Video Games  & EducationBuilding A Sustainable Innovation Ecosystem

HWW Media, Telecom, Entertainment & Hospitality SummitOctober 11, 2011

A Vision Highlighting the Convergence of Video Games, 3D Visualization & Education

“A Vision for 21st Century Learning”

The Digital Native Plays Games……and Lots of Them!

500M worldwide play video games; 183M in U.S. alone!97% of boys under 18, 94% of girls under 18 report playing videogames regularly5M gamers spending 40 hours a week gaming – as much time as a full‐time job!

Source:  Jane McGonigal, “Reality is Broken”

Social Games Are Dominating Consumers’ Leisure Time

Source:  Challenger, Gray & Christmas (Consulting Firm)

“Gamification” is a Successful Consumer Marketing Tool

Table illustrates the interaction of basic human desires and game play. The green dots signify the primary desire a particular game mechanic fulfills, and the blue dots show the other areas that it affects. 

Source:  Bunchball Gamification 101 Whitepaper

“Gamification” in Digital Media

Source:  Bunchball Gamification Playbook 4‐2011

“Gamification” Tackling Child Obesity

Example:  Zamzee, A HopeLab Subsidiary

Research Has Shown That Games Lead To Successful Learning Outcomes

Experiential Learning

FeedbackInquiry‐based 

Learning

Cooperation

Self Efficacy

Goal Setting

Learning Outcomes

However, GBL Products Have Not Reached Critical Mass

Distribution Model Illustrative Examples

Source: Mayo “Bringing Game‐Based Learning to Scale”

Direct‐To‐Teacher

Direct‐To‐District

Direct‐To‐Student

Bundled with Teacher Training

Via 3rd Party Large Textbook Publishers

Via Installed Hardware Base

Co‐Development with School

“Games to Laptops” Initiative

Some Innovative GBL Products Do Show Promise

Observation: None Directly Target "STEM"

Subject Areas Illustrative Examples

Language Learning

Civics/Social Studies

Financial Literacy

What is the Problem?

1. Schools must be redesignedto become intrinsicallymotivating environments.

2. GBL products are not beingdeployed "disruptively."

3. A "Sustainable Innovation Ecosystem" must beconstructed.

We Must Deploy GBL Disruptively

Primer:  The relative economics of sustaining versus disruptiveinnovationsChristensen’s DIF significantly outpaced the Cambridge Associates10  Year Venture Capital Index!

Source:  Clayton Christensen & Michael Horn, “Disrupting Class:  How Disruptive Innovation Will Change The Way The World Learns”

Maybe We’re Putting The Cart Before The Horse?

From the mainstream Ed Tech establishment:

"It must fit into my comfort zone""Don’t call it Edugames, call it a lab""Show me how to incorporate it""Must align to standards and fit into a class period"

THIS IS CALLED "CRAMMING"

The Golden Rule of Disruptive Innovation: Target Areas of Non‐Consumption

Recorded Music

Telephone

Downloadable Digital Media

Game‐based Learning???

Sold to music listeners who did not attend concerts

Initially only worked for local calls

Focus on individual songs versus entire albums –music industry phased out singles in 1990s

Project‐based learning; eLearning;  new charter school designs; after school programs; new territories, low achievers

Traditional Education Value Chain Under Market Pressure

Online Textbooks

New Entrants

New School Models, Philanthropic Support

New Political Intervention

Blended Learning Virtual Schools Major Foundations

Textbook Publishers are Partnering with and/or Buying Their Innovation

Investments Organizational Realignment Strategic Partnerships

Incumbents Do Not Create Disruptive Innovation

How Do You Implement GBL in K‐12?

Target Non‐Consumption Areas For Pilot 

Schools

Perform Efficacy Research

Sell To Non‐Consumption Areas, Other Distribution Channels

Approach Mainstream Schools When Conditions Are 

Favorable

Suggested GBL Disruptive 

Implementation Plan 

We Must Create a Sustainable "Innovation Ecosystem"

Definition: Innovation that lays a foundation for true global competitiveness and leadership.

Strategic Focus +  Idea Generation+  Translational Pathways+  Financial/Infrastructural/Human Capital =  Innovation Ecosystem

Source: Shirley Ann Jackson, PHD “Expediting Serendipity: Building An Innovative Ecosystem” 10/09

Government Funding Alone Will Not Create A SustainableInnovation Ecosystem

Old Model

Government drives economic development 

through policy decisions and incentives.

New ModelEconomic development is a 

collaborative processinvolving government at 

multiple levels, companies, teaching and research 

institutions, and private sector organizations. 

Examples of Best Practices• South Korea (Korea Industrial Complex Corporation – KICOX)• Singapore’s National Institute of Education

Source: Michael Porter, “Regional Competitiveness in a Global Economy,” 5/18/09

What Are The Implications for HWW Clients?

Encourage traditional educational publishers to take aggressive steps to create a “culture of innovation”

Venture capital fundsAutonomous “new ventures” units not held to same accountability as core businessesCreate mechanisms to cultivate and nurture entrepreneurship

Learn from Netflix, but communicate better!Turn market disruption into an opportunity, not a crisis

Target new distribution channels, new customers, new territoriesMost progressive markets are, in fact, outside the United States

Use real option theory to manage uncertainty

Any Questions??

HWW Media, Telecom, Entertainment & Hospitality SummitOctober 11, 2011