Presentation To Teachers and Parents Pet Tycoon Using video games to help learning

Welcome Program: Welcome to the New World Our Children Are Changing Digital Natives v. Digital Immigrants How 21 Year Olds Spend Their Hours Are We Being Realistic? Use Of Technology By Students Why Use A Video Game? How Popular Are Video Games? Why Are Games Important? What Can Be Learned From Video Games Most Video Games Are Violent! How Are Video Games Used In Schools? What Is Pet Tycoon? What Will Be Learned How Will It Be Used Why We Believe It Is Important Opportunity to play Bibliography

Welcome Thanks for coming here tonight, it truly shows you are committed to the education of your child and that you are interested in what we are doing here at School. This term we are using a video game as the central core of our Unit of Work. The game is called “Pet Tycoon” I will explain more about the game later but want to begin by explaining why we have chosen a video game to assist the learning within the classroom.

Our Children are Changing There is very strong evidence to suggest that the physical make up of our children’s brains are different from past generations “ ..today's students think and process information fundamentally differently from their predecessors....it is very likely that our student’s brains have physically changed..” Prensky 2001

Digital Natives v. Digital Immigrants Children of today (Digital Natives) have grown up surrounded by and immersed in digital content. They like to parallel process and multi-task. Often having a number of windows open on their computer , while listening to an iPod and engaging in a SMS conversation. They prefer graphics before text and random access. They want to be active participants not passive by-standers. They function best when networked and thrive on instant gratification, frequent rewards and having fun. They prefer games to serious work.

Digital Natives v. Digital Immigrants Many teachers(and parents)use computers and can see their benefit but are still learning the new digital language (Digital Immigrants) They have grown up learning in a sequential, lock step logical fashion and cling to the hope that because it was good for them it will work for the students they teach. They acknowledge that students today are different but reluctant to change the way they teach.

How 21 Year olds Have Spend Their Hours (Source: Oblinger 2006)

Are We Being Realistic? Children today are constantly bombarded with digital material. They accumulate knowledge in a way never before encountered. Can we expect them to sit and focus on one person talking for extended periods of time.?

Use Of Technology By Students At Home Technology is self taught Creative Unrestricted Free flowing. Multi tasking. Used for self expression At School Technology is seen to be restrictive. Controlled Teacher lead. Regimented Vox Pod Report Version 1 (2008)

Why Use A Video Game? Most children will tell you that they play games because they are fun. Beyond this they can be seen to provide a combination of fantasy, challenge and curiosity. Players learn by doing and experimenting (Source: Future lab Series Report 8 2004)

Why Use A Video Game? Many authors also describe the level of engagement as ‘flow’ where players become oblivious to distractions. They can also provide a relatively inexpensive interactive social experience that can be shared with friends and family.

How Popular are Video Games From your own experience you will be aware of the ubiquitous nature of video games. How many homes do you know that do not have a Nintendo or Play Station? Recent figures suggest that nearly 70% of children play computer games every week and mobile games play is increasingly common, with 68% of children playing games on their phones on a weekly basis.

Why Are Games Important? “They are important because they let people participate in new worlds. They let players think, talk and act – they let players inhabit roles otherwise inaccessible to them.” Source: Shaffer Source: Shaffer

Why Are Games Important? They also provide a level of attention and concentration that teachers, parents and policy makers wished children would apply to learning.

What Can Be Learned From Video Games? Different games can offer a range of skills knowledge and understandings. Generally though we can conclude that games can develop such skills as: Strategic thinking Planning Communication Application of numbers Negotiation Group decision making Data handling

Most Video Games Are Violent Most Video Games Are Violent! Are We Sending Our Children the Wrong Message? Many video games do portray violence and it is important always to choose age and content appropriate material. The research into whether violent video games increases aggressive behaviour in players is inconclusive. There seems to be two distinct positions. 1. The General Aggresive Model, where “violent media increase aggression by teaching observers how to aggress” 2. The Catharsis Theory, where “video game playing may be a useful means of coping with (or releasing) pent- up aggression” (Source: Future lab Series Report 8 2004)

How are Video Games Used In Schools? “Teachers are using games as simulations and models for exploration and experiment, as texts to respond to through writing and drama, as challenging activities to promote awareness of thinking techniques and collaboration, and as a means of producing their own media, all within existing curricula” (Stanford 2006)

What is Pet Tycoon? Pet Tycoon is a simulation. Players run a shop selling animals to make a profit. They need to spend available funds , breed animals, set prices, keep their animals healthy and ensure their shop is attractive to the customer, to make a profit. As players become more successful they can progress from selling fish to birds and then to dogs and cats.

What Can Students Learn From Pet Tycoon? Problem solving Decision making Mathematics Social Science Team building Natural Science Pet care Budgeting Keyboard Skills Computer skills

How Will The Games Be Used In the Classroom? Pet Tycoon will form the core of the unit of work. During off computer time students will complete associated work that extends the meanings, skills and understandings gained while playing the Game.

Why We Believe This Is Important We believe using video games in education important because it uses the digital language of the students. It is a language they know, relish and understand. It is a media they will respond to. It will keep them enthralled and encourage them to delve deeper into the content matter while playing the game and in follow up activities.

Question Time We now invite you to ask questions and play the game

Bibliography Kirriemuir,J., et al (2004) Literature Review in Games and Learning. Futurelab Series Report 8. Graduate School of Education, University of Bristol. On the web at www.fururelab.org.uk Oblinger, D.G., PhDv (2006) From a Different Perspective. Power Point presentation . Human Rights Watch. www.hrw.org Prensky, M., (2001) Digital Natives ,Digital Immigrants. From On The Horizon (MCB University press, Vol9 No.5, October 2001) Shaffer, D.W., et al, Video games and the Future of Learning. Unit discussion Week 1 resource. Standford, R., (2006). Teaching With Games: COTS games in the Classroom. Unit discussion Week 6 resource. Vox Pod Project Report Version 1.0 .(2008) Department of Education and Training, Western Australia,