serious games - a new approach to educational use of computer games simon egenfeldt-nielsen ceo...
TRANSCRIPT
Serious Games - A new approach to educational use of computer games
Simon Egenfeldt-Nielsen
CEO Serious Games Interactive
21. Marts 2007, Randers
Most of what goes under the name "edutainment" reminds me of George Bernard Shaw's response to a famous beauty who speculated on the marvelous child they could have together: "With your brains and my looks ..." He retorted, "But what if the child had my looks and your brains?"
(Papert, 1998: 88)
9 appetizers on learning games…
Games used for education since 18th century
Learning games used profesionally since 1960s
Electronic learning games used since 1970s
Increased motivation and interest in a given subject
Create positive and active learning environments
Dynamic presentation of information
Most succesful learning game in 2006 had +4 mio. downloads
US army use around $4 mia. yearly on simulations/games
60% of all people play computer games sometimes
Agenda
1. Overview: Quick browse through games
2. Edutainment: A buzzword gone bad
3. Serious Games: The new hype
4. Case 2: Global Conflicts-Palestine
5. Working: What’s the evidence
Quick browse through games...
Yes, there are many different genres (action, simulation, strategy, adventure, RPG)..
On different platforms (pc, consoles, mobiles)
With different complexity level: Singelplayer -> multiplayer 2D graphics -> 3D graphics Small universe -> large univers 15 minutes -> 50 hours playtime
Everybody might play games, although many still don’t and games are played very differently. Latest US survey find average gamer is 33 years...
What is edutainment…
Matematik i Måneby (Bitfrost)
Pixeline(Krea Medie )
Magnus & Myggen(Ivanoff)
Der kræves QuickTime™ og et TIFF (ukomprimeret)-komprimeringsværktøj,for at man kan se dette billede.
Der kræves QuickTime™ og et TIFF (ukomprimeret)-komprimeringsværktøj,for at man kan se dette billede.
Der kræves QuickTime™ og et TIFF (ukomprimeret)-komprimeringsværktøj,
for at man kan se dette billede.
Der kræves QuickTime™ og et TIFF (ukomprimeret)-komprimeringsværktøj,
for at man kan se dette billede.
MathBlasterI(Knowledge Adventure)
Der kræves QuickTime™ og et TIFF (ukomprimeret)-komprimeringsværktøj,
for at man kan se dette billede.
Der kræves QuickTime™ og et TIFF (ukomprimeret)-komprimeringsværktøj,
for at man kan se dette billede.
Straight shooter(Games2train)
Wellknown titles within the eduation sector
This is not about edutainment…
Little intrinsic motivation: Extrinsic motivation through rewards, rather than intrinsic motivation.
No integrated learning experience: Lacks integration of the learning experience with playing experience - learning subordinated play experience.
Drill-and-practice learning principles: Rely on drill-and-practice rather than understanding – training above learning.
No teacher presence: No demands on teachers or parents.
Simple gameplay: Built on a simple gameplay from classic titles.
Small budgets: Produced on limited budgets with limited technology.
The new hype on serious games...
In principal, any gameGames with an agenda
Educating, enlightening..Not only entertaining
EdutainmentAdvertainmentBusiness gamesMilitary gamesPolitical gamesSatirical games
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressorare needed to see this picture.
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressorare needed to see this picture.
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressorare needed to see this picture.
Same topics - different game...
Sales training Fona
1. Quiz show: The player must get all the answers right and compete with other colleagues.
2. Treasure hunt: The player must explore different web-sites and sources in competition with colleagues to answer the most questions.
3. Virtual job: The player explores a virtual universe with different sources, people and methods for making the sale in competition with other colleagues.
Edutainment
Next-gen(Serious Games)
The large case: Global Conflicts - Palestine
”I learned more history from this game in one day than I have learned from the teaching the last 6 months”
Oliver Hansen, Student, 16 years
Target groups
Subjects:
What is the product
Danish 8th graders using the game early 2006.
Global Conflicts: Palestine target students of 13-19 years
Primary: Citizensship & History Secondary: Media, religion, ethics,
geography & communication
f
Welcome to the reality
Material from Global Conflicts: Palestine online learning resource.
Welcome to Global Conflicts: Palestine
In-game shots from the game Global Conflicts: Palestine
Checkpoint!
Feel and understand the tense atmosphere and problems of the conflict of Palestine
Build trust by understanding and exploring different perspectives to get people’s personal story
Breath-taking engagement with people, you, the journalist, makes your mark on the media coverage
Students explore and learn from detailed and scary environment - they see the inside of the conflict
Freelance journalist
Get the best article
Find informants
Gain their trust
Get their story
Dig out best quotes
Put together article
Highest journalist level
GameplayWhat is Global Conflicts: Palestine
You
Goal
Means
Winning
Blended learning experience
Experiential: The games provides a virtual tour to the
conflict with concrete experiences that provide a strong
starting point for learning about the topic. Learning styles: Dynamic feedback, interaction that
makes a differences, multimodal encoding, mistakes
are safe to make & you are present with challnges.
What is the product
ddd simple tests
In-depth online learning companion w. integrated webshop for digital distribution
Background for students: Timeline, documents, encyclopedia & links:
Specific themes: Work questions, small tests, links, video & pictures
Meet and discuss with other students: Forum & newsletter
Teaching form
Teacher talks
Play Game
PlenumGroup
discussions
Read textbook Overview of theme
Explore perspectives Experience issues
Discuss experiences Write article
Debriefing Evaluation
What is the product
Different rooms for learning styles
Group work
Reflectiveobservation
Activeexperimentation
GC: Palestine
Lecture Abstractconcepts
Concreteexperiences
•Kolb’s cycle covered with different teaching forms in the course.
• The teacher is crucial to facilitate a full learning experience.
Empirical study
Qualitative feedback
“Global Conflicts: Palestine is a fun and different way to receive learning” (Female student, 18 years)
“You had a greater desire to learn about the topic from Global Conflicts: Palestine” (Male student, 16 years)
”You learn a lot about how Israelis and Palestinians respectively look at the conflict, because you talk to
different persons... I think it is good that the stories derive from reality, providing the stories with a realistic tone.”
(Female student, 18 years)
Empirical study
Students want more...Empirical study
90% students find it to be an interesting course
88% students find it to be an interesting educational material
59 % students find they learned more
90% students wants to try a similar course again
Sample: 51 Danish High school low-middle class students after a one-week course
Other support for effiency
More motivated & engaged Activity perceived as more challenging Rention is often better
Most research say you learn from games - at least the same as
other teaching methods. Below overview of studies that support
learning from games
Yes Maybe No
20 1 2
Closing
Next generation of game-based learning is in the making. Research suggest that game-based learning is very effective Team needed to build next-gen game-based learning more complex Nordic learning approach gaining ground
Contact: [email protected]
Web: www.seriousgames.dk