Gaming Trends

The year 2030 is not so far away that we cannot foresee how classrooms might look at that time. Although I hope to be long retired and still healthy by then, I know that it will be different because history shows us how technology has altered the classroom environment. From parchment and inkwells to word processors and the internet, technology changes the face of education, and as educators learned to use those new tools to make their lessons more relevant, so too will the teachers of tomorrow. By 2030, I see students and teachers using their own portable device as their primary source for information and interaction with fellow students and teachers. This is not unlike how some students use their devices today, but I see a more comprehensive role for the device, in whatever form imagined, as an integrated portal for their educational experience and beyond.

The first thing I envision is how to fund this technology. I imagine a new kind of commercialization for education. Not any type we recognize today, but a unique way to use industry to demonstrate to students through the device, the skills necessary to create, produce, distribute, and market their products while keeping their product or company name in the segment. If we could limit the blatant marketing as well as the amount of screen time allowed on the device and insist on a focus of why the student needs the skills learned to succeed, I believe industries would pay for the access and it would give them the right to boast of their partnerships in more typical media applications. A real partnership like this would open a myriad of new ways for teachers to design relevant content. As noted in part ll of the Gamified Classroom, (Proto/ADMIN, 2011), “At its best, technology can provide teachers with engrossing, educational content that is appropriately differentiated for any level at which the students are currently functioning–while still being incredibly easy to implement and manage.”

When students first enter the classroom, which could be physically or virtually, the device they carry throughout the day, once logged in, will be used for mundane tasks such as attendance and lunches, which earn them low-level points. I like the idea of points or badges for doing everyday things like brushing your teeth as suggested in the video with Jesse Schell (Schell, 2010), if students are consuming or doing things that they would do or consume anyway, why not reward them in ways that do not make them so mundane. Students would, using the device, greet the teacher and check their personal account on a site similar to Edmodo to get the day’s activities, check their progress on group, and project assignments, with every action securing more points toward some goal or level of achievement, and then move on to complete their days activities and responsibilities . Some of these may be with students in another classroom or another building anywhere in the world. I can see a classroom similar to that viewed for week 3, Quest Atlantis (TLC, 2011), where students spend “monitored time in a 3D virtual world where children learn science and math, reading and writing and students work together as a team, thinking through complex 21st century problems but they're also having fun playing an online game.” As the interview with Dr. James Gee states in the PBS video (PBS, 2011), “A game is just a set of problems, it could be anything.”

We should collaborate with those that have problems to solve (industries and government). Let them tell us what skills they are using to solve their problems, and introduce students to those real world problems and teach them, with the use of games and simulations, problem solving skills that are relevant to their world now (2030) and in their future. As noted in “What about Games Makes Them Good for Learning?”, (Miller, Klimas, & Mehall), the authors remind us that “Connecting learning to experience increases players' investment in learning, even while they may not even realize that they are learning.” If “Reality is Broken” as McGonigal suggests (McGonigal, 2011), and games can “change the world,” Then I say, “Let the Games Begin.”

McGonigal, J. (2011). Reality is Broken-Why games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World. Penguin Books Ltd.

Miller, T., Klimas, A., & Mehall, A. (n.d.). Lure of the Labrynth. Retrieved April 18, 2014, from Labrynth. thinkingport.org: http://labyrinth.thinkport.org/www/library/learning.php

PBS. (2011, February 13). DIGITAL MEDIA - NEW LEARNERS OF THE 21ST CENTURY. Retrieved April 18, 2014, from pbs.org: http://video.pbs.org/video/1767377460/

Proto/ADMIN, A. R. (2011, 11 9). The Gamified Classroom. Retrieved 4 17, 2014, from Gamification: http://www.gamification.co/2011/11/09/the-gamified-classroom-2/

Schell, J. (2010, February 10). Dice 2010: "Design Outside the Box" Presentation. Retrieved 4 16, 2014, from g4tv.com: http://www.g4tv.com/videos/44277/dice-2010-design-outside-the-box-presentation/

TLC. (2011, November 4). YouTube. Retrieved April 17, 2014, from Quest Atlantis/The learning Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Q2sRp5YM8Y#t=47

Simulations

The simulations I chose are Java Applets with flash Player. It has been my experience that, while beneficial, students are easily bored with them. The students are so accustomed to action games and graphics that will astound them; simple simulations such as these are not adequate to keep their attention for long. I have enjoyed teaching physics and have used simulations that are not available to the public, but these simulations are sufficient to enhance a lesson.

The first simulation is from PHELT interactive simulations from the University of Colorado and is titled “Force and Motion: Basics. 

https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/forces-and-motion-basics/latest/forces-and-motion-basics_en.html

These simulations allow the student to manipulate the different variables and see what effect the alterations have on the activity. There are four basic activities: Tug of War, Motion, Friction and acceleration.

Another simulation I found is aimed at students who are thinking about becoming doctors. It is titled ‘Arm surgery2” from http://www.learn4good.com/games/simulation/doctor-hospital-games-for-kids.htm and while it may sound somewhat gruesome to some, it may help some students thinking about a career in medicine or even a student who has experienced this operation or something similar, or possibly has a sibling going through a comparable experience.               

                                     

                                                                                                                                                         

Virtual Worlds

My first challenges were to navigate the site. The slowness of my computer did not help matters. Using the controls was cumbersome. I was able to visit a number of sites but I did not know what to do. I finally found the sandbox through search function and visited some of those but I fail to see the purpose. Areas were either off limits or for profit and I had no idea of what to build or how. The video I watched was not very helpful.

I can certainly see the allure of 3D virtual worlds in education. The idea that students could virtually place themselves in any historical context and interact with historical figures or plumb the depths of the oceans and travel to distant galaxies, and go along with the “Magic School Bus” to see their bodies on a molecular level, are all possibilities that need to be explored. I have not had time yet to examine the other two VW games that the authors (Kim, volume 5 2012) mention (Active Worlds and Quest Atlantis p.9) but I will.

In the Journal of Virtual World Research (Kim, volume 5 2012), the authors note in their introduction (p.2); “However, despite the numerous claims that virtual environments might be beneficial in educational contexts, the research has yet to offer sufficient practical suggestions on how to apply virtual worlds in school-based educational settings (Lee & Kim, 2010).”

If what I saw in Second life was any indication of where virtual world gaming is headed, I would not endorse the use of them by my students without very strict controls. It was too easy to change the preference levels and it seemed everything was for sale, even in the non-profit areas that were visited. Aside from the possible objectionable content, other problems I encountered was that my graphics card and processor are not fast enough to enjoy the graphics without some hesitations and stuttering, it was not a smooth experience. The cost for me to upgrade is not in the budget at this time and I am sure many school districts would say the same thing about upgrading the graphic cards on thousands of machines.

  

Kim, L. &. (volume 5 2012, May). Between Purpose and Method: A Review of. Journal of Virtual Worlds Research, 1-18. Retrieved from http://jvwresearch.org/

Fix #14

Playing Settlers and reading McGonigal’s book has helped me understand in more detail what it takes to live. It would be nice if we could play the game; The Long View, she refers to but current obstacles are not surmountable, yet. In the real world, entrepreneurs have always been the ones with the long view, those that could see the future, even beyond their own, and we have corporations, and buildings to attest to that. Playing the game and thinking about this made me think that we all need to be entrepreneurs in our own lives, how we live and manage the obstacles we encounter and look beyond them. Soon after I began playing this game, I encouraged a friend’s 16-year-old grandson to play with the hope that we could have a discussion later about what he learned. I wanted him to see the interconnectedness of the supply chains to the expansion of community, and the need for resource management and then be able to translate that to his own worldview, his needs, and wants. In doing this, having those discussions, I realized how much I personally was not recognizing those obstacles and long view in my own life.

We see it on the news almost daily of how areas of our ecosystem are damaged by human or natural actions, but we invariably dismiss it and do not see how it relates to our own lives. I wanted Jeremy, my friend’s grandson to see how doing one thing can have negative or positive outcomes in many unexpected ways. I believe I have seen a small light of understanding on his part in our talks, but my own light has come into sharp relief. This is how I want my students to see the world, beyond their own needs and wants, to recognize the bigger picture and continue to open their eyes to possible futures that they have the power to create. I want them to know, that right now, they are engaging in what McGonigal refers to as pilot experimentation, and now is the time to try small things to see what changes can be made, safely in their own lives.  Games, in the right context, can empower them to do that. One example that was offered this week was the “what if game,” World Without Oil. I can see some kind of variation of this would work well in the classroom with the use of media to let them be creative in their expression of ideas to help solve smaller problems in their own life.

Choosing only three concepts from the book is a difficult task, but the author sums it up best in her conclusions on page 350: “Good games can play an important role in improving our quality of life. They support social cooperation and civic participation at very big scales. And they help us lead more sustainable lives and become a more resilient species.” Who could ask for more?

Fix 13

My time spent with the Settlers game has shown me the collaborative efforts of the players to reach a common goal. In order to succeed, one must cooperatively coordinate or synchronize with other players to identify a common goal in order to co-create a desired outcome, one that no one player could have accomplished on their own. My last adventure, The Dark Priests, required the collaboration of one other player. Neither of us knew what we were doing and as a result, we did not succeed, but we sure did learn a lot. I look forward to more combined adventures now that I know a little more of what to expect.

As McGonigal notes (pg. 271), “We have a hardwired desire and capacity to cooperate and coordinate our actions with others, to actively immerse ourselves in groups and to actively cocreate positive shared experiences.” This is certainly borne out in my personal experience with cooperative learning groups in my classroom. Translation of skills learned in cooperative learning or gaming environments, amounting to the 10,000+ hours of practice required for extraordinary status, to real world situations that require these Collaboration Superpowers that McGonigal refers to, should make for a much better prepared group of problem solvers we will need in the future.

McGonigal refers to a definition of “shared intentionality” as “the ability to participate with others in collaborative activities with shared goals and intentions” (pg. 270). I do not believe that this is solely a “distinctly human capacity” (pg. 260). She refers to the research, stating that no other intelligent species is capable of this quality. From bees and ants to African Wild Dogs and coyotes, all cooperate and learn from each other for their common good. Perhaps, we are the only species cognizant of our intent to cooperate, but I do not believe we are alone in its application.

A few years ago, a friend was telling me about his gaming experiences and I was convinced that this was something I wanted to try. I bought the Xbox w/Kinect and a number of games to go along with it, including the newest Call of Duty. This was an expensive lesson for me as I did not have the requisite coordination skills to operate the controller and did not enjoy these games and now they sit here unused. I get more pleasure watching my nephews play these games than I ever got playing them myself. I think that as soon as I get the okay from their mother, I will transfer the whole thing to them. My younger nephew, who is nine, is very adept at the online aspect of the games and is fearless when it comes time to “ping” another player for help or just chat. I look forward to seeing how these experiences will affect his behavior in the future in terms of cooperation and collaboration.

Fix 11-12

Settlers’ is a microcosm of what McGonigal describes as an engagement economy of an epic scale like Wikipedia or World of Warcraft. Is it a good game world? The game does invite you to explore, act, and spend large amounts of time and encourages curiosity, and collaboration to achieve your goals. The game mechanics are adequate insofar as response times to player actions and has a personal feedback system that demonstrates progress. The game community has many facets in which to engage players. Through guild quests and guild tasks, one has the sense of community, of helping one another out in time of need. Nowhere though, does that sense of community and shared responsibility manifest itself than in a shared adventure.

Participating in this kind of quest allows you to feel that, as part of a team, you can accomplish many more things than you would even think about doing on your own. While I would not refer to these adventure wins as ‘epic, I can get a glimpse of how participation in something like the Guardian’s “Investigate Your MP’S Expenses” would make someone feel being a participant in the effort. I love the idea of Social participation tasks and the one I particular McGonigal mentions as her favorite (pg. 253), Christel House and the short note to a student somewhere in the world that might need a small pat on the back before a big test. Such a small gesture that could conceivably have a great impact on someone you will probably never meet let alone get to know. This reminds me of all the letters and notes written from classrooms, churches, and kitchen tables to our troops around the world. Speaking from experience, I know how much words of encouragement and love from a stranger means.

Crowd-sourcing has had my interest for some time. As an educator, I have been in constant search for ways to improve my instruction and classroom experience for my students. Today, in part due to “No child left behind,” every state has, as part of their department of education web pages, a host of standards based lesson plans and classroom activities that has been contributed by teachers. One of my favorite sites for interactive instructional sites internet4classrooms.com has a seemingly endless supply of teacher-vetted sites for all grade levels. Search Google for crowd-sourcing for educators and you might be there awhile. Another of my favorite sites is donarschoose.org, where a number of teachers I know have been successful in funding projects for their classrooms. 

Fix # 9-10

When it first happened, I was startled a bit. Why someone I do not know, from somewhere unknown to me, help me by giving up his or her resources. I did not know much about this game “Settlers” yet and nothing about the practices of being in a guild. Since then, I have experienced this many times and have reciprocated in kind. This reciprocity was obligatory for me at first and still is, but I have also done this because I enjoyed it. I was raised this way, too. I could see what McGonigal meant when she referred to positive participation furthering the interests of the whole community (pg. 172). Chatting with other players has been a great way to interact and further each other’s interests in the game. While I do not have any interest in carrying on a conversation  with others about things outside the game, I have watched with interest some of the discussions scrolling down the global chat window. This kind of interaction is no different than in a real world, face-to-face meeting and it shows a real form of fun with strangers.

When I received my first buffs from a stranger, I sent a thank you in response. I have not always been able to do this, but I try when time permits. On page 190, McGonigal talks about the “jen ratio” and the net gain or loss of positive interactions among people in a given space over time. Reflecting on this for a while, I realized that I took this kind of inventory early in a school year without a formal thought of doing it. If I notice a class is not meshing well, I will intervene to try to develop a more positive social exchange with each other. Often, this is accomplished through some type of game or activity that will give them an opportunity to complement each other or practice other social graces. These breaks are effective in producing a meaningful experience for them that translates to better behaviors in their academic interactions with each other. I suppose, now that I know what it is, I am guilty of happiness hacking my students.

Fix 7-8

The longer I play at “settling,” the more my interest is waning. The need to log in every day has become a chore. I have other things to do in the real world, and I believe that is a good thing. After all, I am not into gaming that much, even though I derive pleasure from playing. Suffice to say that the games newness has worn off and those intrinsic rewards are not as rewarding or meaningful. I, of course, will continue to play and perhaps my feelings will change.

However, speaking of chores, I really liked the idea of “Chore Wars” and I immediately began thinking of ways to adapt it to a classroom environment. Finding ways to motivate my students is never far from my mind. I enjoyed reading about ARGs and was surprised at the authors discussion of ‘SuperBetter” (pg.133) because this was something I tried to get my 80yr. old mother to do a few months ago without much success. I may have to revisit that effort after learning more about it. McGonigal also reviews for us the progress of Quest to Learn, a project that I find intriguing. That is something I could get excited about, to be a part of groundbreaking change in our educational system. Reading about ARGs put me in search of more and I found this website http://www.argn.com/, which exposed me to a variety of other ARGs that I found quite fascinating. For now, these types of games can motivate me.

Fix 5-6

My interview of another player of Settlers online was with a male high school student named Jeremy 917, who had been playing the game for about a month. (On a personal note, I know Jeremy and asked him to play the game.) He was at level 23. One of the reasons he cited for playing the game was that it kept him busy during this winter’s cold weather. He stated that he played on average, 2-3 hours a day and liked that the moves he made were his choice, that it was a “sandbox game”, where it was a wide open world. With the exception of the help chat, he didn't seem that interested in pursuing any social aspect with any of the people he had befriended other than to help him increase his levels. He told me that he has never interacted with anyone on a personal level when online. Jeremy didn't like the waiting, or patience required to level up. He said that he was best at producing the pinewood and wheat. Jeremy has been a gamer for many years. When asked how often he said “All the time”. I asked if he played Halo, he stated that he didn't like it, it was clumsy. This surprised me considering what McGonigal had to say about it until he clarified that it was Halo 1. He had never tried the newer versions based on his experience with the first one. I suggested he look at the video of the Halo 3 museum and check out the website and he said he would. When asked why he continued to play Settlers, he told me that he was really enjoying it and was glad that I showed it to him. Jeremy has gotten some of his friends at school to try it out, too.

Settlers Online is an enjoyable game for me to play. That being said, I am not a person that would seek any social contact with anyone in a virtual world except as necessary to play the game. Belonging to a guild helps with this, mine is its 5 o'clock somewhere. I have not engaged in any communication with them outside of guild quests. I prefer face to face interactions, I don’t even like to talk on the phone and email has become a necessary evil. I am clearly an introvert when it comes to the virtual worlds, not so much in the real world. I can see however, that for many people (read younger than me) the ubiquitous use of social media has given rise to a freedom to interact in a way that I am not comfortable doing. McGonigal refers to a stronger social connectivity when games are played and interaction during play builds our social networks that increase “pro-social emotions (pg.82)”. From the games of my youth I know this to be true. The author also speaks to “happy embarrassment” (pg83), something I refer to as trash talking. I too have engaged in this behavior, but only when an established friendship is present. I think a fine line exists between happy embarrassment and bullying in the real world and some may push the boundaries in a gamer’s world due to the absence of personal familiarity. I like McGonigal’s idea of Ambient Sociability or playing alone together (pg,89). This allows me to be a part of something that my friends and I can relate to in a real world context. McGonigal uses words like “epic” and awe to describe the experience of gamers when they have collectively accomplished some feat. Even though I am not a gamer, I understand these feelings as being the same or similar to those I get when I read a good book or watch a movie that inspires me. Finally, I can appreciate what these gamers are accomplishing for themselves, absent real world experiences, but I can’t make comparisons of the feeling of awe from a game to that of seeing the Grand Canyon, Yosemite Valley or man’s walk on the moon for the first time.

Fix 3-4

What does Settlers Online do that motivates us to continue playing the game? For one, it gives us goals to accomplish. Not big goals that could discourage us, but manageable ones. Each time we succeed in the endeavor, rewards appear. This is leveling up. The rewards are both intrinsic and extrinsic. Our sense of worth is increased and tangible objects for the game appear for us to use to reach the next goal. These goals are guided by processes, or actionable steps we must take in order to succeed. My next goal is to defeat a bandit camp with 50 or more cavalry. This is a clear goal with specific, actionable steps.

I may not succeed the first time I try this task but if I don’t, that won’t stop me from trying again. I have been defeated before in this game.  No, let me rephrase that. I have encountered setbacks in this game, my general lost more than once, among others. Yet I tried again because I knew I could do it, and I did! That was satisfying work because it was achievable and it was completed.

How did I know I would be successful? This game was difficult from the start. It is difficult today, both for different reasons. The fact that I was playing this game for a class was quickly lost as I progressed.  I chose to take risks, exploring the boundaries of success and failure. Playing on the edge of failure became exciting. The difficulties at the beginning were frustrating. Today they are welcome challenges that are eagerly anticipated, no matter the outcome. Each level reached in the game is an indication of mastery of certain skills acquired at that level. Each new level brings new challenges to meet and the confidence I have to accomplish that is magnified by the previous successes. Early on, I was not a gamer and I may not be much of one now, but my horizons have been expanded and I can’t unlearn what I have learned about myself and for that I am grateful.

Fix 1-2

Settlers Online has been an eye-opener for me as I have never played a MMO before now. I was always leery about them as I didn’t want to embarrass myself or be associated with” crazies”. I can now say I am pleasantly surprised and look back on my wariness as without merit.

The goal of the Settlers is to build a city and defend it against bandits by having a strong military, seek and experience adventures while sharing and supporting other players. Strategy and time play important roles in expanding the city from one community building to a thriving productive city. Strategies can be limiting as well as productive, make the wrong choice and your military is defeated. Make the right choice and your production chains continue to expand. Time is an ever present limiter in that all processes take time to be built. Time is also integrated to the feedback or reward system. Rewards and punishments are immediate. As soon as you defeat a bandit, you can collect the loot. When you have completed a task, you are informed of the result. Each time you level up or defeat a bandit, that sense of pride or fiero as McGonigal noted (p.33) is felt. This also fuels the state of flow, you want to stay there (p24) (McGonigal, 2011). What makes this a pleasurable and safe experience for all players to enjoy are many. The anonymity of the game through fictional gamer tags prevents any personal knowledge of other players or of you. Public chats are monitored and inappropriate comments can be flagged.

I want to see what is next. Where can I go? While the tutorial is helpful, it doesn’t lead to any outcomes, it is just a guide. Your decisions get you where you are.  I discover new personal skill levels every time I play and that, to makes me want to play more. This is the flow that McGonigal points to (p.41) when she states” It was this fast, reliable fix of flow and fiero that kept Sudnow and all the earliest gamers coming back for more” (McGonigal, 2011).

This game has triggered a wide range of emotions in me. From the first days, anxiety and anxiousness were the norm because I wanted to do well in the class. This soon turned to joy and happiness as I progressed. Those initial feelings were linked to external forces and it wasn't pleasant. I see now though that when those feelings return, I embrace them because these feelings are my reward.

Gaming Benefits

Gaming Benefits

Power to motivate

Tom Chatfield tells us in his TED talk, 7 ways games reward the brain, about the power to motivate that games have over us. Through incremental rewards for incremental goals, gamers progress to the next goal and their reward is intrinsic.  Many of the readings and videos spoke to role of the brain chemical dopamine. The motivation to persevere is the brain seeking another surge of dopamine -- the fuel of intrinsic reinforcement (Willis, 2014). I have heard from doctors for many years of the powerful effects this drug has on the human body. It is said that addictions in general have dopamine to thank for the desired or undesired behavior that triggers the pleasure center of our brain. I recognized the feeling the first time I engaged in Settlers Online and felt I had to keep coming back to it.

Collaborative Learning

The interactive nature of games, both with the game itself and others we may be joined with, is a reflection of real world situations in that, for us to survive we must cooperate with others. My students always learned more in a team environment than any other, and they enjoyed it more, too. The same is true with the Settlers game, when I first began; there was no one to help because I was in the wrong realm. I felt at a loss and struggled to solve my problem. It was only with help of someone else that I was back on track.

Epic Win

The epic win Jane McGonigal refers to in her TED talk is a new term for me, however, the feeling is not nor is its associated looks. Overcoming challenges has always been a human trait that I admired and we have all felt it with or without games. The first time you rode your bike by yourself, learning to read, ran a marathon; the list goes on and on. This look is performed for us on televisions across the globe by way of sporting events every day. I want to see that look on the faces of my students.

Quest Atlantis on the Learning Channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Q2sRp5YM8Y

Gaming in the classroom

 http://www.nytimes.com/video/magazine/1248069030957/games-theory.html?src=vidm

Jane McGonigal: Gaming can make a better world

http://www.ted.com/talks/jane_mcgonigal_gaming_can_make_a_better_world.html

Tom Chatfield: 7 ways games reward the brain

http://www.ted.com/talks/tom_chatfield_7_ways_games_reward_the_brain.html

My Gaming Experiences

My Gaming Experiences

My earliest gaming experiences came from board games. Monopoly and Yahtzee were two of my favorites. Checkers and chess were enjoyed for many years as well. Simulations were confined to war inspired Capture the Flag and others along those lines. These activities provided great learning experiences.

Rules, strategies, and interpersonal skills were developed and reinforced by continued play. This, of course, was long before the advent of the digital age. I lost interest in these games as I got older and gravitated toward just one game in which I would participate, golf. I enjoy watching games like baseball and football but, even though I have never been very good, I like to play golf. Today, I am not what one would call a gamer, although I have tried my hand at many games on the Xbox.

As I began college in 1990 with an eye on a teaching degree, personal computers were maturing and the games technology was growing rapidly. Fast forward to my first few years in the classroom and we have education games seemingly, coming from everywhere, and everyone wanted learning to be fun. Similar to today, by the time you bought it, it was obsolete and the kids knew it. 

A lot of money was spent by schools and districts across the country to get that new thing that would help them improve their scores. One of the problems I saw with that was that the students were not engaged for long, if at all. I don’t believe that the district where I taught embraced technology wisely in those years, and I think it had a negative effect on many students’ impression of educational technology. As the technology has improved as well as its access, so has the usage and incorporation by students and teachers alike. 

When I found games that were engaging for my students and they looked forward to the next time or they would tell me how they accessed it at home, showed their parents and siblings, I knew they benefited. When their academic progress reflected improvement in those content areas, we were both excited.

When games aren't relevant to the content being taught or engaging enough for the student to want to continue and return, then it is certainly not beneficial. Those games of my youth were fun and engaging, yet I was learning things without realizing it. When we use games in the classroom, learning doesn’t have to be the only goal.