1. Educational Games: Not Just for Kids Anymore West Virginia University at Parkersburg January 9, 2008 Laura J. Little, Ed.D.

2. Calvin Ball Calvin Ball is a Great Way to Get Moving after Lunch! Calvin Ball is a Great Way to Get Moving after Lunch! Taken from the Calvin and Hobbes Comic Strip Taken from the Calvin and Hobbes Comic Strip http://www.solitaryway.com/calvin/cb_rules.htm

3. Calvin Ball Rules Any Player May Make a Rule at Any Time Any Player May Make a Rule at Any Time No Rule May Be Used More than Once No Rule May Be Used More than Once http://www.solitaryway.com/calvin/cb_rules.htm

4. CalvinBall: A Typical Game? Characteristics of Games??? Characteristics of Games???

5. Seven Reasons to Use Games Learners feel like Active Agents in Game Learners feel like Active Agents in Game Community of Gamers Community of Gamers Cycles of Expertise/ Experimentation Cycles of Expertise/ Experimentation Prompt feedback Prompt feedback Engaging/Cycles of Learning Engaging/Cycles of Learning –“I skipped class to finish the level.” – K. Squire Pleasantly Frustrating Pleasantly Frustrating Customization: Playing according to own style and encouraged to try others Customization: Playing according to own style and encouraged to try others

6. Seven Principles of Good Practice Encourages student/faculty contact Encourages student/faculty contact Develops cooperation among students Develops cooperation among students Encourages active learning Encourages active learning Gives prompt feedback Gives prompt feedback Encourage time on task Encourage time on task Communicates High Expectations Communicates High Expectations Respects diverse talents & ways of learning Respects diverse talents & ways of learning Chickering & Gamson 1986

7. Fate? Coincidence? Student/faculty contact Student/faculty contact Cooperation among students Cooperation among students Encourages active learning Encourages active learning Gives prompt feedback Gives prompt feedback Encourage time on task Encourage time on task Communicates High Expectations Communicates High Expectations Respects diverse talents & ways of learning Respects diverse talents & ways of learning Active Agents in Game Active Agents in Game Community of Gamers Community of Gamers Cycles of Expertise/ Experimentation Cycles of Expertise/ Experimentation Prompt feedback Prompt feedback Engaging/Cycles of Learning Engaging/Cycles of Learning Pleasantly Frustrating Pleasantly Frustrating Customization: Playing according to own style and encouraged to try others Customization: Playing according to own style and encouraged to try others Games 7 PGP

8. Reasons for Games Reinforcement (Example: Jeopardy) Reinforcement (Example: Jeopardy)Jeopardy Adding Interest (Example: Scavenger Hunt) Adding Interest (Example: Scavenger Hunt)Scavenger HuntScavenger Hunt Experience (Example: Gazilionaire ) Experience (Example: Gazilionaire )Gazilionaire

9. Advantages of Games Generation Next Generation Next Engaging Engaging Various Learning Styles & Input Modes Various Learning Styles & Input Modes Incidental Learning Incidental Learning

10. Disadvantages of Games Not all games appealing to all learning styles Not all games appealing to all learning styles Lack of metacognition Lack of metacognition Expense Expense Lack of educational games Lack of educational games Quality not up to student’ expectations Quality not up to student’ expectations Not always appealing to females Not always appealing to females

11. What about simulations? “Once a simulation becomes interesting we call it a game.” “Once a simulation becomes interesting we call it a game.” Squire as quoted in Landsberger 2004

12. Games at Your Institution Examples?? Examples?? Online Online Offline Offline Hybrid? Hybrid?

13. So, Where do I find games? Games that Teach (http://facstaff.uww.edu /jonesd/games/) Games that Teach (http://facstaff.uww.edu /jonesd/games/)http://facstaff.uww.edu /jonesd/games/http://facstaff.uww.edu /jonesd/games/ PowerPoint Games (http://jc- schools.net/tutorials/PPT -games/) PowerPoint Games (http://jc- schools.net/tutorials/PPT -games/)http://jc- schools.net/tutorials/PPT -games/http://jc- schools.net/tutorials/PPT -games/ Thiagi (http://www.thiagi.com/) Thiagi (http://www.thiagi.com/)http://www.thiagi.com/ Games 2 Train (http://www.games2trai n.com) Games 2 Train (http://www.games2trai n.com)http://www.games2trai n.comhttp://www.games2trai n.com

14. Resources on Educational Gaming Digital Game-Based Learning (Marc Prensky, 2004) Digital Game-Based Learning (Marc Prensky, 2004) Don’t Bother Me, Mom– I’m Learning! (Marc Prensky, 2006) Don’t Bother Me, Mom– I’m Learning! (Marc Prensky, 2006) Got Game: How the Gamer Generation is Reshaping Business Forever (John C. Beck & Mitchell Wade, 2004) Got Game: How the Gamer Generation is Reshaping Business Forever (John C. Beck & Mitchell Wade, 2004) What Video Games Have to each us about Learning and Literacy. (James Paul Gee, 2003) What Video Games Have to each us about Learning and Literacy. (James Paul Gee, 2003) Innovate Online Special Edition (http://www.innovateonline.info/index.php?view=issue&i d=9) Innovate Online Special Edition (http://www.innovateonline.info/index.php?view=issue&i d=9)http://www.innovateonline.info/index.php?view=issue&i d=9http://www.innovateonline.info/index.php?view=issue&i d=9

15. Questions/Discussion Presentation will be online Presentation will be online