Kurt Squire: Research Manager, Comparative Media Studies, MIT

Henry Jenkins: Director, Comparative Media Studies, MITRandy Hinrichs: Group Research Manager, Learning Sciences & Technology, Microsoft

GAMES-TO-TEACH PROJECT

Summer 2002

G2T Project Goals

• Explore the potentials of “next-generation gaming”• Why gaming?

– Lively Art (Jenkins, 2001)– Culture work (Laurel, 2001)– Appealing pedagogical properties

• Create a vision for game-based learning – Lead cross-industry dialogue– Ground speculative discussions– Learning Sciences + Comparative Media Studies

• Explore research questions– Development issues, gender, assessment– Competition / Collaboration

G2T Activities

• Design research– Interviewing teachers, game designers

• Collaboration with games industry– Brainstorms, reviews

– 15 leading game designers

• Working with content partners– Colonial Williamsburg, FAS, CMU, MIT Professors Peter Senge, John

Belcher, Bruce Blumberg, Steven Pinker, Pauline Maier…

• Design 15 conceptual frameworks– Link emerging pedagogies and game play

• Developing four prototypes– Supercharged, Replicate, Environmental Detectives,

– Biohazard / Hot Zone (with Carnegie Mellon)

ElectromagnetismSupercharged!

• Cognitive Challenges– Subject non-intuitive– No first-hand experience of phenomena– Routinized knowledge of mathematical procedures– “Qualitative” Physics (Forbus, 2001)

• Motivational Challenges– Relevance

• Supercharged– Platform flying simulation game

• Goals– Robust qualitative understandings– Deep understanding of core relationships– Use laws to identify problem types– Visualize abstract concepts

Grokking Electromagnetism

Supercharged!

1. Show goals2. Place Charges

– Ship / crew dialogue3. Flying Driving

– Real-time control– Gather power - ups

4. “Win” Review Path– Visualize level– Publish / share levels

5. Assess & Review– Aggregated Data

Supercharged!

Supercharged!

Supercharged!

Game-Based Pedagogy

Game

Just-in-timelectures

Peers

Texts

Demonstrations

Web-basedResources

StudentE&M

Physics

Problem Sets

Classroom Context

Game Platform Genre Subject Pedagogy

Hephaestus PC XBox Online

Massively Multiplayer

Robotics Engineering

CollaborativeCommunity

DreamHaus PC Adventure / Design

Architectural

Engineering

Learning by Design

Biohazard PC / Xbox Action RPG Biology Learning by Doing

La Jungla de Optica PC Simulated World RPG

Optical Physics Anchored Instruction

Extreme Sports Tycoon Web Multi-player Puzzle

Mechanical Physics

Learning by Design

Cuckoo Time Xbox Party Game Mechanical Physics

Playful Microworlds

Daedalus’ End PC Multiplayer Role-Playing

Engineering Ethics

Role-Playing

Replicate! PC / Xbox Action / Racing Biology / Virology Visualization

Supercharged! PC / Xbox Puzzle / Flying Electromagnetism Simulation

Environmental Detectives

Pocket PC Multiplayer Role Playing

Environmental Education

Participatory Simulation

• Game Data– Levels completed, time per - problem, solution paths

• Observations– Notes & Video-taped

• Pre & Post - tests– Content “Interviews”– Written tests & Surveys– Dynamic tasks (zero, near, & far transfer)

• Interviews with Instructors• Controlled comparisons with “traditional groups”

Assessment

• Students bring in experiences with media– Game / genre conventions

• Leveraging game conventions for pedagogical ends– Power Ups-Ways of altering variables– Resource management – tools / resources

• Win / Loss– Ways of addressing misconceptions– Inducing metacognition through social interactions

• Shareable artifacts– Publishing winning / creative solutions

• Emotional Engagement

Game Properties

Join us!

• Information:– http://cms.mit.edu/games/education/

• To participate in pilot program– Email: cms-g2t-pilot

• Contact:– Henry Jenkins: henry3@mit.edu– Randy Hinrichs: randyh@microsoft.com– Kurt Squire: ksquire@mit.edu

ElectromagnetismSupercharged

– Demo Game

ElectromagnetismSupercharged

Join Us!

• Prototypes 1-10 online– Documentation and media– Designs, pedagogy, technical notes, art– http://cms.mit.edu/games/education/

• Robust qualitative understandings• Experts use laws to identify problem types• Deep understanding of core relationships• Ability to visualize abstract concepts• Can use knowledge to solve everyday

problems

Grokking Electromagnetism

• Broader Challenges– Functional use value – “Why learn this?”– Developing interest in science– Identity of “Self as scientist”– Science as “memorization of immutable facts.”

Grokking Electromagnetism

• Why Supercharged?– Robust, real time, interactivity– Depict abstract relationships in 3D– E&M laws as basis for flying / driving game– Familiar gaming genres and science fiction

• Challenges to Supercharged– Qualitative, not quantitative interactions– Constrained to computer– Getting learners involved in hard thinking & creating

ElectromagnetismSupercharged

Pocket PC

• GPS / Wireless / Location – based gaming• Multiplayer real time role playing game• Observing, testing, analyzing, predicting• Implementation Contexts

– Edgerton Center– Terrascope Project– MIT Classrooms– Cambridge Schools

Game-Based Pedagogy

Game

StudentE&M

Physics

Collaboration

Game-Based Pedagogy

Game

Just-in-timelectures

Peers

Texts

Demonstrations

Web-basedResources

StudentE&M

Physics

Questions

• Importance of instructional context – set-up, debriefing, and reflection

• Leveraging collaboration (e.g. Koschmann, 1996)

– Reflection

• Power of local culture & conditions (Squire et al., 2002) – Adoption & Adaptation

• Teacher support and professional development– Communities of teachers

Game-Based Pedagogy

Game-Based Pedagogy

Yuro Engestrom, 1992

• Immersive Learning Environments– Students developing and testing hypotheses

• Role playing Games– Solving “authentic problems”– Access to authentic tools / resources

• Visualization and Simulation– Leveraging potential contests– Spatial Conquests– Remediating physical laws

“Endogenous Game Play”

• Control, Challenge (Malone, 1981)

– Instantaneous feedback– Adjusted Difficulty level – Choice

• Fantasy, Exploration– Narrative, whimsy, fantasy, discovery

• Social Contexts– Collaboration, Competition

Engaging Media

555 respondents listed at least 1 favorite game. – Final Fantasy series (I-VIII) 55 – Starcraft 46 – Civiliation I/ II 29– Zelda 24– Tetris 22 – Quake 21– Super Mario Brothers 21– Tournmanet 12– Snood 12– Madden Sports 8– The Sims 6

GTT Research