P-20 DIGITAL GAME- BASED LEARNING

OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPLORE INNOVATION

Dr. Joan Mazur, Director

Dr. Brent Seales, Dr. Gerry Swan1, Dexter Knight2, Co-Directors

University of Kentucky P-20 Innovation Lab

Marty Park – Kentucky Dept. of Education Liaison

Next Generation Learning Summit  September 7, 2010

Lexington, Kentucky1 University of Kentucky

2 Jessamine Career & Technology Center (JCTC) Nicholasville, KY

Why Learning with Games?

• Perhaps since the beginning of time, kids have been playing and learning. Starting with some very basic social games, like Ring Around the Rosey most children naturally gravitate toward play and playfulness.

• To Play, as to Learn, is Human!

Why Learning with Games?

• But games have changed over the years. Kids just a few years ago were still playing games like Candyland, Monopoloy, and Shutes and Ladders on actual game boards.

• But today, kids are Digital Natives. They have grown up with technology and it is integral to their lives. Students, aged 8-18 devote an nearly 8 hours each day to usingentertainment media across a typical day (more than 53 hours a week).  

Why Learning with Games?

•  And because they spend so much of that time ‘media multitasking’ (using more than one medium at a time), they actually manage to pack a total of 10 hours and 45 minutes (10:45) worth of media content into those 7½ hours.

• While this information may be startling, even disturbing to some, many games involve teamwork, problem solving and creative thinking!

Why Learning with Games?

•  Kids learn with games NOT because they are fun and entertaining.

• Kids learn with games because they are interactive, engaging, build in feedback and assessment, contain proven instructional strategies and importantly build 21st Century Skills.

• 21st Century skills include teamwork, self-direction, problem solving, creativity, decision-making and critical thinking.

Why Learning with Games?

• It is very important that teachers, parents and students work together to learn to use and choose digital games that can help them learn content and succeed at the game of life!

Principle One of Game-based Learning: Play Theory, Cycles of Learning & Engagement

• Play is naturally employed, effective learning paradigm (Biological imperative)

• Play requires interaction and participation

• Constant cycle of action/reaction

• Leads to engagement in game

• Same principle as good learning

Principle Two of Game-based Learning: Problem-based Learning

PS is highest level of learning (Gagne, 2005)

• Vehicle for all intellectual skills AND promotes transfer (Delisle, 1997)

• Two critical attributes of any problem (Jonassen, 2002. The unknown (goal requires generation of new knowledge)

• A value to learner in solving the problem

Principle Two of Game-based Learning: Problem-based Learning

• Requires short- and long-term goal setting

• Positive correlation with learning

• Improves self-efficacy, which is also correlated with learning (Bandura, 1997)

• Games are problem solving

• Have unknown & value; require short & long-term goals

Principle Three of Game-based Learning: Situated Cognition & Learning

• Brown, Collins, & Duguid, 1989

• Congruence of learning & performance contexts

• Relevance and “anchoring” of knowledge in authentic contexts

• Improves learning (Anderson, 1995; Bower, 1981 & 1987); Clark,

Principle Three of Game-based Learning: Situated Cognition & Learning

• All learning in games is situated

• Goal (unknown) drives everything

• Everything learned is relevant and applied

Working with P-12Teacher PD – Summer Academy, June 201015 teachers, all levels, several subject areas

Focused on using and choosing games/learning integration

Demonstrated Hands-on Playtest – using a modified, interactive Google Maps ‘game board’ designed by G. Swan.

Working with P-12Danville Independent Schools – Danville Kentucky University (DKU)

– 3rd, 4th &5th Graders – Game Design Enrichment – Upcoming 5 Saturdays Oct/Nov 2010

Teacher PD, Student Gaming w/Scratch, Parental Involvement

Working with Post-Secondary

• New Graduate Course – EDC 543 Digital Game-based Learning (online) Spring 2010 – UK College of Education – Mazur

• P-20 Innovation Lab Website Materials – under development

• Member, DGBL Interdisciplinary Group – University of Kentucky

• Partnership with Learning Games Network/Boston• MIT Educational Arcade Spin-off group

How Can We Work With You?

• Tell us your thoughts/suggestions/concerns…

• THANKS!