Narrative Games 1

This was a fun quest. I remember as a kid being intrigued by "choose your own adventure" books. Having an opportunity to influence the outcome of the story made it more engaging and meaningful. Rocky Ledge was similar.

As I played, I pictured in my head a Resident Evil-style narrative unfolding. Resident Evil is a shooter that makes use of narrative elements, including text. When your character interfaces with the world, you receive a message that describes what your character is looking at, using, or trying to do. Sometimes you'll try to do something and can't. One example is opening a door. Some door locks you can shoot with your gun, while others require a special key.

Rocky Ledge was similar. There were some directions that allowed for greater exploration (a path, the forest, the Great Canyon), while others were simply dead ends that required you to turn around. I definitely felt relief when I was able to move in the direction I desired, and panic when I reached a dead end (mountains, debris, buildings, etc). As I was reading and playing, I cared about my character's ability to roam free and explore the terrain.

One of the chief take-aways from this quest is the investment that narrative games can effect. Right now I am playing the video game Mass Effect 3. I want my character to succeed, and I want to make good choices that up her standing and shape her character in a positive way.

Response to Perry: Will videogames become better than life?

This TED talk provided a solid and concise history of the evolution of video games, and lays down the argument that the future of video games could become more meaningful and engaging than "real" life itself. As virtual and real-world experiences increasingly overlap, the line between games and reality becomes blurred.

Because of the power and influence of video games, one could argue that designers now have ethical considerations to make when designing worlds, characters, and plot lines. Much of who we are and how we relate to the world is now viewed through the lens of video games and pixilated protagonists. Given games' hold on our psyches, the future for games is vast. It's exciting new territory, and I look forward to traversing it with open and critical eyes.

Connected Constructionism

This assignment asked us to create our own "mash-up" learning theory based on two or more existing theories. We were to draw a diagram that represented how the pieces fit together. Above is my illustration of "connected constructionism."

The theory starts with connectivism, which places greater value on the capacity to know rather than what is known. Networks are fundamental to connectivism. One might say networks are connectivism. In today's digital word, it is simply unacceptable for the teacher to be the sole proprietor of knowledge and ideas. Teachers must facilitate connections between students, between other teachers, professionals, scholars, documents, resources, etc. Students must see these connections as valuable, they need to be taught how to navigate them, and it needs to be accepted as OK that there are multiple ways to access these networks, and that different discoveries are possible depending on the networks one accesses.

Once students are exposed to a variety of ideas (new knowledge), they need to be able to place them into a schema that makes sense. This is where constructionism and prior knowledge comes in. Learners need to be able to make meaning of new information in order for learning to occur. This is why learning is so very personal. Today's educators need to develop a mindfulness for the learner, attune themselves to how students learn, and place equal (if not more) credence on the process of learning as with the content of learning.

Visual explanation

The lines above Connectivism all link to various ideas. Regardless of the path one chooses to explore an idea, eventually the learner will be able to travel all paths and encounter all ideas if he or she chooses. I tried to illustrate the importance of the network, and the interconnectedness of both ideas and those who seek them out.

Once a learner is exposed to a new concept, it needs to become meaningful. Prior knowledge and experience allows for this. When you add that to new knowledge, learning occurs. Because I see these ideas building on one another and allowing for knowledge to grow, the graphic reads upwards from left to right.

Questions for the reader

I wonder if by only using connectivism and constructionism in my mash-up, I am forgetting or neglecting some important aspect of cognitive development that renders my mash-up invalid. Should I throw in another theory, or is this sufficient to stand on its own?

I had some trouble reconciling in my brain the relationship between the paths learners can take to access the network, and the ideas they can find there. Are all ideas really linked? Is it possible to access the same ideas from two different paths or perspectives? I definitely made some assumptions here. I hope they weren't false.

Overall, this was an enjoyable assignment which gave me an opportunity to articulate the relationship between two learning theories that are really central to my instruction as a high school English and journalism teacher.

The most important things about 'gamifying' education

 
There's been a chasm between games for "edutainment" and entertainment. Educational games' primary focus is to educate, and can leave the player with a feeling of being smacked in the face with a lesson plan. Entertaining games can sometimes leave players feeling flat once they're done, as they haven't necessarily bettered themselves in some way.

Video games can utilize tangential learning to both engage and educate. When one exposes an audience to topics it's already interested in, it will often choose to "self educate" and seek out new information.

Tangential learning can both be subtle and obvious. It's all about smoothly integrating it into the narrative of the game by picking the right moments and opportunities. Done this way, the gaming experience can be enhanced with learning while still being fun.

By exposing players to new concepts, designers can lay the groundwork for new learning. This idea makes sense, and is perhaps one of the reasons Assassin's Creed and Mass Effect - two games I love - have been immensely popular. When I play these games I have fun, but I also learn, so the time spent playing doesn't necessarily feel "wasted."

7 Ways to Reward the Brain

It was quite amazing to me to learn that the major games today are measuring one billion points of data per day. This means game designers have an incredible amount of information at their disposal. This data allows designers to tailor games to an appropriate level of challenge, which, in turn, leads to engagement. As an educator, this makes me think how we could be more effective if we had the kind of reliable, informative data that is readily available in the gaming world. What do students get? What don't they get? What is just beyond their grasp? This information takes time, energy, and effort to discern. With electronic games, this kind of data is recorded instantaneously.

I really like the idea of rewarding effort and not punishing failure. It's so important, and yet the current educational system is loath to reward effort and seems to thrive on punishing failure, both by students and teachers.

Something else I take away is the concept of the "reward of uncertainty" that really lights the brain up and engages people. When things can't be predicted, they're exciting. As educators, we should work to infuse our teaching with more of these moments. 

Response to video game 'seduction secrets'

Last spring The Guardian published an article dubbed "The seduction secrets of video game designers." The piece, which was tweeted more than 700 times and "liked" on facebook more than 600, articulated the elements which keep users coming back to games - at the tune of $50 billion annually.

The article also offered insight into the parallel applications of "game seduction" for creators and consumers of online instructional content. Games, and, increasingly, online learning environments, are serving as fertile grounds for learning due to the fact that failure is OK, even welcomed, according to game designer Raph Koster.

As a learner, I speak from experience that some of my greatest and most significant instances of learning occurred after experiencing a setback, understanding why I failed, acquiring new knowledge, and trying the task again with a better understanding of how to proceed.

As a teacher, I need to remember to provide my students with "opportunities to fail," and to not penalize them when they do so. I want my students taking risks, pushing boundaries, and expanding their knowledge and understanding.

Mass Effect 3 Creative Commons image by scorp_stanton on Flickr

VW Explorer: SS Galaxy

I visited the SS Galaxy. I found it underwhelming compared with some other places I've visited in SL. I've found that the "Editor's Picks" can often lead to some incredible destinations. While I understand the novelty of an "event space," and I can see the usefulness of an accompanying website to a Second Life locale, I just didn't see a lot of users at this particular destination when I was there. Also, the "ship" was not as large as it appeared on the website image.

After visiting the Galaxy, I was curious to experience another "aquatic" environment. This other place was an enclosed room under the sea, similar to Atlantis. It too had a similar function, with events at different times, except it was much more populated, and more visually appealing. It would be fascinating to chart the evolution of such hangouts and learn how popular places evolve. What makes a spot "hot?" How does a place grow and gather members, then fade? What are the characteristics of a Second Life spot with staying power?

I look forward to increasing my understanding of SL hangouts, and learning what SL users value in a venue.