Designing Engaging Game Making Workshops

Copyright @ 2011 Michael Hallissy

Designing engaging game-making

workshops – the full picture

Michael Hallissy

Director of Learning

Digital Hub Development Agency


Presentation Overview

• Introduction

• The Digital Hub Learning Programme

• 21st Century Learning – some challenges

• Use of computer games in The Hub

• Our experiences with MissionMaker

• 5 Lessons we learnt

• Questions


Introduction


Introduction

• Former primary teacher

• Partner in H2 Learning

• Teachers and Learners

• Better teaching and learning

http://www.dceb.ie/download/1/Digital_Hub.jpg

http://www.paqit.com/files/photos/microsoft-logo.jpg


The Digital Hub


The Learning Programme

DHDA were tasked with implementing “a strategy for educational provision, particularly for

digital arts and technology, including linkages with

first and second level schools, with further

education and third level institutions engaged in

digital content production”

(FGS, 2007: p.9)

- Support from Diageo

- The NCTE/DES


Focus on Literacy

• Literacy levels were particularly low

• Schools keen to implement new innovative

approaches to literacy

– to assist with traditional literacy

– to develop new literacies

• Influenced by research around an expanded

notion of literacy

– Literacy for the 21st century

• Where young people could “read” and “write”

digital


Notion of Digital Literacy

“Digital literacy is the awareness, attitude and ability of

individuals to appropriately use digital tools and facilities to

identify, access, manage, integrate, evaluate, analyse and

synthesize digital resources, construct new knowledge,

create media expressions, and communicate with others, in

the context of specific life situations, in order to enable

constructive social action; and to reflect upon the process.”

(Martin, 2006: p. 19)


21st Century Learners

They have grown up digital:

“They want a choice in their education, in terms of

what they learn, when they learn it, where and

how. They want their education to be relevant to

the real world, the one they live in. They want it

to be interesting, even fun”

(Tapscott, 2008: p.126)

• Digital technologies have the potential to

redefine how we learn


Opportunities for change

• Young people can create and publish at the click of a button

• Exciting time for learning (Heppell)

• New technologies are opening up new opportunities for learners

• “Computers as finger paint” (Mitch Resnick in 2001)


Computer Games in Education

• Important element of popular culture

• Very much associated with play

• Evidence that games motivate reluctant learners

– (Ellis et al., 2006 & Mitchell and Savill-Smith, 2006, Williamson, 2009)

“Something one chooses to do as a source of pleasure,

which is intensely and utterly absorbing and promotes the

formation of social groupings”

(Prensky, 2001; p. 112)


• But also evidence that games can play a role in “development

of critical-thinking, in problem-solving and in developing

decision-making skills”

– Tiong and Yong (2008) believe that it is their potential to engage

and develop these 21st century skills that has attracted much

attention in recent times.

• Much of the literature has focused on playing games where our

interest was in game-making

• Ben Williamson reported in 2009 that:

– “there are emerging practices around young people as creative

producers of games” particularly when they develop their

production skills.

Computer Games in Education


Some literature on game-making

• Williamson found that game-making in UK schools was not wide-spread

– Not surprising as Futurelab found that 72% of teachers were not playing games

for leisure (Sandford et al., 2006)

• Tiong and Yong (2008) found there has been an upsurge in game-making

in recent years

– Associate this with advancements in game-authoring tools

– Yet they have raised questions over the quality of games created

– Raised questions about the suitability of the tutors

– They quoted Zimmerman and Fortugno (2005) that “making games is hard”

– They questioned the naivety of “education professionals and scholars of learning”

in relation to game design and development

– Contended that tutors should have at least have:

• Experience in playing games

• A deep knowledge of game design theory

• “Some substantial experience in game-making”


• Despite these findings other research suggested:

– that teachers/tutors had a key role in mediating computer

game activities in schools

– This was particularly true in simulation games (Mitchell and

Savill-Smith, 2004)

• But this is game playing activities!

• Raised the question – How should teachers mediate game-making workshops and what is

their role?

Some literature on game-making


Studies on game-making


Some Game-Making Tools

Inventagiochi (Koala Games)

GameMaker

MissionMaker


Review of the Studies

Element of the Study Finding

Learning Environment Social Constructivist approach

Learning/Teaching Strategies • Little direct teaching with Scratch

• Direct teaching in school settings

• Social Constructivist approaches

common

Tutor Role • Organiser

• Scaffolding the learning process

• Mentor

Artefact Production • All wanted participants to create a

game that others could play

Environments • Game-making can take place

successfully in both locations

Support and Training • Howells and Robertson (2008)

found that teachers did require

extra support and training


MissionMaker Workshops


Our Interest in Games

• Reluctant learners – how do we engage them?

• Aware that young people love to play games their ability to engage young people

• Some had even suggested that games can be viewed as digital texts – Locating game-making in this discourse

– Linking the activity to digital literacy

– Young people writing games

• Let‟s do it

– Summer project to enable young people create their own games

– Selected a tool and off we went


What did we do?

• Need for an authoring tool – Suitable for teenagers with little or

no programming experience

– Allow them to create a game

– Develop 21st century skills

• Target audience was teenagers – 12 to 16

• Selected our tutors and off we went – Designed our programme (roughly)

– Recruited young people and began


MissionMaker – The Tool

• All our energies focused on finding a tool

• Selected MissionMaker • Developed by London Knowledge Lab and Immersive Education

• Used in UK schools as part of their media education programme

• New on the market

– It came with – Training manuals

– Training programme

• We decided to run a

– 3-4 day programme

• 12 to 16 hours total

– New setting for Immersive


Our Tutors

• Two experienced tutors

– Creative

– Experienced in using digital media

– Experienced in working with young people

– However, they were not gamers

• Support they received

– They attended a one-day workshop

– They taught themselves how to

use the software

– MissionMaker is not an easy tool to use


Tutor Training

“From the beginning of the training I had a

difficulty understanding and I think my

difficulty was more to do with my lack of

experience [in] the context of understanding

a game” “Suddenly I

realised that

actually making

a game became

really good fun”

“I learnt by taking time to sit

down and do it myself”


Lessons Learnt

Lesson 1 • Tutor preparation is vital – need to consider what

competences they have and how we prepare them?

• How do you deliver this training or support?

• Not just teaching them the software functions


Instructional Strategies

• Structure of MissionMaker

• Predominant Pedagogy

– Direct teaching or „modeling‟ (Mellar, 2007)

– Walk through the product on the big screen and participants

mimic your actions

• Impact on participants

– “They never really look up”

– Some participants found this approach tedious

– Designed to “fast-track” learning of software features

“A set timetable where I

have to introduce

something, explain it,

and then let them test it”

“MissionMaker is very

„formulaic‟ in that it is very

concentrated on the step-

by-step”


Instructional Strategies

• Tutors believed that

– “it was the best way … they were still into it”

– “need to know what the tools will do”

• Consequences of this approach

– Quietness in the room

– No discussion/No peer conversations

– Just young people working on computers

• Combination strategy emerged

– Directed teaching to introduce

software features

– More collaborative/facilitative

strategies later


Lessons Learnt

Lesson 2 • What teaching strategies will tutors use?

• How will you equip them with these strategies?

• How will this impact on the learning activities?

• What activities will you include in the workshop?


Collaboration and Teamwork

• Tutors viewed game-making as “head-centred” and

“kind of myopic”

• Lack of physical activity and contact

• Tutors actively built in teamwork activities

– Ice-breaker activities where they solved puzzles

– “mental challenges worked well” as opposed

to physical games

“This was one of the quietest

workshops I ever gave” “The quietness was a big

concern … though the

engagement is hugely

positive it could promote

isolation”

“Game creation and game play

are solitary activities”


Teamwork

• MissionMaker did not allow participants to build game

sections

• Each game was a stand-alone artefact

• So what could we do?

– Tutors developed a strategy around linked games

– Team of 3 had to link their games

“Think it worked out nicely … found out about

each other’s games and really modeled the

whole relay thing”


Lessons Learnt

Lesson 3 • Be aware that game-making can be an isolated

activity?

• This is in contrast to the real-world

• Collaboration needs to be organised and facilitated.

• It will not happen of itself.


What games will they make?

• The authoring tool is key to answering this question

• MissionMaker came preloaded with scenes and

characters

• Our tutors were keen to create:

– Use participant generated media

– Issue-based games (Hunger, Violence etc.)

• Bridge too far in the time allowed

“MissionMaker lets students rapidly create visually exciting, rich

3D worlds for first-person 'Missions' - complete with sets,

animated characters, dialogue and music.” (MissionMaker blurb)


What about game literacy?

• Consider the scope of the workshop:

– Will they address game analysis?

• Will participants play other games?

• Will they critique and analyse games?

– Will they address game play?

– Will they create storyboards?

– Will they work in teams?

– Will they receive a brief in

relation to their game?

– ?????


Lessons Learnt

Lesson 4 • Be clear what you want participants to achieve in the

time allowed.

• Structure the programme to meet these outcomes.

• Don‟t be over ambitious – be realistic!

• If needed organise follow-on workshops.


Time

• How long should it take?

• We initially worked over 4 days and then moved back to 3 days

– We found that 4 is a minimum for game-making

• We did not give adequate time to participants

Tutor Participant

– Lack of time creates pressure

– Provide participants with a clear overview at the outset

“We didn’t really get a whole heap

of time to see the games that

kids made as it was so rushed”

“In terms of making a good game,

an extra day would have made it

a lot better”

“And if you want a complex game you are going to be [stretched],

your time is going to be a problem and putting in one or two props,

trust me at the end, you will be glad”


Lessons Learnt

Lesson 5 •Time management is key

•Ensure you provide sufficient time – don‟t try to do

everything

•Provide a high-level overview of the programme at the

outset


Working with participants

• Tutors noted that:

– “this is the only thing I have done where the kids sit with you at

lunch time”

– Sense of community and common purpose

• Tutors felt they did not need to know all the answers

– “you can work here and be fallible”

– “because I knew I didn’t know everything”

• Challenge to scaffold participant learning

– “I always have to make myself shut up and stand back and let

them at it”

– “I am quite aware that they have all the answers … and I am just

the facilitator trying to help them implement their games”


Lessons Learnt

Lesson 6 • Equip tutors/facilitators with the skills to scaffold learning

and to learn from others

• They are allowed to make mistakes and say “I don‟t know”

• Everyone is a learner in such settings


Some final observations

• Tutor Skill-sets

– Tiong and Yong (2008)

• Both game players & game makers

• Yet they need to be able to teach and work with young people

• Trade-off

• Tutor Training

– 1 day tutor training insufficient

– Needs a wider focus than just the software

– Should equip tutors with a range of strategies

• Develop their teaching/facilitation strategies

• Discussion and listening strategies for example

• Assistance on

– Creating and managing constructivist learning environments?

– Ensure they are competent and confident to lead the workshop


Further Observations

• Selecting the appropriate authoring tool

– Is it fit for purpose?

– There is a need to evaluate the tool using a recognised rubric

(OECD/TEEM etc.)

• Is it stable?

• Is it suitable for your target age group?

• Can the participants use it to successfully build their game?

• What support materials come with the software?

• Is there a community of practice where tutors share ideas?

• Do students have to purchase the software?

• Can they work on their game outside of the workshop?

• Be clear as to the goal of the workshop

– What are your learning outcomes?

– Be brave yet realistic


Summary

• Game-making is hard and complex

• Evaluate the software in context – reviews are not

enough

• We need to take a holistic view of the process and

move beyond just focusing on the authoring software

– Ensure there are support materials?

– Develop a curriculum or programme of activities

– Provide Ongoing Tutor Training

• We need to support our tutors/facilitators

– What professional development/training do they require?

– How can they best mediate the software tool?

• Develop a range of programmes

– Beginner to Advanced with accreditation if appropriate


Participants want more

Participant

• Need for more variety in terms of the workshops we

provide

• Can we bring these activities into schools

– Media Literacy

– Digital Studies ???

• Does it have a place in a national literacy strategy?

• What implications does this have for our system?

“Yeah I would be interested in a longer course...

maybe make two games or something and get to

play around with other peoples' games a bit to get

more time would definitely be more interesting, even

if it was just a few more days”


Selected References

Mitchell, A. and C. Savill-Smith (2004). The use of computer and video games for learning: A

review of the literature. London, Learning and Skills Development Agency.

Tapscott, D. (2008). Grown up digital. How the net generation is changing your world. New

York, McGraw Hill.

Tiong, K. M. and S.-T. Yong (2008). Learning through Computer Game Design: Possible

Success (or Failure) Factors. Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Computers in

Education, Taipei, Taiwan.

Sandford, R., M. Ulicsak, et al. (2006). Teaching with games: Using commercial off-the-shelf

computer games in formal education. Bristol, Futurelab.

Williamson, B. (2009). Computer games, schools, and young people - A report for educators on

using games for learning. Bristol, Futurelab.


Thank You

Michael Hallissy

Director of Learning

The Digital Hub Development Agency

Crane St.,

Dublin 8

www.thedigitalhub.com

[email protected]

Designing Engaging Game Making Workshops

Education

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