1. Games as metaphor primers Games as metaphor primers Games as Metaphor Primers
2. Institute of Education Sciences US Department of Education US Department of Education Two research and development efforts Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
3. Possible Worlds Dislodging misconceptions in science Dislodging misconceptions in science Photosynthesis Heredity Middle Grades 6 - 8
4. What role does the game play in the instructional process?
5. Experience that can be organized and reflected on over time to build formal conceptual knowledge.
I’m here to discuss some of game research and development work going on at CCT.
Two projects Going to talk specifically about the instructional model that underlies our work on Possible Worlds. Focusing not on design patterns for games themselves, but for the relationship between game play and instruction that might best respond to specific teaching and learning challenges. Pattern languages are intended to speak to the perspectives and needs of end users, and in our work we define the end user as the teacher. So starting from a premise not that teachers are bad and need to be replaced, but that some concepts are particularly difficult to teach and to learn. Want to then find instructional moves or sequences that speak to that challenge, and identify how games can act as an element in an instructional sequence. Privileging multi-modal, repeated exposure.
Not like reading a textbook (delivering content) Not like building a model (manipulatives, learn by doing) Not like running a simulation (representation) Not like doing a worksheet (rehearsal) Each of these has its own potential role in instruction
It is like block building. Key to analogical gameplay is in doing the core activity. Not having it explained or modeled. Experience that can then be organized and reflected on to build knowledge.
