Reynold Redekopp Ph. D.University of Manitoba,
Canada
Digital Games are not the focus of any courses in Canadian Faculties of Education
Are they ‘integrated’? “Students these days know all that
stuff”
Anderson and Barnett – SuperCharged•Better scores•Didn’t feel they were “learning”•No exploration•Needs class context
Schrader, Zheng and Young•Even gamers do not know pedagogical
value of games•They need this modeled•They need to learn to adapt games to
curriculum
Barbour, Evans and TokerCOTS (Consumer Off The Shelf) games in SS
Students played game for at least 24 hours
Could see curricular connections, but not how to implement games
Van EckGames are no ‘Silver Bullet’ or magic cure
Find games that work for different students, courses and contextsCOTSStudents build games to show learningHave games developed (expensive)
Egenfeldt-Nielson• Rogers’ Theory of Diffusion of Innovation
Advantage over other methods Compatibility Complexity Trialability (try without committing) Observability (seeing results)
Ito and Bittanti Fears of increasing violence But it is social ecology that influences
Teachers need to Choose games carefully Build the social ecology in the classroom Educate parents and administrators
Preservice teachers need to:•Break stereotypes•Understand barriers•Have examples of games that work•Understand the classroom ecology•Explore teacher roles in content and C21
skills
Egenfeldt-Nielson• 2 teachers using Europa Universalis• Many practical barriers• Big payoffs in student-teacher interaction
Magnussen• 2 teachers using Homicide• Teachers:• Case supervisors• Connect content and
context• Advisor and teacher
MacFarlane• Young people need gaming communities as
part of the process• ~ 15% already have support systems• Others have computers, but no support
systems• Teacher need to create, promote, monitor
and encourage a support system or community
Wilson (SIIA) Teachers:
• Understand the game and their role• Get IT support• Mix game play with discussion, writing, etc.• Start small and use groups of 2-4• Get involved – don’t sit back• Promote online and class discussion
New kinds of assessment and reporting
Convince parents and admin Find good ways to assess 21C skills Go beyond regular ‘content tests’
Michael and Chen• Less rote memorization so assessment has
to measure process skills• Fewer ‘correct’ answers in simulations.
Which is ‘more correct’?• Measuring leadership and teamwork?• Redefining cheating in the game context
Hickey and Johnson• Rubrics can move control from the learner
to the rubric
Gender• Very sterotypical images and roles• Promotes anorexia?• “I can’t make my avatar as big as I am, I’m large and I
want my avatar to be large, but the game won’t let me.”
Culture• The Internet is not monocultural• But most games only pretend to be culturally aware,
and maintain a white, western bias about things lije the economy and the environment.
Lopez• Circular thinking (aboriginal) and linear (western) ways
of thinking lead to very different solutions
Games can be effective learning places for students
Teachers play a critical role in the learning process – mediating between the game and the classroom context
Preservice teachers need to have these roles of facilitating and assessing modeled for them
Faculties of Education must get started
Thank-you
[email protected] @rredekopp Slideshare.net/rredekopp Reynold Redekopp on Facebook and
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