This slide deck accompanied a talk I gave a Games for Health 2011: Mobile Serious Games day. IT covers CCT's research and development of Nintendo DS games for middle school science and literacy learning.

1. Games For Health: Mobile Serious Games
Thursday, June 9, 2011

2. Games For Health: Mobile Serious Games
Little Big Planet World of Goo Algebra Touch
Katamari RoboGEN
What I’m Playing
Thursday, June 9, 2011

3. Two Research and Development Efforts
US Department of Bill and Melinda Gates
Education IES Foundation
Thursday, June 9, 2011

4. Two Instructional Challenges
Possible Worlds Portable Word Play
Dislodging misconceptions in Improving Comprehension
science for Struggling Readers
Middle Grades 6 - 8
Thursday, June 9, 2011

5. Different Play Opportunities
Possible Worlds Portable Word Play
Enacting Visualizations Playing with Language
Thursday, June 9, 2011

6. Instructional Approach
• What aspects of the domain are most difficult for
students to grasp?
• How is the subject taught?
• What misconceptions or learning challenges do
students bring to instruction?
• How can we design a game and supporting
materials to support teachers’ efforts?
Thursday, June 9, 2011

7. Instructional Approach
As game players, different children bring
specific perspectives to their
engagement with a game.
As gamers, adolescents may have certain
kinds of media and game knowledge,
but they are not “naturals” or “natives.”
As learners, early adolescents are
working through developmental
transitions that must be accommodated.
Thursday, June 9, 2011

8. Instructional Approach
As learners, adolescents have widely
varying strengths and weaknesses
(including literacy levels and
motivation).
As learners, adolescents are working in
specific and highly constrained
environments.
As learners, adolescent’s experiences
are being mediated by other
adolescents and adults.
Thursday, June 9, 2011

9. Why Mobile Game Platforms?
• Flexible
• Low Cost
• Installed Base (at home!)
Thursday, June 9, 2011

10. Thursday, June 9, 2011

11. Why Mobile Game Platforms?
• Flexible
• Low Cost
• Installed Base
(at home!)
Thursday, June 9, 2011

12. Instructional Models
• Single Player • Multi player / Team Play
• Out of class time • Class time / Whole class
• Homework • Out of class / Small groups
In Class, Teacher Based Bridging
and Extension Activities
Thursday, June 9, 2011

13. Thursday, June 9, 2011

14. Cipher Force
Thursday, June 9, 2011

15. Thursday, June 9, 2011

16. Cipher Force
Alien invaders have subjugated much of the
world’s population. A group of freedom
fighters organizes a resistance movement. But
they’re unable to keep their operations secret
because the aliens easily decipher their codes.
Thursday, June 9, 2011

17. Cipher Force
Code Masters: Creating the Code
Each player gets a word and chooses
three images that he or she thinks will
best communicate its meaning to the
other players.
Thursday, June 9, 2011

18. Cipher Force
Code Masters: Creating the Code
Players chooses from a library of 65 images.
They can also annotate images and make
simple drawings.
Thursday, June 9, 2011

19. Cipher Force
Solvers: Deciphering the Code
At the hardest level, the team has nine
possibilities to choose from—three words
with three definitions each.
Thursday, June 9, 2011

20. Cipher Force
Solvers: Deciphering the Code
The team must agree on which word and
definition the Code Master was trying to convey...
Thursday, June 9, 2011

21. Cipher Force
Solvers: Deciphering the Code
...they discuss and debate each option
before reaching a group decision.
Thursday, June 9, 2011

22. Cipher Force
Thursday, June 9, 2011

23. Next Steps: DS Platform
3D
Augmented Reality
StreetPass
Thursday, June 9, 2011

24. Next Steps: Accessible Worlds
Thursday, June 9, 2011

25. More Information
posibleworlds.edc.org portablewordplay.edc.org
cct.edc.org
Thursday, June 9, 2011