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=Early Game Play=

Games as a medium for teaching and learning have predated modern civilization. Game play has been used as a teaching and learning tool for thousands of years, in cultures across the globe. One of the earliest known games was the ancient Egyptian game called [|Senet]. It was apparently a [|race game] for two players, with moves determined by tosses of [|throwstick] or, sometimes, [|knucklebone]. Artifacts from this game date back to 3500 BC (Thompson, et. al., 2007). Game play as a learning and teaching medium has been part of early human history in cultures around the globe, and continues to persist today as a plausible medium for learning and teaching. Exactly why these early games originated and why they persisted into modern times is a matter of speculation. However, when we consider the role the learner engages when in game play, we find Confucius' statement of how people learn prophetic indeed: "I hear, I forget. I see, I remember. I do, I understand." Game play as a medium for teaching and learning has persisted over time. Game play can easily facilitate a learn-by-doing environment that optimizes understanding through experience (virtual, real or both). Because of its capacity in this regard, game play is an excellent medium for teaching and learning.
 * //Figure 1. The Egyptian game of Senet.// || //Figure 2. Confucius (551 - 479 B.C.)// ||
 * [[image:http://www.philipcoppens.com/phaistos_senet.jpg width="216" height="132"]] || [[image:http://www.lyfe.freeserve.co.uk/art/confucius.gif width="145" height="155"]] ||

=Game Mechanics= In the game of Risk - (e.g., conquer territories nearest the equator first) ||
 * **Mechanic** || **Description** || **Example** ||
 * Luck || No matter how experienced the player is, he/she may suffer (lose power) from random actions or uncontrollable game elements. No matter how inexperienced the player is, he/she may flourish (gain power) from random uncontrollable game elements. || Role of the dice, random draws of cards. ||
 * Strategy || As play continues, the player gains more experience - skills improve. The player can make decisions based on an improved understanding of the underlying model of the game "system". This can positively or negatively affect game outcomes based on the player's discretion. This improves the control that the player has over the environment. It also improves the power that the learner has in the game. || In [|Black Jack 21] (e.g., Always hit on 12-16 when dealer shows 7 or higher).
 * Diplomacy || How, when and where will I need to get help (or provide help) with strategy, resource management and/or territory control as game progresses? In other words, what interactions are necessary as the game progresses to further improve the probability that one completes game objectives. || In [|Clue], there is a time when you may befriend a neighbor to gain access to critical information. Conversely, there may be a time when you provide bogus information to improve your probability of winning. ||
 * Resource Management || Game assets can be obtained as game play progresses. Typically these game assets will increase the power that the player has over the game environment. The assets may be used to improve success in completing game objectives. This asset economy must be managed and paid close attention to. ||  ||
 * Territory Control ||  ||   ||

=Types of Games=
 * **Game Type** || **Example** || Images ||
 * Puzzle || Sudoku, Petals around a rose ||  ||
 * Driil/Practice ||  ||   ||
 * Simulations || PhET, LateNite Labs, Electrocity ||  ||



There is also an online version of [|Petals around the rose]. and ought to be considered a plausible medium for teaching and learning.

=Learning Models and Games=


 * **Theorist** || **Model** ||
 * **Csikszentmihalyi** [[image:http://www.intelli-computing.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/csikszentmihalyi.jpg width="142" height="153"]] || [[image:http://www.cs.colorado.edu/%7Eralex/courses/gamelet2005/calendar/5/Flow.jpg width="403" height="393"]] ||
 * **The Multimedia Effect** - The multimedia effect describes or characterizes the benefits of combining different and aural information through the use of multimedia. Multimedia programs that include text, speech, drawings, photographs, music, animations, and video with or without sound can enhance learning. Some combinations compliment each other, while others impede and conflict the learning (Alessi & Trollip, 2000) by distracting the learner from the task at hand. ||  ||
 * **Paivio’s Dual Coding Theory -** A multimedia presentation that shows multiple visuals such as an image of a speaker as well as the text that the speaker is reading, such as a series of bullet points, could overwhelm the viewer, depending on the person and the situation, because the viewer must now attend to two images (Paivio, 1986; Wikipedia, 2008). || [[image:http://cws-i.com/pointntalk/dual_coding.jpg width="437" height="274"]] ||

=Contemporary Research: Learning and Games=

[|Optical Topography]

//Figure 1. Example of Optical Topography Device//



//Figure 2. Dr. Koizumi's Research on Brain Activity//



=Games That Teach=

www.smartkidssoftware.com || 2 - 5 ||  || www.smartkidssoftware.com || 2 - 5 ||  || by DK interactive learning || 2 - 5 ||  ||
 * **Game** || **Age** || **Description** ||
 * Mr. Potato Head Activity Pack
 * I Love the USA
 * World Explorer
 * Brain Play || 2 - 5 ||  ||
 * Sesamie Street's Learn, Play, Grow ||  ||   ||

Aldrich, C. 2004. //Simulations and the Future of Learning.// Pfeiffer. John Wiley and Sons, Inc. San Francisco.
 * **//Books about Games, Learning, and Simulations//** ||

Aldrich, C. 2005. //Learn By Doing.// Pfeiffer. John Wiley and Sons, Inc. San Francisco.

Gee, P., 2003. //What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy//. Palgrave MacMillan, New York.

Klopfer, E. 2008. //Augmented Learning – Research and Design of Mobile Educational Games//. Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Quinn, C. 2005. //Engaging Learning – Designing e-Learning Simulation Games.// Pfeiffer. John Wiley and Sons, Inc. San Francisco.

Prensky, M. 2006. //“Don’t Bother Me Mom – I’m Learning!”//. Paragon Press. St. Paul, MN.

Thompson, J., Berbank-Green, B., & Cusworth, N. 2007. //Game Design.// Quarto Publishing. John Wiley and Sons, Inc. New Jersey.

Vorderer, P., Bryant, J. 2006. //Playing Video Games – Motives, Responses, and Consequences.// Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. New Jersey. ||

Unfinished Stuff... may be the best medium for teaching and learning.

might be

Of all technology and materials available today or in ancient times, game play has persisted as a teaching and learning method which engages the learner in a learn-by-goind environment. Game play can be virtual, real, or some combination of the two. Game play can be in the form of role-playing games or a hybird of the two,

Fore instance, role play can be used as aWhen we consider the various media, and environments in which learning can take place authentic learn-by-doing environments are most congruent with

Also, when we consider the revised Bloom's Taxonomy, 21st Century Fluencies we also find that learn by doing environments

Whether or not games for entertainment have transformed into games for learning is a matter of contest. shifted into have been made that the shift from entertainment to education has not full been realized, but rather that the shift is fixed in a doldrum referred to as "edutainment". games as a medium for learning and teaching have been realized for a great many years. Game play is not just an isolated phenomenon, but rather a transcultural influence.

Petals of a Rose

Kemu - a hawaiian name that means the "board on which checkers is played".

This is significant, because in many indigenous cultures, game play is used as a teaching tool.

Educational Game Sites for Children:

littlefingers.com pbskids.org

References:

Thompson, J., Berbank-Green, B., Cusworth, N.. 2007. //Game Design. Principles, practice, and techniques - the ultimate guide for the aspiring game designer.// Quarto Publishing Inc. Published by John Wiley & Sons Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.