LTSs advocate for games and learning

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LTSs advocate for games and learning

• Derek P Robertson
• New Technologies for Learning
• d.robertson_at_ltscotland.org.uk

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The Consolarium

• Scottish Centre of Excellence for Games in
  Education
• Comprehensive range of commercial consoles and
  games
• PS2, PSP, Xbox360, DS, Wii,
• PC/Mac based games
• Interactive whiteboard
• Wi-fi access

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What it aims to do

• Promote games and learning
• LTS web presence
• Provide a centre that teachers and educational
  managers can visit
• Develop a community of interested partners
• educational, academic industry
• Nurture, support and celebrate effective and
  innovative practice with games
• Embed games and learning in ACfE

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Why the investment?

• LTS has positioned itself as
• a developmental organisation
• a progressive, innovative and future looking
  organisation
• an organisation that will influence inform the
  changing educational landscape
• We aim to capture the games and learning agenda
  in Scotland

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Why computer games?

• Wider reading
• Marc Prensky
• James Paul Gee
• Steven Johnson
• Academic Research
• Futurelab
• BECTA
• ELSPA

• My own teaching experience
• Growing body of professional practice
• Range of games/teaching blogs
• Conferences

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Enhanced learning?

• Powerful motivational context
• Enhanced learning through games
• Science model
• Problem solving
• Knowledge about other curricular areas
• Metacognitive development
• Collaborative contexts
• Affective domain
• Cultural resonance

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Why games engage us?
Games are a form of fun. That gives us enjoyment
and pleasure.
Games have representation and story. That gives
us emotion.
Games have conflict/challenge/opposition. That
gives us adrenaline.
Games have rules. That gives us structure.
Games have outcomes and feedback. That gives us
learning.
Games are adaptive. That gives us flow.
Games have problem solving. That sparks our
creativity.
Games are interactive. That gives us doing.
Games have goals. That gives us motivation.
Games have interaction. That gives us social
groups.
Games have win states. That gives us ego
gratification.
Games are a form of play. That gives us intense
and passionate involvement.
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Guess who?
Dont have any other hobbies Dont talk to
others Dont talk to families Hurts their
eyes Dont get fresh air Get unfit Nothing to
talk about Atkins (2003) More Than a Game
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Issues of concern

• Lack of time to familiarise themselves with
  games
• Generally not part of teachers cultural framework
• How to identify relevance of game to a particular
  curriculum component
• How can learning with games be measured?
• Amount of irrelevant content in game
• Concern about inappropriate content
• Lack of support materials lesson plans etc.
• Hardware/software conflicts
• Cost
• ELSPA(2006) Unlimited Learning

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Some examples

• Games as narrative
• Tim Rylands
• Games provide cognitive challenge
• Doctor Kawashima, Big Brain Academy
• Games for active learning
• Dance Mats, Eye Toy, Guitar Hero
• Curricular learning through games
• Darfur is Dying, Election Simulator
• Learners as game designers
• Neverwinter Nights,
• Associated Learning
• Crazy Talk

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Moving forward

• What is already happening?
• Staff development opportunities
• Case studies
• Add Knowledge
• Professor Kawashima
• Narrative driven contexts
• Exertainment in early years, ASN context
• Games league
• Games design projects
• Avatar design
• Interested parties please contact me

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Thank you

• d.robertson_at_ltscotland.org.uk
• Work 01382 443617
• Mobile [phone]