MSC 2009
Session # 47
Game On
Tom Welch & Mark Vianello
www.SPNGameOn.ning.com
Game On!
• Session Goals
– Introduce the concept of Gaming to Learn
– Background on G2L
– A look at some of the possibilities for the future
– A look at MTI
– Opportunities for moving forward
• Essential Question
– Are there ways to engage students in learning
through the use of computer games that will
cause learning to occur as never before ?
OH
MMORPG
AHA!
Ning site collaboration
OMG!
Natal
Upfront Notice
We only wish we could point you to an MMORPG Kiosk
• Unique Endeavor
• Joint Project between MTI and the ICLE
• Project reflects the goals
– New approaches
– Nonlinear
– “Version” orientation
– Increasing complexity
The Changing Landscape
• Increasing gap between the way students
think, learn and experience the world and the
way their teachers think, learn and experience
the world
– Not a value judgment
– A plain recognition of the facts
Think Mashup!
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•
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School curriculum
Rigorous learning
21st Century Technology
Learner Creativity
Increasing student ownership and control
• Raise your hand if your school(s) encourages
use of cell phones in class.
• Raise your hand if your school(s) allows
limited use of cell phones in class.
• Raise your hand if your school(s) forbids use of
cell phones in class.
Students are not just sitting in class*
• 84% of teens have cell phones
• ¼ of all teen cell phone use is during class
• Avg teen sends 440 text msgs a week and 110 are
during class (more than 3 texts/period)
• Only 23% of parents think their kids are using them
at school
• 26% of kids store info to look at during tests
• 25% text friends about answers during tests
• 20% search Web during tests
• 17% take photo of tests to send to friends
• *Common Sense Media (2009) San Francisco Chronicle, Page A1, Jun. 2009
Online collaboration is exploding in
every area imaginable.
• You Tube posting increased 1700% in the last
6 months.
• You Tube posting increased 400% in one day
when the iPhone 3GS came out.
Gaming?
Why should we?
• We must meet students in their world
Computer Gaming
• It’s not your daddy’s “Pong”
– (Vocab: MMORPG)
– Google “Project Natal”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2qlHoxPioM
Remember what Dr. Daggett said
• The Future will be different
– Funding
– Personnel
• Search for D Quadrant methods in the E/E
framework
• Sec. Duncan:
– Stimulate long-term improvement
– Don’t focus on maintaining the current structure
G2L Goals at MTI
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Long term goals
Increased learning
Increased levels of learner engagement
Increased harmony between teaching
practices and learning practices
Increasing match between learning and
credentialing
Medium term goals
• Participation in online games for learning
• Learner/Faculty Research Group
• Securing of grant funding to move the project
forward
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Short term goals
Learner/Faculty research group
Student surveys
Environmental scans
Initial gaming experiences
– Zon
• How do you keep students’ attention on
learning concepts and skills?
• One part of the answer?
– Use Gaming as a way to engage students
AND encourage student learning in Quadrant D !
The 4 Quadrants
• The Rigor Relevance Framework at the heart
of the project
Rigor/Relevance Framework
6
Knowledge
5
4
3
2
Application
1
1
2
3
4
5
Levels
Bloom’s
6
5
4
3
2
1
C
D
A
B
1
2 3 4 5
Application
Rigor/Relevance Framework
Teacher/Student Roles
K
N
O
W
L
E
D
G
E
C
D
Students
Think
Learners
Think & Work
B
A
Teachers
Work
Students
Work
APPLI CAT I O N
• Increasing research focus
– Pew report
• Avg gamer plays 25 hr/wk*
• In 2008, Western consumer spending on subscription
MMOGs grew to $1.4 billion.
• The most popular MMORPG, World of Warcraft, has
over 11 million paying subscribers as of 2009.
– Steady publication of books on the subject
– NASA RFI
– Funding opportunities
*The Daedalus Gateway (Nicholas Yee, 2009)
Some of the Current Thinking
• CG’s have a great deal in common with
“traditional” learning
– Learning is active, not passive
– Success is implied
– Failure is seen as part of the learning process
– Persistence is rewarded
– “Do overs” are built in
– Both individual skill and social interaction are
involved
Something to keep in mind . . .
For the adults in the system, the system “works”
That removes much of the incentive to change.
MMORPG as an option for students to learn
core content and set up the situation where
Those who have an interest in
changing the system finally . . .
Have the power to drive that change.
My Latest Book:
Check out Prensky’s highlights on the
web version of our PPt.
© 2008 Marc Prensky
Deeper Issues
• What are the implications of independent
learning in a learning dependent
environment?
– Opportunities
– Professional Development
– Staffing implications
Where to from here?
• Network orientation
– SPN
– Classroom20.com
• Invitation for partnerships
– Grants
– Beta-testing
– “Geo-free” learning
– Ning site
– FaceBook Group
Mark Vianello
Organization of
Marion Technical Institute
• School of choice with application process
• Seven career academies
• Unique business community partnerships
• Student centered and results orientated
Organization of MTI
• Nationally recognized industry certification
opportunities
• Internship, Job Shadowing, and Career Coach
opportunities
• Articulation to post-secondary institutions
• Why consider gaming?
Overview of Initiative
• Joint project between MTI and ICLE
• Tapping in to what we know will increase
engagement and student learning
• Searching for a competency-based course
embedded in a gaming format leading to high
school credit
Overview of Initiative
• Expectation of change
• Increasing complexity, scope, and size over
time
• Assessments embedded throughout gamingbased course
• Ability to compare gaming data to traditional
classroom achievement
National State of Gaming
• Pew Research Center Report – National Survey
published 9/8/08:
http://www.pewinternet.org/~/media//Files/
Reports/2008/PIP_Teens_Games_and_Civics_
Report_FINAL.pdf.pdf
• 97% of American teens play games
• 50% of teens reported playing “yesterday” for
about one hour
• 86% play on a console (Xbox, PlayStation, or
Wii)
• 73% play on a desktop or laptop computer
National State of Gaming
• Gaming is a social activity for most teens
• Gaming is a major teen social experience
• 65% of game playing teens play with other
people who are “in the room”
• 27% play with people they connect with
through the internet
Gaming Survey
60%
60%
50%
M T I 50%
40%
40%
30%
30%
20%
20%
10%
10%
0%
1 Hour
3 Hour
Did not play yesterday
2 Hour
4+ Hour
PEW
0%
1 Hour
Did Not Play yesterday
• Hours playing games
3 Hour
2 Hour
4 Hour
Gaming survey
• Using technology to interact with peers: PEW
results
Gaming survey
• Using technology to interact with peers: MTI
results
Current Status at MTI
MTI Student-Driven Gaming Committee
• Tom Welch addressed students, parents,
school staff and business partners
• MTI students invited to participate in Gaming
Committee (school-wide)
• Divided students, staff, and business partners
into “interest committees”
Current Status at MTI
Committee I – Zon:
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Mandarin Chinese in gaming format
Michigan State / Florida Virtual
75 hour requirement for high school credit
36 students signed up (from two high schools)
Limited number of completers
Lessons learned - emphasis on quality graphics,
clarity of rules, lack of levels, competition-related
progress, and player “rewards”
Current Status at MTI
Committee II - Game Search:
• Reviewing existing market for academic
possibilities
• Developing supplemental academic material
through internal curriculum
• Analyze current games that include skills
connected with the high school curriculum
Current Status at MTI
Committee III - Grant Acquisition:
• Search of internet funding possibilities
• National HASTAC Digital Media Grant
• Federal Sponsored Character Education Grant
• Motorola Foundation
• HP Foundation
• Safe Schools Grant
• Foundations
Current Status at MTI
Committee IV - Data Tracking:
• MTI Survey Results compared to PEW
(2008)
• Students play regularly
• Students play as a “social group” with
interactions between players
• Students play to connect, compete, and help
each other to win/achieve in games
Future MTI Initiatives
Staying “in the game” through:
• Utilize gaming format to “teach” and/or reinforce
specific content and skills related to identified MTI
student academic weaknesses
• Encourage MTI students to take FLV’s game-based
American History course and “test” value of gaming
in academic learning
Future MTI Initiatives
Staying “in the game” through:
• Continuous staff development related to
technology-based student learning
• Continuous partnership search to develop
gaming possibilities
• Continuous search for funding resources
Future MTI Initiatives
Staying “in the game” through:
• Strengthening student leadership
• Innovating even in the face of fear of the
unknown
• Pursuing the goal of connecting with students
and the digital world in which they live
Looking ahead
• Trends
– Ongoing recognition of the need to move beyond
the status quo
– Education gaming gaining momentum
• NASA
• Others
– Technological breakthroughs are exploding
• Project Natal
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2qlHoxPioM
The Gaming Ning
www.SPNGameOn.ning.com
Facebook Group
“SPN Game On”
Come join us
–Email us
• [email protected]
• [email protected]
Questions?
Comments?
Suggestions?