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Digital Game-Based Digital Game-Based Learning in WebCTLearning in WebCT

Bob BramucciBob Bramucci

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WHAT IT ISWHAT IT IS

Audience AnalysisAudience Analysis What’s a Game?What’s a Game? Do Games Work?Do Games Work? Why Not Games?Why Not Games? What’s a Non-Programmer to Do?What’s a Non-Programmer to Do? Game TaxonomyGame Taxonomy SoftwareSoftware To Learn More…To Learn More… FutureFuture

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WHAT IT’S NOTWHAT IT’S NOT

Trying to Sell AnythingTrying to Sell Anything Training for Specific SoftwareTraining for Specific Software Exhibiting Games I’ve AuthoredExhibiting Games I’ve Authored Advocacy for Going “Game Crazy”Advocacy for Going “Game Crazy”

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Audience AnalysisAudience Analysis

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Statistics Statistics (from Prensky, 2001)(from Prensky, 2001)

Sesame Street is over 30 years old.Sesame Street is over 30 years old. Pong, the first computer game, appeared in Pong, the first computer game, appeared in

1974.1974. The IBM PC was introduced in 1981.The IBM PC was introduced in 1981. MTV began in 1981, over twenty years ago.MTV began in 1981, over twenty years ago.

Students 18-22 have Students 18-22 have never known a world never known a world without digital gameswithout digital games (or rotary dial phones, (or rotary dial phones, network-only television, or analog music). network-only television, or analog music).

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The Average Teenager:The Average Teenager:

Watches over 3 hours of TV per dayWatches over 3 hours of TV per day Surfs the Internet 10 minutes to 1 hour per Surfs the Internet 10 minutes to 1 hour per

dayday Plays 1-1½ hours of digital games per dayPlays 1-1½ hours of digital games per day

By the time they graduate from college, they By the time they graduate from college, they will have nearly as much experience with will have nearly as much experience with electronic entertainment as they do with electronic entertainment as they do with school.school.

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What’s a Game?What’s a Game?

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What’s a Game?What’s a Game?

Homo Ludens: it’s play, and Homo Ludens: it’s play, and – Play is something one Play is something one chooseschooses to do. to do.– Play is intensely and utterly absorbing.Play is intensely and utterly absorbing.– Play promotes the formation of social groupings.Play promotes the formation of social groupings.

Starbuck & Webster (1991)Starbuck & Webster (1991)– Games elicit involvement and give pleasure. Games elicit involvement and give pleasure.

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Games Have:Games Have:Marc Prensky:Marc Prensky:1.1. RulesRules2.2. Goals and objectivesGoals and objectives3.3. Outcomes and feedbackOutcomes and feedback4.4. Conflict/competition/challenge/oppositionConflict/competition/challenge/opposition5.5. InteractionInteraction6.6. Representation or storyRepresentation or story

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: “Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: “FlowFlow”: absorption, ”: absorption, time distortions, loss of self (but it time distortions, loss of self (but it reemerges even stronger afterwards)reemerges even stronger afterwards)

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Do Games Work?Do Games Work?

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ResearchResearch

Improve reasoning skill

Wood & Stewart (1987)

Serve as performance tests

Kennedy, Bittner, Harbeson, & Jones (1982)

Enhance basic literacy skills

Brownfield & Gretchen (1983)

Enhance the ability to divide attention

Greenfield, de Winstanley, Kilpatrick, & Kaye (1996)

Games:

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Why Games WorkWhy Games Work

Games are engaging, entertaining and fun.Games are engaging, entertaining and fun. Games motivate participation and persistence. Games motivate participation and persistence. Games are interactive and utilize active learning Games are interactive and utilize active learning

techniques.techniques. Games use multiple modalities of learning Games use multiple modalities of learning Games provide immediate feedback.Games provide immediate feedback. Games can provide a safe and inexpensive means Games can provide a safe and inexpensive means

of simulating and practicing real-world experiences.of simulating and practicing real-world experiences. In contrast to exams, games are seen as stress In contrast to exams, games are seen as stress

reducers rather than stress inducers.reducers rather than stress inducers. Games help to calibrate comprehension---i.e., Games help to calibrate comprehension---i.e.,

teachers can see strengths and weaknesses and teachers can see strengths and weaknesses and adjust accordingly.adjust accordingly.

Games capitalize on the virtues of (and universal Games capitalize on the virtues of (and universal popularity of) popularity of) playplay..

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Why Games Work: The Short AnswerWhy Games Work: The Short Answer

EngagementEngagement InteractivityInteractivity

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Why Not Games?Why Not Games?

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StatisticsStatistics

The games business is The games business is BIGBIG---at $7.5 billion ---at $7.5 billion dollars per year, it’s about the same size as dollars per year, it’s about the same size as the movie business. the movie business.

So is training and education (an estimated So is training and education (an estimated $2 $2 trilliontrillion dollars). dollars).

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ConvergenceConvergence

Telephony and ComputersTelephony and Computers Movies and Video GamesMovies and Video Games Computers and AppliancesComputers and Appliances PDAs and Cell PhonesPDAs and Cell Phones

However, there’s not much talk about However, there’s not much talk about convergence of digital games and convergence of digital games and education. Why?education. Why?

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Why the Resistance?Why the Resistance?

““No Pain, No Gain”No Pain, No Gain” Puritan HeritagePuritan Heritage Madonna/Whore ComplexMadonna/Whore Complex Tradition-Bound Culture of Higher Tradition-Bound Culture of Higher

Education Education

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Higher EducationHigher Education

““Why, in spite of the fact that teaching by Why, in spite of the fact that teaching by pouring in, learning by passive absorption, pouring in, learning by passive absorption, are universally condemned, that they are still are universally condemned, that they are still so entrenched in practice?”so entrenched in practice?”

--John Dewey, 1918--John Dewey, 1918

The lecture method is still predominant in The lecture method is still predominant in higher education.higher education.

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What’s a Non-Programmer What’s a Non-Programmer to Do?to Do?

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CriteriaCriteria

Customizable ContentCustomizable Content No ProgrammingNo Programming Suitable for Academic ContentSuitable for Academic Content InexpensiveInexpensive

TradeoffTradeoff: not bleeding-edge: not bleeding-edge..

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Game TaxonomyGame Taxonomy

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Types of Digital GamesTypes of Digital Games

EmailEmail AdventureAdventure PuzzlePuzzle BoardBoard Full-Motion VideoFull-Motion Video ArcadeArcade ShootersShooters

Lots of other types (e.g., driving, flying, fighting) but Lots of other types (e.g., driving, flying, fighting) but no educational examples.no educational examples.

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SoftwareSoftware

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Email GamesEmail Games

Sample Game: “Quack, Quack, Quack”

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Text Adventure GamesText Adventure Games

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Adventure GamesAdventure Games

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Puzzle GamesPuzzle Games

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Puzzle Games, cont.Puzzle Games, cont.

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Board Games: Quiz ShowsBoard Games: Quiz Shows

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Board Games: ConcentrationBoard Games: Concentration

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Board Games: JeopardyBoard Games: Jeopardy

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Board Games: SqauresBoard Games: Sqaures

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Board Games: MillionaireBoard Games: Millionaire

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Full-Motion Video GamesFull-Motion Video Games

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Arcade Games: Pac ManArcade Games: Pac Man

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3D Shooter3D Shooter

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Game Creation EnginesGame Creation Engines

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Games Created with Game EnginesGames Created with Game Engines

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TO LEARN MORE…TO LEARN MORE…

BooksBooksWeb SiteWeb Site

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BooksBooks

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WEB SITE TOUR:WEB SITE TOUR:

http://faculty.fullerton.edu/bbramucci/games/index.htm

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Book SummariesBook Summaries

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SoftwareSoftware

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TrainingTraining

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LinksLinks

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FUTUREFUTURE

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Future PlansFuture Plans

Implement gamesImplement games Build Communications Area (discussion Build Communications Area (discussion

boards, listserv)boards, listserv) Incorporate Simulations into Web SiteIncorporate Simulations into Web Site

Next Year’s Projects:Next Year’s Projects: Geographical Metaphor for Navigation in Geographical Metaphor for Navigation in

WebCTWebCT Development of ExpertiseDevelopment of Expertise

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THANKS!THANKS!

Email: Email: bramucci@rccd.cc.ca.usbramucci@rccd.cc.ca.us