Slides from my presentation at the American Educational Research Association 2007 conference in Chicago. Panel included Constance Steinkuehler, Kurt Squire, Katie Clinton, and myself. Topic was Videogames and Literacy.

1. New Games,
New Literacies
Alice J. Robison
Comparative Media Studies
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
http://alicerobison.org
1

2. Justin Hall
pioneer blogger
journalist
student
media maker
media consumer
game designer
http://links.net
2

3. http://bud.com
3

4. http://bud.com
PMOG “adds an element of
score-keeping, gentle
competition, cooperation
and self-reflection through
scorekeeping and game
dynamics added to web-
browsing” (Hall, 2007)
3

5. http://bud.com
PMOG “adds an element of
score-keeping, gentle
competition, cooperation
and self-reflection through
scorekeeping and game
dynamics added to web-
browsing” (Hall, 2007)
It opens our eyes to what
the web really holds, to
expand our grasp of
meaning-making
experiences with the web
3

6. Can we call these
“passively participatory”
games?
4

7. Can we call these
“passively participatory”
games?
Seriosity.com: An Outlook plugin
rewards points for email traffic
Packetgarden.com: Allows players
to grow their own gardens
based on their web surfing
Me.dium.com: A Firefox sidebar
that shows live web-copresence
of friends’ web use
4

8. From NLS comes NML
5

9. From NLS comes NML
“New media literacies” is a term used to expand but not replace our current
concept of media literacy as it is practiced and taught in schools in order to
allow for “participatory culture” practices (Jenkins, 2006).
5

10. From NLS comes NML
“New media literacies” is a term used to expand but not replace our current
concept of media literacy as it is practiced and taught in schools in order to
allow for “participatory culture” practices (Jenkins, 2006).
The NML framework (Jenkins, et al., 2006) reflects principles of the New
Literacy Studies theories and current cognitive research, including:
5

11. From NLS comes NML
“New media literacies” is a term used to expand but not replace our current
concept of media literacy as it is practiced and taught in schools in order to
allow for “participatory culture” practices (Jenkins, 2006).
The NML framework (Jenkins, et al., 2006) reflects principles of the New
Literacy Studies theories and current cognitive research, including:
•a focus on collective intelligence,
5

12. From NLS comes NML
“New media literacies” is a term used to expand but not replace our current
concept of media literacy as it is practiced and taught in schools in order to
allow for “participatory culture” practices (Jenkins, 2006).
The NML framework (Jenkins, et al., 2006) reflects principles of the New
Literacy Studies theories and current cognitive research, including:
•a focus on collective intelligence,
•collaborative problem-solving,
5

13. From NLS comes NML
“New media literacies” is a term used to expand but not replace our current
concept of media literacy as it is practiced and taught in schools in order to
allow for “participatory culture” practices (Jenkins, 2006).
The NML framework (Jenkins, et al., 2006) reflects principles of the New
Literacy Studies theories and current cognitive research, including:
•a focus on collective intelligence,
•collaborative problem-solving,
•situated learning,
5

14. From NLS comes NML
“New media literacies” is a term used to expand but not replace our current
concept of media literacy as it is practiced and taught in schools in order to
allow for “participatory culture” practices (Jenkins, 2006).
The NML framework (Jenkins, et al., 2006) reflects principles of the New
Literacy Studies theories and current cognitive research, including:
•a focus on collective intelligence,
•collaborative problem-solving,
•situated learning,
•contextualized meaning-making, and
5

15. From NLS comes NML
“New media literacies” is a term used to expand but not replace our current
concept of media literacy as it is practiced and taught in schools in order to
allow for “participatory culture” practices (Jenkins, 2006).
The NML framework (Jenkins, et al., 2006) reflects principles of the New
Literacy Studies theories and current cognitive research, including:
•a focus on collective intelligence,
•collaborative problem-solving,
•situated learning,
•contextualized meaning-making, and
•multimodal communication.
5

16. PMOGs are instantiations
of New Media Literacies
http://projectnml.org
6

17. PMOGs are instantiations
of New Media Literacies
Hall’s game helps address
the “participation gap” by
apprenticing players
toward more meaningful
web use
http://projectnml.org
6

18. PMOGs are instantiations
of New Media Literacies
Hall’s game helps address
the “participation gap” by
apprenticing players
toward more meaningful
web use
PMOG rewards
participants for identity
play, affiliations,
collaborative problem-
solving, and circulating
http://projectnml.org information and data
6

19. Where is meaning situated?
In order to keep pace with current research in
learning, literacy, and media studies, the current
media literacy curriculum must expand beyond
its “strong text” model (Brandt, 1996) and
toward a treatment of media literacy as
participation within changing cultural contexts.
7

20. What counts as NML?
8

21. What counts as NML?
Play: involves experimenting with
one’s surroundings as problem-solving
8

22. What counts as NML?
Play: involves experimenting with
one’s surroundings as problem-solving
Performance: involves adopting
alternative identities
8

23. What counts as NML?
Play: involves experimenting with
one’s surroundings as problem-solving
Performance: involves adopting
alternative identities
Simulation: involves interpreting
and constructing dynamic models
8

24. What counts as NML?
Play: involves experimenting with
one’s surroundings as problem-solving
Performance: involves adopting
alternative identities
Simulation: involves interpreting
and constructing dynamic models
Appropriation: meaningfully
sampling and remixing media content
8

25. What counts as NML?
Play: involves experimenting with
one’s surroundings as problem-solving
Performance: involves adopting
alternative identities
Simulation: involves interpreting
and constructing dynamic models
Appropriation: meaningfully
sampling and remixing media content
Multitasking: scanning one’s
environment and shifting focus as
needed
8

26. What counts as NML?
Play: involves experimenting with
one’s surroundings as problem-solving
Performance: involves adopting
alternative identities
Simulation: involves interpreting
and constructing dynamic models
Appropriation: meaningfully
sampling and remixing media content
Multitasking: scanning one’s
environment and shifting focus as
needed
Distributed cognition: interacting
with tools to expand mental capacities
8

27. What counts as NML?
Play: involves experimenting with Collective intelligence: pooling
one’s surroundings as problem-solving knowledge toward a common goal
Performance: involves adopting
alternative identities
Simulation: involves interpreting
and constructing dynamic models
Appropriation: meaningfully
sampling and remixing media content
Multitasking: scanning one’s
environment and shifting focus as
needed
Distributed cognition: interacting
with tools to expand mental capacities
8

28. What counts as NML?
Play: involves experimenting with Collective intelligence: pooling
one’s surroundings as problem-solving knowledge toward a common goal
Performance: involves adopting Judgment: evaluating the reliability
alternative identities and credibility of different sources
Simulation: involves interpreting
and constructing dynamic models
Appropriation: meaningfully
sampling and remixing media content
Multitasking: scanning one’s
environment and shifting focus as
needed
Distributed cognition: interacting
with tools to expand mental capacities
8

29. What counts as NML?
Play: involves experimenting with Collective intelligence: pooling
one’s surroundings as problem-solving knowledge toward a common goal
Performance: involves adopting Judgment: evaluating the reliability
alternative identities and credibility of different sources
Simulation: involves interpreting Transmedia navigation: following
and constructing dynamic models narratives across multiple modes
Appropriation: meaningfully
sampling and remixing media content
Multitasking: scanning one’s
environment and shifting focus as
needed
Distributed cognition: interacting
with tools to expand mental capacities
8

30. What counts as NML?
Play: involves experimenting with Collective intelligence: pooling
one’s surroundings as problem-solving knowledge toward a common goal
Performance: involves adopting Judgment: evaluating the reliability
alternative identities and credibility of different sources
Simulation: involves interpreting Transmedia navigation: following
and constructing dynamic models narratives across multiple modes
Appropriation: meaningfully Networking: searching for,
sampling and remixing media content synthesizing, and disseminating
information
Multitasking: scanning one’s
environment and shifting focus as
needed
Distributed cognition: interacting
with tools to expand mental capacities
8

31. What counts as NML?
Play: involves experimenting with Collective intelligence: pooling
one’s surroundings as problem-solving knowledge toward a common goal
Performance: involves adopting Judgment: evaluating the reliability
alternative identities and credibility of different sources
Simulation: involves interpreting Transmedia navigation: following
and constructing dynamic models narratives across multiple modes
Appropriation: meaningfully Networking: searching for,
sampling and remixing media content synthesizing, and disseminating
information
Multitasking: scanning one’s
Negotiation: traveling across
environment and shifting focus as
needed communities, discerning perspectives,
norms
Distributed cognition: interacting
with tools to expand mental capacities
8

32. What counts as NML?
Play: involves experimenting with Collective intelligence: pooling
one’s surroundings as problem-solving knowledge toward a common goal
Performance: involves adopting Judgment: evaluating the reliability
alternative identities and credibility of different sources
Simulation: involves interpreting Transmedia navigation: following
and constructing dynamic models narratives across multiple modes
Appropriation: meaningfully Networking: searching for,
sampling and remixing media content synthesizing, and disseminating
information
Multitasking: scanning one’s
Negotiation: traveling across
environment and shifting focus as
needed communities, discerning perspectives,
norms
Distributed cognition: interacting
with tools to expand mental capacities
8

33. “Big,” “Street,” and
“Alternate Reality” Games
The Beast, 2001(Microsoft,
42 Entertainment)
Big Urban Game, 2003,
NYC (Fortugno, Lantz, &
Salen)
I Love Bees, 2004 (42
Entertainment, Jane
McGonigal)
Cruel to be Kind, 2006
(McGonigal & Bogost)
www.cruelgame.org World Without Oil, 2007
(McGonigal)
9

34. Big Games and ARGs
10

35. Big Games and ARGs
unfold across multiple
media platforms and real-
life spaces
10

36. Big Games and ARGs
unfold across multiple
media platforms and real-
life spaces
offer an interactive,
dispersed narrative
experience
10

37. Big Games and ARGs
unfold across multiple
media platforms and real-
life spaces
offer an interactive,
dispersed narrative
experience
require players to solve
difficult challenges or
puzzles in order to progress
10

38. Big Games and ARGs
unfold across multiple
media platforms and real-
life spaces
offer an interactive,
dispersed narrative
experience
require players to solve
difficult challenges or
puzzles in order to progress
require formation of
collaborative communities
and collective intelligences
10

39. http://projectnml.org
11

40. 12

41. Designing for NML
13

42. Designing for NML
How do I create meaningful social experiences that
enable learners to participate in media cultures?
13

43. Designing for NML
How do I create meaningful social experiences that
enable learners to participate in media cultures?
Where are there opportunities to solve problems
collectively and across multiple spaces and contexts?
13

44. Designing for NML
How do I create meaningful social experiences that
enable learners to participate in media cultures?
Where are there opportunities to solve problems
collectively and across multiple spaces and contexts?
How can we help learners practice meaningful
literacy participation beyond the current model of
“consume and decode?”
13

45. MIT’s New Media Literacies Project
Henry Jenkins, P.I.
Part of the MacArthur Foundation’s
Digital Learning Initiative
http://projectnml.org
http://digitallearning.macfound.org
14