Educational Gaming for Free Spirited Skeptics Theory and Challenges of Pedagogical Games May 8, 2012 Elizabeth Pyatt [email protected].
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Transcript Educational Gaming for Free Spirited Skeptics Theory and Challenges of Pedagogical Games May 8, 2012 Elizabeth Pyatt [email protected].
Educational Gaming for
Free Spirited Skeptics
Theory and Challenges of Pedagogical Games
May 8, 2012
Elizabeth Pyatt
[email protected]
Who Am I?
Elizabeth
Instructional Designer
Pyatt
Penn State since 2000
Solitaire addict, just brought Wii
Minesweeper, Puzzles, PacMan, Space
Invaders, Missile Command, Jeopardy
Educational
Gaming Commons
http://gaming.psu.edu
Outline
What’s
a Game?
Does there have to be a winner?
Potential
PBL, motivation/affect, teams…
Skeptics
for Learning
Corner
Leading to “What to Avoid”
First
Steps
But first a contest
How
many games will I mention?
Need names plus count
There
are some prizes on the line.
Audience will determine accuracy
of list
What’s a Game?
Favorite
What
games (any genre)
do they have in common?
Official Characteristics
Set
of rules/restrictions
Semi-arbitrary (e.g. no hands on the ball)
Context is “Not Real”
Scoring
Method
Competition (& a “Winner”?)
Many expect there to be
Sometimes you beat the computer…or
yourself
Successful
games are “fun”
Parameters?
There’s
some candy on the line…
Interesting Parameters
Electronic vs. Non-Electronic
Team vs. Individual
What Skills are Being Practiced?
Math, Word, Strategy, Dancing, Music
Meditation, Building, Flying, Farming, Sales
Time investment
Casual (short & sweet)
Non-casual (lots of investment, high reward)
Background Narrative
Games vs. Puzzles vs. Toys
±
How many outcomes?
Educational Possibilities
Games
invoke a variety of
pedagogical principles such as…
Team Playing
Group Learning
World of Warcraft
Discuss strategy, plan missions
Make trades
Compile notes
http://www.wowwiki.com/
Practice English grammar
Econ in Outer Space
A game in which students build a modern
economy from scratch post spacecraft wreck
ECON 201, UNC Greensboro
Role Play
Empathy
What’s it like to be another person?
“Warrior” is a common role BUT
Business Administrator
Bucket of Beans (S. Pacific Reciprocity)
Sims & ECON 102 Sims (Campus)
Players learn the value of “cashing in” favors
StarPower
Establish an arbitrary upper class via trades
This class can establish new rules
BEWARE
http://www.stsintl.com/schoolscharities/star_power.html
Quests and Missions
Pot Assembly Required
PBL/Challenge Based
Learning
Games
are often won by solving
problems
AKA “Quests” or “Missions”
Educational
Quests
Beer Distribution Game (used in Smeal)
Oregon Trail
Rare educational game that was a commercial
success
Simulation Game Genres
God
Game
Game in which players control parameter
of universe (e.g. Sim Games)
History
Sims
Age of Empires
Trial of Lizzie Borden (U Mass)
Science
Simulations
Flight Simulator, Spore
SimHealth
Played as part of HPA 101
Leveling Up
Pac Man Maze levels
Pac Man 5D which presents a
variable 3D grid. Invented by
a Russian gamer.
Mastery Learning
Achieve Minimal Score before moving to
next Lesson
AKA complete level 1 before level 2
Scaffolding
Each level introduces new element
Adding a touch of difficulty adds interest
Too little is boring
Too much causes gamers to quit
Zone of Proximal Development
Unlocking in Games
Leveling up unlocks new tools (reward)
New equation? New diagram?
Shoot To Kill
“Drill and Kill”
Games
encourage
practice
And automaticity of
skills
Such as pattern
recognition
But with fun
graphics & music
See also
Math
drills
More fun with tiny angry scientists?
Algebra Meltdown
(http://www.mangahigh.com/en_us/games)
Vocabulary
and spelling
More fun as Hangman, crossword?
Identification
…
Affect/Motivation
Games
can add motivation to
Chores (Chore Wars – competitive chore
points)
Jogging (Nike Plus) – badges, leaderboard
Self-Improvement (SuperBetter)
Skeptics Corner
Games
“better than reality”
Aren’t we supposed to be helping
students deal with reality?
YES…however
Gamers often good at tackling real world
challenges and learn real world skills
Reflection can help them see how…
Just Games?
What
about
Active Star Trek fan communities…
Or Dorothy Dunnett readers
Knitters, needlepointers, metal workers
Toastmasters
“Stovetop” league? Monday Morning
quarterback?
…
“Gaming the System”
AKA
Cheating
Games
Cheat codes, destroying weaker
opponents
Some socially OK, others not
In
School
Academic Dishonesty
BECAUSE…
When games are high stakes…
Survive annihilation. Win
free nail polish for life?
Can we still have fun?
Low Stakes vs High Stakes
Students do enjoy
Games (low stakes) + reflection (higher)
Change from lecture/quiz
Leader Boards (when low stakes)
Games if logistics not too burdensome
A certain level of goofiness or joie de vivre
Game may teach crucial skill
So maybe we do require it anyway
Can we make Failure an
Option?
Games
teach via mistakes
Because they allow resets
Gamers comfortable experimenting
Can we use more “maximum scores”?
Can we give hints
Maybe with minor points deductions
Thinking Game Goals
Games
can allow for:
Strategic/Systems thinking
Experience as a different person
Add motivation
Practice of low level skills/knowledge
Games
don’t
Convey content (except in the
“narrative”)
Oregon Trail
Goal: Teach about life on the Oregon Trail
Life on the Oregon Trail is very
hazardous, requires careful planning,
and crosses a variety of terrain
Quick Starts
Casual
Games
Hangman/Peril/Typo
http://gaming.psu.edu
PowerPoint Templates
ANGEL games (crossword/match)
Gamification
Badges? Quests? Avatars?
Case
Studies (gussied up)?
Many avatar/graphics tools
Fun Play
Find
the challenge “sweet spot”
Not too easy or too difficult
Challenging gun for faculty ≠ fun for
students
Allow
Graphics, sound effects, puns
Allow
for goofiness
for some “low stakery”
Can activities be replayed?
What do you mean “goofy”?
Many use great cartoons but do we
Show warriors fleeing the scene after a
mistranslation?
Simulate explosions in engineering?
Turn ourselves into an avatar?
Turn homework into “quests” or “missions?
Add game graphics to assignments?
Allow students to earn points towards late
assignment submissions?
Unlock “power” equations? Tools?
Explaining Functions w/Subs
Using cash register buttons as metaphors
for algebraic functions in Math 21
Starring Deb
Mirdamadi,
Mont Alto
Campus
Failing can be Funny
Today we learned
Games can be good learning
environments
Problem solving, skills practice,
collaboration
Games have many facets
Games in school ≠ games in the wild
But hopefully can be fun & educational
Gaming does require a mental
readjustment for instructors
But there are many paths to victory
Who Am I?
Pragmatrix
Super Powers
Master of Learning Objective Congruence
Assessor of Pedagogical Games
Explorer of New Technologies
Queen of “Keeping it Real”
Some References
McGonigal, Jane
James Paul Gee
What Video Games Have to Teach Us about
Learning and Literacy
Koster, Ralph
Reality is Broken: Why Games Make us Better.
A Theory of Fun
Bartle, Richard (player types)
Hearts, Clubs, Diamonds, Spades: Players who
Suit MUDs
Contest Results
How
many games did I mention?
Must provide names