DESIGNING AN EDUCATIONAL ARG IN SECOND LIFE

PresenterSandra Law

Agenda

Introduction

Genre of game

Game design models

Description of game

Design challenges

Documentation of design process

Next Steps

Questions

Introduction

Design-based research project in which feedback/comments/suggestions are being sought from SMEs, learners and instructional designers

Game has gone through three iterations (prior to testing with learners)

This talk will provide some of the challenges faced during the design process

Game genre

Pervasive games are described as always on and available anytime and anywhere

Game is a type of pervasive game called an alternative reality game

Alternative reality games are large scale collaborative stories in which players seek out pieces of the storyline online and/or offline by visiting websites, reviewing email or viewing and listening to video and audio clips (e.g. podcasts or voice mail)

Game genre

Pervasive games are described as always on and available anytime and anywhere

Game is a type of pervasive game called an alternative reality game

Alternative reality games are large scale collaborative stories in which players seek out pieces of the storyline online and/or offline by visiting websites, reviewing email or viewing and listening to video and audio clips (e.g. podcasts or voice mail)

Game design models

Thomas (2005) developed a game design model for pervasive games that was based on four key concepts and nine principles.

Community (e.g. relationship building, collaboration)

Autonomy (e.g. empowering learners, giving learners ownership of content, freedom to explore multiple solutions)

Locationality (e.g. option to choose when and where to play, content and environment that changes over time, contextualizes learning experience)

Relationality (e.g. opportunity to personalize environment, learner can set own goals, allow learner to construct own meanings)

Game design models (con’d) The RETAIN (Relevance Embedding Translation

Adaptation Immersion and Naturalization) model was also referenced in the latest design for the game.

This model was developed by Gunter, Kenny and Vick (2008) as an evaluative framework for games being used for educational purposes (both those designed as educational games and commercial games being used for educational purposes).

The model helps educators determine how well the content that is being taught allies with the fantasy elements in the game.

Closer alignment of the content with the narrative is associated with …

Description of game

Contemporary time frame (2010) Setting is a ficitonal small town in southwestern

part of the province of Alberta, Canada Economy of the area is similar to real towns in

the area (e.g. ranching, resource extraction, tourism)

Players choose a stream/expertise (e.g. geosciences, biology, chemistry, health sciences)

Players collaborate with members of their teams to develop a strategic plan and with all players to solve the central mystery of the game

Map of town

Important locales within town Biological Research Station – wetlands, riparian

areas Bioseq – non-profit corporation that is investigating

biofuel production and industrial carbon sequestration

Medical Clinic - health impacts of declining water quality (e.g. contamination of water by micro-organisms due to decreased water volume)

Geological Field Station – hydrology of area including watersheds, changes in timing of peak flow

Municipal Centre – orientation, town hall meetings, mayor’s office

Biological Research Station

Geological Field Station

BioSeq Corporation

Medical Centre

Municipal Centre

Geosciences Stream

Examples of activities Tour of town Discussion forum topics (ongoing) Invitation to review information about base

climate (excerpts from articles, links to abstracts in notecards)

Review information on hydrological cycle (Environment Canada link in notecard)

Review information on SSRB watershed (links in notecards, emails from director of field station)

Geosciences Stream (con’d)

Review newspaper articles about drought in region in 2009 (links in notecards, emails)

Participate in team-based discussions about plan (discussion forums, in-world meetings)

Participate in town hall meeting with all players and the mayor

Interact with expert in discipline (in-world) Review information/artifacts related to

central mystery in game (e.g. 911 call transcripts, police reports)

Example of game asset/resource

911 call Emails (from supervisor (e.g. director of

centre of expertise), journalists, mayor Police reports Notecards Graffiti that provides clues Graphic puzzles that provide clues Objects (with associated notecards or

animations)

Design challenges

Fidelity (e.g. Street names, architecture, landscape)

Designer learning curve (narrative as well as science)

Obtaining assistance in design tasks Authentic tasks* Alignment between game-based tasks and

concepts SMEs think students should be exploring*

Role conflict* Tracking design decisions*

Design challenges – authentic tasks

Relate tasks/activities in the game to the geographic region – required a great deal of background research on the part of the game designer/researcher

Find resources that reference the region and the water-related issues in the region

Ensure that resources are timely (published in last few years if possible)

Design challenges – addressing needs of the SMEs

Address concerns from some of SMEs regarding the use of technology (e.g. technology required, technological competence required of students)

Ensure content relevant to the topics/courses covered by the instructor but not too specific such that game cannot be adapted to other courses and settings

Address real concerns around scientific literacy of students in courses (e.g. reference resources that match student capabilities)

Design challenges – conflict of roles

Reconciling multiple roles in the game: designer, participant in game play (e.g. role as mayor), researcher, puppet master, technical support person

Design challenges – finding design assistance

Skills in scripting in the Linden scripting language are not that widespread, particularly in my part of the world

Documenting design process Design log Document management (e.g. Multiple

files ranging from text, images, PPTs (orientation), scripts

Game development blog Notes from meetings with SMEs and

other participants

Future Steps

Create variations on the game: Air (e.g. different greenhouse gases and their

impacts; C/N cycle and impact on soil fertility and soil invertebrates)

Location (e.g. Northern Alberta and Athabasca/McKenzie River basins)

Run pilot with graduate students (mid-December 2009)

Run game with undergraduate players (mid-February)

My contact information

If you would like to learn more about my research please contact me at:

Sandra Lawsklaw@ucalgary.ca