COM 427October 17

Learning from Games

1. “Under the right conditions, ____________, like sex, is biologically motivating and pleasurable for humans (and other primates).”

A) cookingB) playingC) twerkingD) learning

2. Gee: “One key feature of the virtual characters and objects that game players manipulate is that they are _________’. The character the player controls – Lara Croft, for example – knows things the player doesn’t, for instance, how to climb ropes, leap chasms, and scale walls”.

A) smart toolsB) totally unrealisticC) stereotypesD) assemblages

3. Linderoth:“This paper criticizes the argument that video games by their nature are _________.”

A) violentB) good learning environmentsC) good for youD) unrealistic

4. Linderoth argues that games may not be that great at letting players learn, despite claims to the contrary.

What is the name of the theoretical perspective that he uses?

A) Virtual sociologyB) Make believeC) Ecological psychologyD) Political economy

Bonus

What is the name of the games researcher whose work Linderoth specifically takes issue with?

A) Helen KennedyB) James P. GeeC) Robert L. SchragD) Espen Aarseth

Upcoming work

1.PARATEXTUAL PRACTICES (Individual)

i. Due October 24 by 11:59 PMii. Double up with the ‘Scavenger Hunt’ Journal and/or with

Public Displays of Gaming

2.DESIGN DOCUMENT (Final project group)

1. Due October 31 by 11:59 PM2. Class on October 29 will be given over to group-based

work on this assignment

None of these educational outcomes are “LITERAL”.

There is a HUGE body of literature on the educational outcomes of gaming….

- Foster leadership skills

- Help cultivate “technical registers”

- Teach domain-specific ‘content’ - (e.g. SimCityUrban Planning; Call of DutyWW2 History)

- Develop spatial orientation & navigation abilities

- Understand another perspective / point of view / experience

Play ME Play Me play me play mePleeeeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEase

TO THE EXTENT that the game’s processes are similar to other processes (whether in certain ‘real world’ contexts or in other games), the game may

teach you something beyond how to play it

Games have to teach you how to play…

http://www.comedycentral.com/video-clips/tceadl/chappelle-s-show-life-like-a-video-game

Gee: ‘Good’ games are great at teaching you• You’re just good enough to get by; if you’re not, the game invites you to

improve• Allow you to ‘pair up’ with an expert (characters as ‘smart tools’)• Don’t explain things to you (or at least not all at once); ‘just in time’ info• Let you practice before you are ‘tested’

Linderoth: Games often hold your hand too much• Really powerful tools (characters, in-game resources) do all the work for us• GUI elements make our job of ‘reading the environment’ easier

VS

Blindness Moses Ifamose, Nijel Jones, Dakota Jakobi, TJ Matthews

StarvationLauren Magnum, Andrew Enloe, John Labelle, Sam Regalado

Feed The WorldCameron McCarty, Luke Nadkarni, Michael Atz, Harold S. Nunn

Waking Up HungryChristopher Nielson, Matt Horne, Conner Nordstrom, Scott McWhirter.

DeceitWilliam Jackson, Logan Sawyer, Alex Heisey

Sound GuyScott Shelton, Scott Hunter, Charlie Brewer, Ryan Butler

Starving ArtistAnna Wolfe, Matt Morelock, Shakil Jefferson, Daniel Gallagher

Final project groups!

1. Focus on your CORE MECHANIC.

• What EXPERIENCE are you creating; What will the player DO?

2. How will you TEACH that mechanic?

• No text allowed.

3. How will you ensure BALANCE?

• What will you do to encourage players to get better (Gee) without holding their hand (Linderoth)?