games for learning

Getting Serious about Games. Seriously.

Richard  Cula,a  

9  reasons  you  should  

throw  

out  your  online  cours

es  and  

start  using  games  

User:  

Level:  

DevLearn  2010  

Shameless  plug  

@rec54  

A word about words

Educa<onal  Games  

A word about words

Educa<onal  Games  

#9 They give learners choice

They give learners choice

•   Monty,  R  &  Perimuter  L  1972  •   Constance  Kamii,  1991  •   Ran<  &  Corno,  2000  • Zimmerman  &  Salen  2003  

Educa7ona

l  researche

rs  

Crazy  Dave  

They give learners choice

How  should  you  proceed?  

They give learners choice

Ready to start module 27?!

I  guess  so  Back  to  

Module  26  

#8 It’s what Amazon.com would do if they

had your job

It’s what Amazon would do

Inspired  by  my  wish  

list  –  cool!  

How  did  they  know  my  kids  speak  Spanish?  

Wow,  the  only  season  of  

West  Wing  I  don’t  already  have!  

It’s what Amazon would do

Read This, Richard:!

Blah  blah  blah  ton  of  text  here.  Fizzle  ipsum  dolor  fizzle  amizzle,  consectetuer  adipiscing  crazy.  Nullizzle  fo  velit,  aliquet  volutpizzle,  suscipit  gangster,  gravida  gangsta,  arcu.  Pellentesque  eget  tor<zzle.  Sizzle  erizzle.  Fusce  dang  dolor  yo  mamma  check  it  out  tempizzle  tempor.  Maurizzle  mah  nizzle  nibh  izzle  mah  nizzle.  Ves<bulum  tellivizzle  tortor.  Pellentesque  eleifend  crunk.  In  hac  away  platea  dictumst.  Gizzle  the  bizzle.  Curabitur  gangsta  boom  shackalack,  pre<zzle,  sure  izzle,  eleifend  vitae,  nunc.  Break  it  down  suscipizzle.  My  shizz  semper  velit  sizzle  purus.  

Whelp,  they  know  my  name.    I  guess  that’s  as  good  as  it  gets  

It’s what Amazon would do

Kinesthe7c  learners:  Read  this  while  jumping  up  and  down,  that  will  really  help  you  learn  beLer  

Read This, Richard:!

Whelp,  they  know  my  name.    I  guess  that’s  as  good  as  it  gets  

Blah  blah  blah  ton  of  text  here.  Fizzle  ipsum  dolor  fizzle  amizzle,  consectetuer  adipiscing  crazy.  Nullizzle  fo  velit,  aliquet  volutpizzle,  suscipit  gangster,  gravida  gangsta,  arcu.  Pellentesque  eget  tor<zzle.  Sizzle  erizzle.  Fusce  dang  dolor  yo  mamma  check  it  out  tempizzle  tempor.  Maurizzle  mah  nizzle  nibh  izzle  mah  nizzle.  Ves<bulum  tellivizzle  tortor.  Pellentesque  eleifend  crunk.  In  hac  away  platea  dictumst.  Gizzle  the  bizzle.  Curabitur  gangsta  boom  shackalack,  pre<zzle,  sure  izzle,  eleifend  vitae,  nunc.  Break  it  down  suscipizzle.  My  shizz  semper  velit  sizzle  purus.  

It’s what Amazon would do

#7 There are no next buttons

Next  

Next  

Next?  

Next  >  

No Next buttons How  tradi<onal  online  courses  force  people  to  learn:  

1   2   3   4   5  

Learn  this   Then  this   Now  do  this  

No Next buttons How  tradi<onal  online  courses  force  people  to  learn:  

How  people  actually  learn:  

1   2   3   4   5  

Learn  this   Then  this   Now  do  this  

Learn  this  

I  wonder  what  that  looks  like  in  prac7ce?  

Hmmm…  I  wonder  how  that  relates  to  this?  

Holy  crap,  that  reminds  me  of  this  

1   2   3   4   5  

No Next buttons

•  We just LOVE content. What we do is so important that when we finally get a chance to make an online learning it’s all we just can’t hold ourselves back. !

•  But the best learning experiences are judicious with content. But it’s more than just not having too much content. It’s also having an abundance of context.!

•  It seems like the best learning experiences use context effectively. Here’s what it looks like. First, describe the contextual problem (or ideally, allow them to actually experience it!). Second, teach the solution to the problem. !

•  Here’s an example of the wrong way: teach a group of scouts how to tie a taut line hitch. Together, think of ways to use the taut line hitch!

•  Here’s an example of the right way: Set up a tent in the wind, let them try to figure out how to anchor it down. Then teach them the taut line hitch!

•  Here’s another example of the wrong way: Teach MBAs the Newsvendor Equation, then let them play the Newsvendor Game.!

•  Here’s another example of the right way: Let them play the game then teach them the Newsvendor Equation (once they have the context for it).!

Online  Learning  –  Module  79  of  5362  

Next  

I  know  you  just  can’t  wait  to  see  what’s  on  the  next  page!  

#6 Cognitive psychologists dig it

Cognitive psychologists dig it

“The best instruction hovers at the boundary of a student’s competence.”!

- Andy diSessa (Berkeley Graduate School of Education)!

h,p://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.05/view.html  

Cognitive psychologists dig it

What I can do!

What I can’t do!

Cognitive psychologists dig it

What I can do!

What I can!do with help!

What I can’t do!Zone  of  Proximal  Development  

Cognitive psychologists dig it

What I can’t do!Zone  of  Proximal  Development  

What I can!do with help!

What I can do!

Cognitive psychologists dig it

Ooh,  I’m  SO  close  –  just  one  

more  7me  I’m  sure  I  can  beat  it!  

#5 Sometimes it’s good to fail

Sometimes it’s good to fail

If you want to succeed, double your failure rate!

- Thomas Watson, Founder IBM!

Sometimes it’s good to fail

1.  Tried  it  2.  Failed  3.  Yelled  at  by  teacher,  GPA  destroyed  

Result:  Hated  math  for  the  rest  of  my  life  

Online  Algebra  

Failure  =  Bad  

Sometimes it’s good to fail

Plants  vs.  Zombies  

1.  Tried  it  2.  Failed  3.  Yelled  at  by  teacher,  GPA  destroyed  

Result:  Hated  math  for  the  rest  of  my  life  

1.  Tried  it  2.  Failed  3.  Rewarded  by  game  for  gedng  as  far  

as  I  did,  encouraged  to  try  again  

Result:  Spent  exaggerated  amounts  of  <me  playing  (and  eventually  bea<ng)  the  game  

Online  Algebra  

Failure  =  Bad  Failure  =  Learning  

Sometimes it’s good to fail

Next  <me  you  interrupt,  you  be,er  have  a  good    reason  –  objec<on  overruled!    

#4 Immerses the learner in context

Immerses learner in context

Here’s a shape:!

Here’s where it!is supposed to go:!

Immerses learner in context

Start  by  dividing  the  screen  in  half  ver<cally.    Then  divide  the  right  side  in  half  again  and  place  the  shape  in  the  middle  of  the  ver<cal  plane.    Without  moving  the  shape  to  the  lek  and  right,  divide  the  screen  horizontally  and  place  the  shape  approximately  2”  above  the  horizontal  plane.    The  loca<on  of  the  shape  can  have  a  margin  of  error  or  3/4”  in  any  direc<on  and  s<ll  be  considered  adequate.    

Immerses learner in context

Here’s some context:!

Immerses learner in context

Here’s a shape:!

Immerses learner in context

Where should it go?!

Immerses learner in context

Immerses learner in context

#3 Gets rid of learners once and for all...

Gets rid of learners once and for all...

#2 They make data sexy

They make data sexy

Tombstone  photo  by  Flickr  user  “tstadler”  

They make data sexy

Player  results  

#1 Nobody ever wanted to stay up until 2:00 AM just to take your CBT one

more time before going to bed

Games are more fun

surprises  collabora7

on  

Mastery  =  Fun  

Might  want  to  pick  this  up.    Ya  never  

know  when  a    

mega-­‐blaster  

might  come  in  handy  

mastery  

Try  again?  

Games are more fun

“In other words, with games, learning is the drug”!

- Raph Koster (theory of fun)!

Games are more fun

Innova<veLearning.com/games  

So  what  next?  

Go  here  

Games are more fun

There’s  no  learning  objec7ve  that  can’t  be  made  into  a  great  game  

There’s  no  learning  objec7ve  can’t  be  ruined  by  turning  it  

into  a  “nexter”  

Innova<veLearning.com/games  

Thank you!

Innova<veLearning.com/games