Why is Gaming Important?
- Games adapt to the level of the individual while providing support; games
are learner-centered.
- Games are built with multiple levels, ensuring user's skills are challenged.
- Games engage users for hours in pursuit of a goal.
- Games can be played with others; online communities provide engagement.
- Games provide immediate and contextualized feedback.
- Games encourage creative expression, problem solving in complex situations,
and experiential/active learning.
See the complete PowerPoint Presentation, Unlocking
the Potential of Gaming Technology, Educause.
How to and Insights
"Exploring games and education is inherently controversial. Even the name
implies games don't involve work. However, today's games are complex, require
collaboration and strenuous time commitments, and involve developing values, insights,
and new knowledge. They are immersive virtual worlds often augmented by complex
communities of practice. In many ways, games have become complex learning systems."
(From, Simulations,
Games, and Learning, Author, D. Oblinger, Educause).
Around Ohio
Around the Nation
-
Simulation and Advanced Gaming Environments for Learning
(SAGE), a Pan-Canadian initiative to explore the potential of technology-based
simulations and games for learning. Find resources, research, links, and much
more!
-
The Education Arcade, committed to research and development projects that drive innovation in
educational computer/video games. Some games work from real world experience
while others engage students in interactive role play. (MIT & University of
Wisconsin Partnership).
- Harnessing the Power of Games
in Education, K.Squire and H.Jenkins describe five detailed scenarios designed
to illustrate the pedagogical potential of computer and video games. (MIT &
University of Wisconsin Partnership).
- A comprehensive
list of related resources by subject (Educause).
- Proof of Learning:
Assessment in Serious Games (S.Chen,
D. Michael, Gamasutra).
-
Got Game?
The latest news, research and examples of educational games. An excellent and fun website! (Maryland Public Television and Johns Hopkins University)
- Computer Games in the schools:
new survey reveals what students want. (Futurelab)
- Talking Favourites is
The Game Based Learning Podcast where you can listen to the latest show on Moblogging,
Games, and Learning.
Around the World
Examples
- Croquet is an open source, virtual
world, educational interface software that supports communication, collaboration,
resource sharing, and synchronous computation among multiple users.
- Second Life is a synthetic world where
you can be and build whatever you want; one that is proving to help students learn
math, science, and develop reading skills.
- Virtual U is a game designed to
foster better understanding of management practices in American colleges and universities.
It provides users the opportunity to step into the role of president, establishing
and monitoring all major components of an institution from faculty salaries to
campus parking.
- Games2Train: Create your own learning
game, specific to your discipline. Creator of site and software, Marc Prensky
also wrote Digital Game-Based
Learning
which includes practical ideas for application
and a checklist for establishing a game-based learning program.
Free and Low Cost Tools
