Game-Based Learning and Simulations Conference

Game On Manitoba

March 16, 2009

Serious Games

An Educator’s Perspective

Dr. Reynold Redekopp

University of Manitoba

rredekopp@gmail.com

What Are We Going To Do Today?

Brain ResearchCharacteristics of Digital People

How We LearnHow Do Digital Games Fit In

Brain Research

Some general ideas Digital Kids are actually wired differently

They read differently They notice different things They learn differently

Brain Research

We know ~10% about the brain

All brains are constantly changing all ages - it doesn’t stop at adulthood

strong neural pathways are created by intensity duration

Brain Research

How the brain processes a new task confusion greater brain activity to organize facts/tasks become automatic

Gary Small - UCLA brain researcher

Brain Research

Left brain - what we tend to value logic calculation sequence verbal physical

These are all easily automated

Brain Research

Right brain - less valued visual intuitive multi-processing big picture spatial sense

These are all NOT easily automated

Brain Research

Video gaming is "stunting frontal lobe development" potentially leading to "an immature and self-absorbed emotional level" (Small p. 32)

More complex games and tasks require the use of the frontal areas. (p. 37)

Brain Research

What’s he talking about?

Brain Research

Brain Research

"Digital Natives, after long periods of time on the Internet

display poor eye contact and Show a reluctance to interact socially" (Small p. 73)

Brain Research

Time spent talking ‘live’ improves memory

The interaction reinforces the ideas

Brain Research

” Buddhist monks show more empathy and maternal love.

It was as if the years of meditation had strengthened the brain connections between thinking (frontal lobe) and feeling (amygdala)." (Small p. 142)

Brain Research

We are better at visual processing The eye processes images 60 000 times faster than text schools and training are largely text based the “Gutenberg” effect - with a greater ability to

create text, Text became more important

The brain still prefers images - there is less to learn.

Brain Research

Digital natives skim pages - F patternMainly down - sometimes across

Is this worth reading?

Brain Research

Colour is importantRed attracts attentionBlack is ignored

The INTENSITY of graphics has more effect than amount of violence on aggressive behaviour

Brain Research

The anterior prefrontal cortex is the area that helps us multitask

Last to develop and first to recede children and elders

Brain Research

We are natural multitaskers

We train our kids out of it!

Don Tapscott - Grown Up Digital

Brain Research

There is some loss of efficiency with multitasking

One exception seems to be listening to music while working/studying.

Brain Research

More than 80% of communication is non-verbal Stance Gestures Tone Volume Timing

0 20 40 60 80 100

Teaching / Applying

Practicing/Presenting

Discussion

Two media

Hearing

Reading

What We Remember From:

How We Learn

And how games can help

Summary from Life Role Development Group adult career management specialists

How We Learn

Learning is a process that occurs in stages

How We Learn

Stages: A person goes to a training event, picks up about half of what they need to know to be competent, then loses this competence over time because of non-use.

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

How We Learn

Stages: Learning sticks when the acquired learning is applied, and then is personalized, and then is extended.

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

How We Learn

People learn differently

Learning Styles: auditory kinesthetic visual interpersonal etc

How We Learn

People learn best differentlyLearning by Doing - just wants to go try it

Learning by Watching - see it first

Learning by Analysis - reads the instructions

How We Learn

Many ways to NOT learnLearning obstacles - external barriers to learning (workload is too intense, learning resources are not available)

Learning defences - internal barriers to learning (fear of failure, fear of success)

How We Learn

Learning is enhanced when there is a reason for it They’re already motivated to do the kind of work they do

The training they’re undertaking will help them pursue their desired career path

Some just love learning

James Paul Gee - Edutopia

Games as constant evaluation

Reduce fear of mistakes

Active involvement

In context

High motivation

Aware of progress

James Paul Gee

0 20 40 60 80 100

Teaching / Applying

Practicing/Presenting

Discussion

Two media

Hearing

Reading

What We Remember From:

Digital Age People

How Are they Different?

Why do they need to be different? Shift Happens (Video)

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Shift Happens

Digital-Age People

CharacteristicsThe bottom line is that children today are

FUNDAMENTALLY different in the way they: think access, absorb, interpret, process and use

information view, interact and communicate in and with the

modern world.

Starcraft, WoW, Runescape

Manual, what manual?

Wikis and forums often there are many pages to describe a “how-to”

Digital Age People

learn differently, especially out of school

they multitask, network, interact as part of their routine

multitasking is part of human nature, ask mothers!

Ken Robinson - TED talks - TED.com

Digital Age People

Spend time:

Interacting with othersReading wikis and forumsLearning terms as they need themSolving problems as they ariseTrying again (and again …)Sharing their solutions

Digital-Age People

we need to acknowledge that they are using skills that we don’t value the same way

we need to understand and learn to appreciate the strengths of their skill set.

Robert Sawyer (pre-eminent Canadian sci-fi writer) - audio

Skill Set

parallel processing

visual acuity

random access

they skim text

Skill Set

Toronto study – shown 100 photos DN (visual) recall about 90 DI (mainly text, but some visual)

recall about 60 Seniors (text based) recall about 10

Skill Set

they are fearless (my son’s first “game”)

by the time a digital immigrant has read the table of contents of a manual …

… the digital native has already figured out 15 things that will work and 15 things that won’t.” (Jukes)

Digital-Age People

they read – but on a need-to-know basis

not books much (Florida Rhodes Scholar)

rather web pages, wikis, discussion forums

Digital-Age People

they want context for the experience or learning

they need practice they need regular feedback and

reinforcement

Digital-Age People

Let’s summarize once more what writers like Steven Johnson, Marc Prensky, Daniel Pink have noted:

Digital-Age People

Digital learners prefer receiving information quickly from multiple multimedia sources.

Digital learners prefer parallel processing and multi-tasking.

Digital learners prefer active, engaged learning.

Digital-Age People

Digital learners prefer processing pictures, sounds and video before text.

Digital learners prefer random access to hyper-linked multimedia info.

Digital learners prefer to network simultaneously with many others.

Digital-Age People

Digital learners prefer to learn “just-in-time”.

Digital learners prefer instant gratification and immediate rewards.

Digital learners prefer learning that’s relevant, instantly useful, and fun.

Digital-Age People

This generation no longer wants just to be the audience; they want to be the actors.

They expect, want, and need interactive information interactive resources interactive communications, and relevant, real life experiences

Digital-Age People

They don’t start with the manual.

They start by exploring - and look up the terms are they need them.

Digital-Age People

How Do Games Fit In

What is their effect? What do they add? How do we use them well?

World wide increase in IQ scores

not because of education or nutrition

could be partly due to the complexity/influence of complex games

“I learn from playing games.

Games teach me:

how to solve problemshow to work with others and leadto be organized and detail-oriented”

Teamwork, Leadership and Community

Work with others Partition attention, divide tasks Coordinate efforts Communicate in multiple ways Establish shared goals Integrate info to make decisions Prioritize data to meet goals

You can’t sit back and be passive playing games

games are problem solving with constant evaluation

the goal drives everything new knowledge / procedures are learned as

needed games are serious and intense learning all you need is content

James Paul Gee - Edutopia

Kinds of Games

Marc Prensky Mini-games (2 hours or less) Complex games (more than 10 hours)

Mini-games

Practice particular skills, facts and procedures Inexpensive option to learn essential info and

practice skills

Complex Games

Involve all of the problem solving skills described earlier

Many, many decisions in every hour of play Need to constantly adapt Ethical / moral decisions

During Game Play

The average video game takes about 40 hours to play

the complexity of the puzzles and objectives growing steadily

visual processing dramatically increases with as little of 10 hours of game play (Jukes)

Effectiveness

Moursund - In games, a novice can “see” the progress he or she is making

excellent opportunity for a student to learn about learning

to learn about increasing expertise that comes from study and practice.

learn about game-specific strategies observe his or her steadily increasing speed and

confidence

Effectiveness

Gaining a high level of expertise is applicable to self-assessment and self-guidance in learning in another domain

I know what it means to be highly competent in the domain.

I have a basis for judging how well I am learning

Using games people learn

to self assess to develop understanding of their own learning

strengths and weakness to develop confidence in their ability to learn,

and to take increased responsibility for their own

learning

Using games people learn

Watch the next video

Change the word chemistry to your topic

James Paul Gee - learn through games

After The Games

De-brief and contextualize

Partner with a mentor

Return to the game after some real-life experience

Gary Small - iBrain - UCLA

Summary

Brain research - visual multitaskers

Digital-Age People - different skill sets

How We Learn - involvementDigital Games - fit these patterns

Are you training effectively?

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Some Serious Games

Global Conflicts: Palestinewww.seriousgames.dk/gc.html

Darfur is Dyinghttp://www.darfurisdying.com/

Food Force

http://www.food-force.com/

References

Rick Van Eck - Microsoft Innovative Teacher Conference MS Innovative Teacher Conf Keynote

TwichSpeed - Digital Game Based Learning - examples ftom different areas

Left/Right brain or ViewZone Games2Train Gary Small - iBrain Marc Prensky - In Educational Games, Complexity Matters Moursund - Games Talk TV Ontario - The Agenda with Steve Paikin Educause Life-Role Development Group - Support Their Learning