This presentation by Rachel S. Smith of the New Media Consortium discusses games for learning, from paper-and-pencil games to MMOs.

1. lrn2play
rachel smith
the new media consortium

2. Zoelle has defeated Arex in a duel.
[Arex]: dang! pwnt!
(Congratulations! That was impressive!)
[Zoelle]: that was close. vanish ftw
(You were very good too. I only triumphed because I had a
slight technological edge.)
[Arex]: I hate rogues /cry
(No, no, your technique was clearly superior.)
[Zoelle]: lol lrn2play noob
(Keep trying -- practice makes perfect!)

3. how does this topic make you feel?

4. © Photospin.com Used with permission. Reproduction prohibited.

5. © Cartoonbank.com Used with permission. Reproduction prohibited.

6. so where do we start?

7. google: sudoku

8. google: miniclip, escapa

10. what they have in common
• games set up a situation by having rules
• players work within those rules to accomplish
a goal or goals
• each game requires a certain amount of
focus to succeed
…the previous examples are all entertainment
games.

11. live long and prosper
google: MIT live long prosper

12. google: nmc campus

13. compare to comic books & manga
from My Cat Loki (Tokyopop.com)
google: educational comic books

14. remember learning objects?

15. AFRICA

16. what I’m not talking about
• unguided learning
• replacing teachers with games
• using games in places where they don’t make sense
• cramming education into entertainment-based
games
study: students repeatedly said that it’s the teacher
who makes the course – not the technology

17. looking deeper
google: horizon report, esa essential facts

18. www.nickyee.com/daedalus
research

19. how many people?
www.mmogchart.com

20. where the money is
www.mmogchart.com

21. game design degree programs
• Houston Community College – Southwest
• UC Santa Cruz
• Michigan State University
• University of Advancing Technology (UAT)
• Online programs (Kaplan University)
• George Brown College
google: game design degree

23. games & girls
Michigan State University
aliengames.org

24. game theory
gametheory.net
for educators, students,
professionals…
and geeks.

25. what can we learn from games?

26. . . . from playing games
• with any game, you learn the rules to play it
• understanding of strategy comes later
• cooperation for multi-player games; concentration
for solo games
• physical coordination for sports, hand-eye
coordination for games involving manual dexterity
• quick decision-making for fast-paced video games
• hand-eye coordination & reflexes for “twitch”
games
games are more complicated than they used to be

27. are these useful leadership skills?
• role assignment
• task delegation
• crisis management
• logistical planning
• determining how to share rewards among group
members
• motivating group members
• dealing with negative attitudes
• dealing with group conflicts
• encouraging group loyalty and cohesion
Yee, 2006

28. engagement
• learning is assisted by engagement in the
topic on the part of the learner
• games are engaging (good ones, anyway)
– storytelling
– flexibility
– problem-solving
• games in the workplace
– repetitive tasks
– learning that involves repetition and practice
google: games2train, monkey wrench consipiracy, gaming workplace

29. accidentally educational
• music (Guitar Hero)
• business & economics (SimCity, Roller Coaster
Tycoon, Rich Man Game)
• evolution & culture (Spore, Civilization)
• ecology (that one with the eagles and the mice)
• history (Call of Duty 2)
• physical skills (Dance Dance Revolution)
• cooperation, leadership, interpersonal skills
(Everquest, Neverwinter Nights, World of Warcraft)

30. intentionally educational
google: arden, educational MOO, nmc campus
• Arden
• Simulations in Second Life
• Remember MOOs?
– Meridian
– MediaMOO
– Language MOOs
learning occurs in and
around these spaces

31. the community of MMOs
source: www.worldofwarcraft.com

32. new art forms:
machinima
Billy McClure by Terran “Liadov” Gregory
The Ballad of the Noob by Jun Falkenstein
source: www.youtube.com
Big Blue Dress
by Cranius

33. . . . from designing games
• designing puzzles – researching answers, coming
up with questions; teaching is a good way to learn
• designing simple games – game theory, rules,
strategy
• designing paper-based worlds and adventures (like
D&D) – geography, history, language, politics
• designing an online game – art & illustration;
computer science; 3D modeling; working with
game engines

34. new interfaces
google: wii, guitar hero, dance pad

35. the flip side

36. what’s problematic about games?
• understanding when they are appropriate
• making them
• creating good content (educational and fun)
• assessing progress and learning
• getting people to take them seriously

37. looking ahead
• more research & development
• more studies, pilots, anecdotes
• authoring tools
– game-editor.com (2D games for PCs and mobiles)
– Neverwinter Nights modding tools
– game engines (Multiverse, Croquet)
• more experimentation in online environments
• more games
• more people talking about, thinking about, writing
about educational gaming

38. new worlds, new possibilities…
• exploration of identity
• relationship-building
• global communities
33 years | 40 years | 89%
source: Essential Facts about Games and Youth Violence, ESA, 2006

39. mmorpgs (MMOs)

41. virtual worlds: nmc campus

42. stay tuned . . .
we’re playing with the future.