designing an educational arg in second life presenter sandra law
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DESIGNING AN EDUCATIONAL ARG IN SECOND LIFE
PresenterSandra Law
Agenda
Introduction
Genre of game
Game design models
Description of game
Design challenges
Documentation of design process
Next Steps
Questions
Introduction
Design-based research project in which feedback/comments/suggestions are being sought from SMEs, learners and instructional designers
Game has gone through three iterations (prior to testing with learners)
This talk will provide some of the challenges faced during the design process
Game genre
Pervasive games are described as always on and available anytime and anywhere
Game is a type of pervasive game called an alternative reality game
Alternative reality games are large scale collaborative stories in which players seek out pieces of the storyline online and/or offline by visiting websites, reviewing email or viewing and listening to video and audio clips (e.g. podcasts or voice mail)
Game genre
Pervasive games are described as always on and available anytime and anywhere
Game is a type of pervasive game called an alternative reality game
Alternative reality games are large scale collaborative stories in which players seek out pieces of the storyline online and/or offline by visiting websites, reviewing email or viewing and listening to video and audio clips (e.g. podcasts or voice mail)
Game design models
Thomas (2005) developed a game design model for pervasive games that was based on four key concepts and nine principles.
Community (e.g. relationship building, collaboration)
Autonomy (e.g. empowering learners, giving learners ownership of content, freedom to explore multiple solutions)
Locationality (e.g. option to choose when and where to play, content and environment that changes over time, contextualizes learning experience)
Relationality (e.g. opportunity to personalize environment, learner can set own goals, allow learner to construct own meanings)
Game design models (con’d) The RETAIN (Relevance Embedding Translation
Adaptation Immersion and Naturalization) model was also referenced in the latest design for the game.
This model was developed by Gunter, Kenny and Vick (2008) as an evaluative framework for games being used for educational purposes (both those designed as educational games and commercial games being used for educational purposes).
The model helps educators determine how well the content that is being taught allies with the fantasy elements in the game.
Closer alignment of the content with the narrative is associated with …
Description of game
Contemporary time frame (2010) Setting is a ficitonal small town in southwestern
part of the province of Alberta, Canada Economy of the area is similar to real towns in
the area (e.g. ranching, resource extraction, tourism)
Players choose a stream/expertise (e.g. geosciences, biology, chemistry, health sciences)
Players collaborate with members of their teams to develop a strategic plan and with all players to solve the central mystery of the game
Map of town
Important locales within town Biological Research Station – wetlands, riparian
areas Bioseq – non-profit corporation that is investigating
biofuel production and industrial carbon sequestration
Medical Clinic - health impacts of declining water quality (e.g. contamination of water by micro-organisms due to decreased water volume)
Geological Field Station – hydrology of area including watersheds, changes in timing of peak flow
Municipal Centre – orientation, town hall meetings, mayor’s office
Biological Research Station
Geological Field Station
BioSeq Corporation
Medical Centre
Municipal Centre
Geosciences Stream
Examples of activities Tour of town Discussion forum topics (ongoing) Invitation to review information about base
climate (excerpts from articles, links to abstracts in notecards)
Review information on hydrological cycle (Environment Canada link in notecard)
Review information on SSRB watershed (links in notecards, emails from director of field station)
Geosciences Stream (con’d)
Review newspaper articles about drought in region in 2009 (links in notecards, emails)
Participate in team-based discussions about plan (discussion forums, in-world meetings)
Participate in town hall meeting with all players and the mayor
Interact with expert in discipline (in-world) Review information/artifacts related to
central mystery in game (e.g. 911 call transcripts, police reports)
Example of game asset/resource
911 call Emails (from supervisor (e.g. director of
centre of expertise), journalists, mayor Police reports Notecards Graffiti that provides clues Graphic puzzles that provide clues Objects (with associated notecards or
animations)
Design challenges
Fidelity (e.g. Street names, architecture, landscape)
Designer learning curve (narrative as well as science)
Obtaining assistance in design tasks Authentic tasks* Alignment between game-based tasks and
concepts SMEs think students should be exploring*
Role conflict* Tracking design decisions*
Design challenges – authentic tasks
Relate tasks/activities in the game to the geographic region – required a great deal of background research on the part of the game designer/researcher
Find resources that reference the region and the water-related issues in the region
Ensure that resources are timely (published in last few years if possible)
Design challenges – addressing needs of the SMEs
Address concerns from some of SMEs regarding the use of technology (e.g. technology required, technological competence required of students)
Ensure content relevant to the topics/courses covered by the instructor but not too specific such that game cannot be adapted to other courses and settings
Address real concerns around scientific literacy of students in courses (e.g. reference resources that match student capabilities)
Design challenges – conflict of roles
Reconciling multiple roles in the game: designer, participant in game play (e.g. role as mayor), researcher, puppet master, technical support person
Design challenges – finding design assistance
Skills in scripting in the Linden scripting language are not that widespread, particularly in my part of the world
Documenting design process Design log Document management (e.g. Multiple
files ranging from text, images, PPTs (orientation), scripts
Game development blog Notes from meetings with SMEs and
other participants
Future Steps
Create variations on the game: Air (e.g. different greenhouse gases and their
impacts; C/N cycle and impact on soil fertility and soil invertebrates)
Location (e.g. Northern Alberta and Athabasca/McKenzie River basins)
Run pilot with graduate students (mid-December 2009)
Run game with undergraduate players (mid-February)
My contact information
If you would like to learn more about my research please contact me at:
Sandra Lawsklaw@ucalgary.ca
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