The “Immernet”: Immersive Learning through Games, Gamification and Virtual Worlds

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By Karl M. KappBloomsburg UniversityGamification of Learning and Instruction

The “Immernet”: Immersive Learning through Games, Gamification and Virtual

Worlds

Interactivity (I) + Immersion (I) = Sustained Engagement (E)Results in meaningful learning.

Interactivity (I) + Immersion (I) = Sustained Engagement (E)Results in meaningful learning.

Ripped from the pages of “The Gamification of Learning and

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1Agenda

What are three simple, low‐tech techniques for creating engaging learning experiences?

What are four instructional design methods that encourage immersive learning

2

3How do I, create learning experiences tied to interactivity, immersion and game‐based elements?

Malone’s Theory of Intrinsically Motivating Instruction

Challenge Fantasy Curiosity

Challenge

Jones, B., Valdez, G., Norakowski, J., & Rasmussen, C. (1994). Designing learning and technology for educational reform. North Central Regional Educational Laboratory. [Online]. Available: http://www.ncrtec.org/capacity/profile/profwww.htm and Schlechty, P. C. (1997). Inventing better schools: An action plan for educational reform. San Francisco, CA: Jossey‐Bass. Chapter 2 “The Gamification of Learning and Instruction.”

Fantasy– There are both cognitive and emotional reasons for evoking fantasy. Cognitively a fantasy can help a learner apply old knowledge to understand new things and help them remember the content. Emotionally, a person can connect with the experiences and not bring with it “real-world” concerns or fears.

Image Courtesy of GameOn! Learning

Challenge and Consolidation– Good games offer players a setof challenging problems and then let them solve these problemsuntil they have virtually routinized or automated their solutions.

Games then throw a new class of problem at the players requiringthem to rethink their now, taken-for-granted mastery, learnsomething new, and integrate this new learning into their old mastery.

James Paul Gee, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Self‐Determination Theory

• Self‐Determination Theory– Autonomy– Competence– Relatedness

Autonomy or Producers– Players are producers, not just consumers, they are “writers” not just “readers.” Even at its simplest level, players co-design games by the action they take and decision they make.


Competence or Pleasantly Frustrating– Good games stay within, but at the outer edge, of the players “regime of competence” (diSessa, 2000) Challenges in a game are challenging but feel “doable.”

This is motivational. (Confidence from the ARCS model of motivation.)


diSessa, A. A. Changing Minds: Computers, Learning and Literatcy. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 2000.

Performance before Competence– Good video games operate by a principle just the reverse of Most training modules: performance before competence (Cazden, 1981).

Players can perform before they are competent, supported by the design of the game. It is learning by doing.


Relatedness– This is experienced when a person feels connected to others. It can either be in real-time or related to players who have played before through such items as a leaderboard or artifacts left by other players.

Are games effective for learning?

Yes!RetentionType of Knowledge

% Higher

Retention 9%Procedural 14%Declarative 11%

Sitzmann, T. (2011) A meta-analytic examination of the instructional effectiveness of computer-based simulation games. Personnel Psychology .Review of 65 studies. Chapter 4 “The Gamification of Learning and Instruction.”

RetentionType of Knowledge

% Higher

Retention 9%Procedural 14%Declarative 11%

Percentages of ImpactIt wasn’t the game, it was

level of activity in the game.

In other words, the engagement of the learner in the game leads to learning.


Do simulation/games have to be entertaining to be educational?

NO


Yes, 20% higher confidence levels.

Do Simulation/games build more confidence for on the job application of learned knowledge than

classroom instruction.


Engagement

PedagogyGame

EducationalSimulation

Fact: Instructional games should be embedded in instructional programs that include debriefing and feedback.

Instructional support to help learners understand how to use the game increases instructional effectiveness of the gaming experience.

g

Hays, R. T. (2005). The effectiveness of instructional games: A literature review anddiscussion. Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (No 2005‐004). Chapter 4 “The Gamification of Learning and Instruction.”

Example

Enspire Learning: http://www.enspire.com/

Enspire Learning: http://www.enspire.com/

TransferThe ability of simulations to teach skills that transfer to real‐life, on‐the‐job situations seems abundantly positive… Computer‐based simulations—assessed as an alternative to other means of training, as a supplement to other means of training, as a device to combat skill decay in experienced trainees, and as a means of improving performance levels as they stand prior to training—show positive results for transfer a majority of the time.

In 22 out of 26 studies, trainees demonstrated equal or superior transfer to the control group from simulations.

Shenan HahnADL Research and Evaluation Team

Recommendations 1) Use a game/simulation to provide a context for the learning.

2) Don’t focus on “entertainment.”

3) Carefully craft the simulation/game to provide opportunities to increase engagement and interactivity to increase learning.

Use game-based mechanics, aesthetics and game thinking to engage people, motivate action,

promote learning, and solve problems.

Gamification

http://success.adobe.com/microsites/levelup/index.html

Use measurement achievements instead of completion achievements to increase intrinsic motivation through feedback.

Locke, E.A., & Latham, G.P. (2002) Building a practially useful theory of goal setting and task motivation: A 35‐year Odyssey. American Psychologist, 57(9), 705‐717 Chapter 11: “The

Gamification of Learning and Instruction”

Primarily use expected achievements so players can establish goals for themselves and create a schema of the learning environment.

Schooler, L.J., & Anderson (1990) The disruptive potential of immediate feedback. The proceedings of the Twelfth Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, Cambridge, MA. Chapter 11: “The Gamification of Learning and Instruction”

http://www.coursehero.com/courses/

Some people think Gamification is only about points, badges and rewards…

… if it was, this would be the most engaging game in the world.

20% increase in profile completion.

… but the possibilities of “gamification” are far larger than points, badges and rewards.

Elements of Immersive Environments that Aid Learning


NOT Enough Time



Story

Researchers have found that the human brain has a natural affinity for

narrative construction.

Yep, People tend to remember facts more accurately if they encounter them in a story rather than in a list.

And they rate legal arguments as more convincing when built into narrative tales rather than on legal precedent.

Carey, B. (2007) this is Your Life (and How You Tell it). The New York Times. Melanie Green http://www.unc.edu/~mcgreen/research.html. Chapter 2 “The Gamification of Learning and Instruction.

1. Characters

Story Elements

5. Conclusion

2. Plot (something has to happen).

3. Tension

4. Resolution

NikePlus Stats for Karl

Re‐design the Instruction to Start with a Challenge

Recommendations

• Embed facts to be learned in the context of stories.

• Start the learning process by providing a challenge to the learner.

• Provide a progression from simple to more difficult tasks.

• Use stories that are related to the context of the desired learning outcome.

We’ve Always Wanted Characters

Characters

On tests involving different word problems, the group who had a character explain the problems generated 30% more correct answers than the group with just on‐screen text.

Animated pedagogical agents (characters) can be aids to learning. A “realistic” character did not facilitate learning any better than a “cartoon‐like” character.

Clark, R., Mayer, R. (2011) E-Learning and the Science of Instruction: Proven Guidelines for Consumers and Designers ofMultimedia Learning. New York: Pfeiffer. Pg. 194. Chapter 4 “The Gamificaiton of Learning and Instruciton”

Avatar as Teacher

Research indicates that learners perceive, interact socially with and are influenced by anthropomorphic agents (characters) even when their functionality and

adaptability are limited.

Baylor, A. 2009 Promoting motivation with virtual agents and avatars: R ole of visual presence and appearance. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal B Society. 364, 3559–3565. Chapter 4 “The Gamification of Learning and Instruction”

Mentor

Motivator

Expert

Are two avatars better than one?

Mentor

Motivator

Expert

Yes, two avatars are better than one.

Baylor, A. L. & Kim, Y. (2005). Simulating instructional roles through pedagogical agents. International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education, 15(1), 95-115. Chapter 4 “The Gamification of Learning and Instruction”

http://codebaby.com/elearning‐solutions/examples/

http://codebaby.com/elearning‐solutions/examples/

Recommendations • Use characters/agents to model desired behavior.

• Use characters/agents to provide feedback and instruction to learners.

• Characters should speak in a natural, conversational tone.

• Use two characters, one for coaching and one for expertise is better than just having one character trying to do both.

Levels

Games provide different levels for different points of

entry.

Scaffolding: Process of controlling the task elements that initially are beyond the learner’s capacity.

Guided Practice. Step‐by‐step instructions and then fading of

instruction

Having different entry points into a learning module provides players with a comfort level that they can enter the learning and be successful.

Many of the instructional methods that are effective for novices either have no effect or, in some cases, depress

the learning of learners with more expertise.

Training designed for learners with greater prior knowledge requires different instruction methods than

training designed for novice learners.

Clark, R., Nguyen, F. & Sweller, J. (2006) Efficiency in Learning: Evidence‐based guidelines to manage cognitive load. Pfeiffer. Page 247. Chapter 7 and 7 of “The Gamification of Learning and Instruction.

Recommendations

• Allow different entry points into the instruction.

• Provide a level demonstrating the needed skill, task or concept, create a level with guided practice and create a level that allows the player complete freedom to perform the task or apply the concept on his or her own.

Do not view virtual worlds as a next step in “how” classroom‐based learning

will be delivered.

Instead, ask what kind of learning can this new technology can enable.

Human interaction around a task where peer‐to‐peer or group learning is enabled.

By adding immersion to the equation, organizations can allow for higher quality learning interactions between employees

who work at a distance.

Learning content not organized around the work context causes unnecessary overhead for the learner.

Learners tend to prefer instructions over instruction.

Simulated environments always made sense in Medicine, Military and Aviation. Now they make sense

for Factories, Call Centers, Retail Stores and other “work” environments.

First Experiment indicated that playing the game Darfur is Dying resulted in a greater willingness to help the Darfurian people than reading a text conveying same information.

Peng, W., Lee, M., & Heeter. (2010) The effects of a serious game on role taking and willingness to help. Journal of Communications. 60, 723-724. Chapter 5 of “The Gamificaiton of Learning and Instruction.

Second Experiment indicated that playing the game Darfur is Dying resulted in a greater role taking and willingness to help than either game watching or text reading.

Peng, W., Lee, M., & Heeter. (2010) The effects of a serious game on role taking and willingness to help. Journal of Communications. 60, 723-724. Chapter 5 of “The Gamificaiton of Learning and Instruction.

1) Interactivity of games leads to higher knowledge retention for declarative and procedural knowledge.

2) Embed facts to be learned in the context of stories. 3) Games/Simulations do not need to be fun to be educational.4) On screen characters can enhance e‐learning.5) Two on screen characters (mentor and expert) are better

then one.6) Use stories rather than bulleted lists to present facts.7) Present learners with a difficult challenge to engage and

motivate them. 8) Use stories that are related to the context of the desired

learning outcome. 9) Allow different entry points/levels into the instruction.10) Games can be more influential than reading about a subject.

Take‐Away

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