A place to meet in Second Life

Rent, own, or use a public space

Don’t have to be expert builders

Support from other educators

List-servs

Yearly convention

Wiki