What do children learn when playing video games?

How are games for children designed?

H. Chad LaneInstitute for Creative TechnologiesUniversity of Southern California

Chad in a nutshell• past: – dialogue-based tutoring systems– problem solving

• present:– tutoring in serious games– virtual humans– intercultural skills learning

GAME ELEMENTSEXISTING ITS

Integrating game elements (Memphis)

Using what’s out there (Squire)

Serious games w/tutoring elements

You play a scoop jockey who has to fill customers' orders. At the end of the game, you're told just how much ice cream you wasted, and how much your poor performance will end up costing Cold Stone over the span of one year. The only fun to be had in Stone City comes from deliberately mishandling the orders. (At my Cold Stone franchise, everyone gets strawberry.)

Justin Peters, “World of Borecraft: Never play a game that’s trying to teach you something.” Slate, June 27, 2007.

Zombie Division empirical results

1. Children had a significant preference for the intrinsic version in a direct comparison between the two versions of Zombie Division.

2. Children playing the intrinsic version of the game made significantly larger learning gains than either the extrinsic or control versions of the game.

http://www.gamelearning.net/ (Jacob Habgood)

What else can games teach?

diligence

emotional self-regulation

commitment

teamwork Information seeking

humility?

Thank you!lane@ict.usc.edupeople.ict.usc.edu/~lane