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Game-Based Learning and Simulations Conference
Game On Manitoba
March 16, 2009
Serious Games
An Educator’s Perspective
Dr. Reynold Redekopp
University of Manitoba
What Are We Going To Do Today?
Brain ResearchCharacteristics of Digital People
How We LearnHow Do Digital Games Fit In
Brain Research
Some general ideas Digital Kids are actually wired differently
They read differently They notice different things They learn differently
Brain Research
We know ~10% about the brain
All brains are constantly changing all ages - it doesn’t stop at adulthood
strong neural pathways are created by intensity duration
Brain Research
How the brain processes a new task confusion greater brain activity to organize facts/tasks become automatic
Gary Small - UCLA brain researcher
Brain Research
Left brain - what we tend to value logic calculation sequence verbal physical
These are all easily automated
Brain Research
Right brain - less valued visual intuitive multi-processing big picture spatial sense
These are all NOT easily automated
Brain Research
Video gaming is "stunting frontal lobe development" potentially leading to "an immature and self-absorbed emotional level" (Small p. 32)
More complex games and tasks require the use of the frontal areas. (p. 37)
Brain Research
What’s he talking about?
Brain Research
Brain Research
"Digital Natives, after long periods of time on the Internet
display poor eye contact and Show a reluctance to interact socially" (Small p. 73)
Brain Research
Time spent talking ‘live’ improves memory
The interaction reinforces the ideas
Brain Research
” Buddhist monks show more empathy and maternal love.
It was as if the years of meditation had strengthened the brain connections between thinking (frontal lobe) and feeling (amygdala)." (Small p. 142)
Brain Research
We are better at visual processing The eye processes images 60 000 times faster than text schools and training are largely text based the “Gutenberg” effect - with a greater ability to
create text, Text became more important
The brain still prefers images - there is less to learn.
Brain Research
Digital natives skim pages - F patternMainly down - sometimes across
Is this worth reading?
Brain Research
Colour is importantRed attracts attentionBlack is ignored
The INTENSITY of graphics has more effect than amount of violence on aggressive behaviour
Brain Research
The anterior prefrontal cortex is the area that helps us multitask
Last to develop and first to recede children and elders
Brain Research
We are natural multitaskers
We train our kids out of it!
Don Tapscott - Grown Up Digital
Brain Research
There is some loss of efficiency with multitasking
One exception seems to be listening to music while working/studying.
Brain Research
More than 80% of communication is non-verbal Stance Gestures Tone Volume Timing
0 20 40 60 80 100
Teaching / Applying
Practicing/Presenting
Discussion
Two media
Hearing
Reading
What We Remember From:
How We Learn
And how games can help
Summary from Life Role Development Group adult career management specialists
How We Learn
Learning is a process that occurs in stages
How We Learn
Stages: A person goes to a training event, picks up about half of what they need to know to be competent, then loses this competence over time because of non-use.
QuickTime™ and a decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
How We Learn
Stages: Learning sticks when the acquired learning is applied, and then is personalized, and then is extended.
QuickTime™ and a decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
How We Learn
People learn differently
Learning Styles: auditory kinesthetic visual interpersonal etc
How We Learn
People learn best differentlyLearning by Doing - just wants to go try it
Learning by Watching - see it first
Learning by Analysis - reads the instructions
How We Learn
Many ways to NOT learnLearning obstacles - external barriers to learning (workload is too intense, learning resources are not available)
Learning defences - internal barriers to learning (fear of failure, fear of success)
How We Learn
Learning is enhanced when there is a reason for it They’re already motivated to do the kind of work they do
The training they’re undertaking will help them pursue their desired career path
Some just love learning
James Paul Gee - Edutopia
Games as constant evaluation
Reduce fear of mistakes
Active involvement
In context
High motivation
Aware of progress
James Paul Gee
0 20 40 60 80 100
Teaching / Applying
Practicing/Presenting
Discussion
Two media
Hearing
Reading
What We Remember From:
Digital Age People
How Are they Different?
Why do they need to be different? Shift Happens (Video)
QuickTime™ and a decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Shift Happens
Digital-Age People
CharacteristicsThe bottom line is that children today are
FUNDAMENTALLY different in the way they: think access, absorb, interpret, process and use
information view, interact and communicate in and with the
modern world.
Starcraft, WoW, Runescape
Manual, what manual?
Wikis and forums often there are many pages to describe a “how-to”
Digital Age People
learn differently, especially out of school
they multitask, network, interact as part of their routine
multitasking is part of human nature, ask mothers!
Ken Robinson - TED talks - TED.com
Digital Age People
Spend time:
Interacting with othersReading wikis and forumsLearning terms as they need themSolving problems as they ariseTrying again (and again …)Sharing their solutions
Digital-Age People
we need to acknowledge that they are using skills that we don’t value the same way
we need to understand and learn to appreciate the strengths of their skill set.
Robert Sawyer (pre-eminent Canadian sci-fi writer) - audio
Skill Set
parallel processing
visual acuity
random access
they skim text
Skill Set
Toronto study – shown 100 photos DN (visual) recall about 90 DI (mainly text, but some visual)
recall about 60 Seniors (text based) recall about 10
Skill Set
they are fearless (my son’s first “game”)
by the time a digital immigrant has read the table of contents of a manual …
… the digital native has already figured out 15 things that will work and 15 things that won’t.” (Jukes)
Digital-Age People
they read – but on a need-to-know basis
not books much (Florida Rhodes Scholar)
rather web pages, wikis, discussion forums
Digital-Age People
they want context for the experience or learning
they need practice they need regular feedback and
reinforcement
Digital-Age People
Let’s summarize once more what writers like Steven Johnson, Marc Prensky, Daniel Pink have noted:
Digital-Age People
Digital learners prefer receiving information quickly from multiple multimedia sources.
Digital learners prefer parallel processing and multi-tasking.
Digital learners prefer active, engaged learning.
Digital-Age People
Digital learners prefer processing pictures, sounds and video before text.
Digital learners prefer random access to hyper-linked multimedia info.
Digital learners prefer to network simultaneously with many others.
Digital-Age People
Digital learners prefer to learn “just-in-time”.
Digital learners prefer instant gratification and immediate rewards.
Digital learners prefer learning that’s relevant, instantly useful, and fun.
Digital-Age People
This generation no longer wants just to be the audience; they want to be the actors.
They expect, want, and need interactive information interactive resources interactive communications, and relevant, real life experiences
Digital-Age People
They don’t start with the manual.
They start by exploring - and look up the terms are they need them.
Digital-Age People
How Do Games Fit In
What is their effect? What do they add? How do we use them well?
World wide increase in IQ scores
not because of education or nutrition
could be partly due to the complexity/influence of complex games
“I learn from playing games.
Games teach me:
how to solve problemshow to work with others and leadto be organized and detail-oriented”
Teamwork, Leadership and Community
Work with others Partition attention, divide tasks Coordinate efforts Communicate in multiple ways Establish shared goals Integrate info to make decisions Prioritize data to meet goals
You can’t sit back and be passive playing games
games are problem solving with constant evaluation
the goal drives everything new knowledge / procedures are learned as
needed games are serious and intense learning all you need is content
James Paul Gee - Edutopia
Kinds of Games
Marc Prensky Mini-games (2 hours or less) Complex games (more than 10 hours)
Mini-games
Practice particular skills, facts and procedures Inexpensive option to learn essential info and
practice skills
Complex Games
Involve all of the problem solving skills described earlier
Many, many decisions in every hour of play Need to constantly adapt Ethical / moral decisions
During Game Play
The average video game takes about 40 hours to play
the complexity of the puzzles and objectives growing steadily
visual processing dramatically increases with as little of 10 hours of game play (Jukes)
Effectiveness
Moursund - In games, a novice can “see” the progress he or she is making
excellent opportunity for a student to learn about learning
to learn about increasing expertise that comes from study and practice.
learn about game-specific strategies observe his or her steadily increasing speed and
confidence
Effectiveness
Gaining a high level of expertise is applicable to self-assessment and self-guidance in learning in another domain
I know what it means to be highly competent in the domain.
I have a basis for judging how well I am learning
Using games people learn
to self assess to develop understanding of their own learning
strengths and weakness to develop confidence in their ability to learn,
and to take increased responsibility for their own
learning
Using games people learn
Watch the next video
Change the word chemistry to your topic
James Paul Gee - learn through games
After The Games
De-brief and contextualize
Partner with a mentor
Return to the game after some real-life experience
Gary Small - iBrain - UCLA
Summary
Brain research - visual multitaskers
Digital-Age People - different skill sets
How We Learn - involvementDigital Games - fit these patterns
Are you training effectively?
QuickTime™ and a decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Some Serious Games
Global Conflicts: Palestinewww.seriousgames.dk/gc.html
Darfur is Dyinghttp://www.darfurisdying.com/
Food Force
http://www.food-force.com/
References
Rick Van Eck - Microsoft Innovative Teacher Conference MS Innovative Teacher Conf Keynote
TwichSpeed - Digital Game Based Learning - examples ftom different areas
Left/Right brain or ViewZone Games2Train Gary Small - iBrain Marc Prensky - In Educational Games, Complexity Matters Moursund - Games Talk TV Ontario - The Agenda with Steve Paikin Educause Life-Role Development Group - Support Their Learning
