Learn by Doing in Virtual Environments

Digital GamesVirtual Worlds

Augmented Reality

Presented by: Susan Conrad, Susan Dass, & Debra Moore

Learn by Doing:Digital Games

Presented by: Susan Conrad

• Game Definition and Demographics• Gamers and their communities• Game Design and Pedagogy• What we can learn from MMORGS

Agenda

Digital Games: What’s all the Fuss?

• 72% of American Households• Average game player is 37 and has been

playing for 13 years• 55% of heads of household play games on

mobile devices• $16 billion in software revenue 2010• 100-135 of the Fortune 500 will use games

for employee education

(Entertainment Software Association 2011)

Who is Playing Digital Games?

1.Be important

2.Be easy to understand and interesting but not distort the learning process

3.Be forgiving - not penalize for wrong answers

4.Be WINNABLE - allow for multiple winners and recognizing the gain of all participants

Gredler (1996)

Components of Educational Games

What Can This Guy Teach Us?

• Can be complex to learn• Sophisticated user interfaces• Game difficulty increases with each level of

accomplishment• Social interaction and recognition• MMORGs, First Person Shooter Games, RPGs

MUD Characteristics(Multi User Design, Dungeon or Dimension)

• Active Engagement• Collaboration• Rich Resources• Timeless• Player specific• Encourages Assessment – who wins?• Failure is OK and expected• Creativity encouraged

What Makes RPGs Special?

• America’s Army• Emergency Preparation• Government Leadership Training• Navy policy game• Marriott Careers• Healthy Apps• DimensionsM

Real Life MMORPGs

Collaborative Learning

Story•Characters•Events•Settings

Game•Goals•Rules•Tools

Play•Cause•Effect•Consequences•Fun

Game Design Components

• Avatar

• Select Best Plan

• Break the mission into tasks

• Quest

• The roles

• The rules

Cognitive Affordances of MMORPGs

Finding Love Virtual or Reality?

In Our Quest for Knowledge:Lessons Learned

Learn by Doing:Virtual Worlds

Presented by: Susan Dass

Agenda

• Definition and types of virtual worlds• Inherent characteristics and capabilities• Peer-reviewed research examples:

• Pedagogy, Domain, Activities, Findings• GMU example

Definition and Types

Second LifeActive WorldsThere

•3D, online, persistent, interactive environment

accessible by many users simultaneously

•Role-playing, working, training, mirror, or social

•Emphasis on communication, community building,

and ability to create in-world artifacts

Inherent Characteristics

Search

Presence, Awareness,Community,Immersive

SearchFriendsSearchFriends

Inventory

SearchFriends

InventoryMaps

SearchFriends

InventoryMapsChat

Text Chat Voice

SearchFriends

InventoryMapsChat

Avatar

Avatar

SearchFriends

InventoryMapsChat

AvatarSnapshot

Other Capabilities

• Open a web browser• Sync with a Learning Management System• Conduct a survey• Present information… static or interactive• Supports files: xls, ppt, pdf• Use of space and time• Create artifacts

Research ExamplesPEDAGOGY DOMAIN ACTIVITY

Collaborative Learning

Business: e-commerce

Solve a computer configuration problem

Action Learning Information Systems: Virtual Organizations

Build and run an online business in Second Life

Active Learning Computers and Information Sciences

Build artifacts using Linden Scripting Language, compare to other languages

Social Constructivist

Foreign Language Participate in small group or one-on-one discussion with American partner

Constructionism Information Systems: Business and Software

Create a supply chain simulation; Create an in-world, tool-rich lecture hall

Experiential Learning

Communicating Across Disciplines

Create a Second Life project that uses interdisciplinary communication

See: Shen & Eder, 2009; Wagner & Ip, 2009; Wang & Braman, 2009; Wang, Song, Xia, & Yan, 2009; Dreher, Reiners, Dreher, & Dreher, 2009; Jarmon, Traphagon, Mayrath, & Trivedi, 2009

Research Examples: Findings

• Positive attitudes as a learning environment• Motivated to learn• Felt part of a community, sense of presence• Required a steep learning curve• High effort level did not reduce learning value• Talked more to peers and instructors• One computer science: 14% increased grade

Research Examples: Recommendations

• Align learning objectives with activity• Activity commensurate with skill capability• Use technology commensurate with need• Improve collaboration tools• Use space to denote topics or purpose

George Mason University: Economics

• TerraEconomicus– Private, 3D, virtual world, Second Life platform

George Mason University: Economics

George Mason University: Economics

• Second Life Field Trips

Experiential Activity:

Hurricane Island

George Mason University: Economics

Student Perceptions

Strongly Agree Strongly DisagreeN = 8

Using Second Life as a learning environment was a good idea.

My learning increased because of Second Life.

My engagement in this course increased because of Second Life.

Second Life made learning more interesting.

0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

Second Life made learning more interesting.

My engagement in this course increased because of Second Life.

My learning increasedbecause of Second Life.

Using Second Life as a learning environment was a good idea.

Perceived Ease of Use

Strongly Agree Strongly DisagreeN = 8

Communicating with others in Second Life was easy.

I was aware of what was going on while in Second Life.

Moving my avatar around in Second Life was easy.

Second Life was easy to use.

I was able to access Second Life off campus without frustration.

0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

I was able to access Second Life off campus without frustration.

Second Life was easy to use.

Moving my avatar around in Second Life was easy.

I was aware of what was going on while in Second Life.

Communicating with others in Second Life was easy.

Behavioral Intentions

Strongly Agree Strongly DisagreeN = 8

I intend to use Second Life on a personal basis.

I would take another course that uses Second Life.

0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

I would take another course that uses Second Life.

I intend to use Second Life on a personal basis.

Conclusion: Virtual Worlds

• Affords learn by doing pedagogies• Supports domains and activities• Results in positive student perceptions• Requires addressing adoption obstacles• Illustrates learning as an experience

Learn by Doing:Augmented Reality

Presented by: Debra Moore

Augmented Reality (AR)

• Examples & definitions

• Issues

• Learning with AR

• Living with AR

• Conclusion

How Cool is This?

Virtual data combined with what we see in the real world, for the purpose of enhancing the information we perceive with our senses (Horizon Report, 2010)

http://youtu.be/9DNVa3Npt0Q

The Long Nose of Innovation

Invention Refinement & Augmentation Traction

Growth of anidea

Technical Issues

Other Issues

Improved Learning

Comprehension up Generalization up Attention up

Maintenance time cut in half Scores up

Supportive/Guided

Cognitive Apprenticeship

The mother of all performance support tools

Situational Learning

Immersive EnvironmentAlone or in a groupActively gather & process info

Potential of AR at DAU?

• Catalogs• Multiple overlays• Compare features• Exploded views

2010 Efficiency initiatives• Pictures/speeches• Auxiliary information

Living With AR

Blog: augrealinfo.wordpress.com Email: mooreamazingar

Digital games

When and Why?

Virtual worlds Augmented Reality

QR Code and link to 2-minute video summary provided on next slide

Conclusion

The End

Learn by Doing in Virtual Environments

Access a 2-minute video summary by pointing your cell phone at one of the QR tags above. Color tag reader at http://gettag.mobi. Black and white QR code reader at http://reader.kaywa.com.