How People Learn Part 2: Alexander Pereira

I think that Alex has presented a very solid concept of blended learning theories. I firmly believe in the constructivist model, but also feel that we cannot ignore the connectivity that the digital age provides to most students. While there are areas of the world that do not have this access, or have limited access, I believe that the same concepts apply in the analog world. When we make connections, and build the network of expertise that we have access to, then we set ourselves up to have authentic learning experiences. Alex also makes the excellent point that digital resources enable students to build their own knowledge of solutions to real-world problems. The caveat, of course, is that we need to teach students to identify valid sources of information online, so that misconceptions are not reinforced by misinformation.

MarshalFlint 3D Mission Sploder Game

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How People Learn Part 2: Linda Boveda

Linda Boveda Learning Theory Mashup

This is a review of the learning theory mashup created by Linda Boveda. The theory will be reviewed in the context of John Bransford’s “How People Learn” (Bransford, Brown, & Cocking, 2000).

The infographic bring reviewed can be found here.

Overview: The theory presented combines elements of constructivism and connectedness to suggest that the social and experiential learning that takes place during gaming may lead to deeper connections and understanding of content.

Breaking down the theory, based on the key elements of Bransford’s theory:

1. Learner-centered: Boveda presents a theory in which the student drives learning through game play. According to Bransford, the instructor must take into account the student’s prior experience and knowledge, in order to avoid misconceptions related to the content. In the gaming model, the instructor may have little or no direct intervention on the student. Given this scenario, one would perhaps replace “the instructor” with “the game.” It would be important for the game designer to consider what previous knowledge players may bring into the game, and find ways to address these misconceptions in the course of the gameplay.

2. Knowledge-centered: Bransford’s theory highlights the need for clear goals in terms of the knowledge that will be gained during the learning, and giving students a clear path to follow. Again, in the context of gaming, this is often a fundamental element of game design. While open-ended games exist, most games are designed with a clear objective, even if the pathways to that objective are flexible. In this case, by allowing the student to create meaning through gameplay, and having a clear objective, Boveda’s theory meets the criteria of learning in Bransford’s theory.

3. Assessment-centered: Frequent formative assessments allow for self-reflection and gauging of progress by both students and instructors. Again, in the realm of gameplay, formative assessments take the form of repeated attempts to achieve a goal. When a student fails to reach an objective, they have the opportunity to assess the methods used, identify potential weaknesses in their skills, and either build those skills or attempt to reach the objective via another path.

4. Community-centered: This is closely related to the social aspect of gaming described in Boveda’s theory. When students game together, either in cooperative or parallel play, they have the opportunity to learn from one another, and the learning becomes community based. Players can share successes, failures, and seek or provide assistance with players of different skill sets.

Bransford, J. D., Brown, A. L., & Cocking, R. R. (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience and school.  Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press.

How People Learn: Part 1

Here is a link to my video discussion on the mashup learning theory Constructive Connectivity

Second Life: Embedded Agent

I chose to travel to another sci-fi role play sim (different from the BSG sim in the previous exercise).

This RP had a much wider scope in terms of its influence, compared to the BSG sim. The BSG RP was very specific to the world and canon of the reimagined series. This sim had influences primarily from the worlds of the series Firefly and the book/movie world of Dune. There were references to Spice and Sand worms (Dune) as well as Companions and Blue Sun (Firefly). However, there were also many items and areas that were not related to either of these two sci-fi worlds (for example, I was able to purchase an outfit from the animated series Starblazers).

I spent several hours exploring the sim, mostly alone. It was noted in the background and rules of the RP that most RP was conducted alone. I chose to take on the character of a researcher, which was a character type described in the rules of the RP), searching the desert of the planet for artifacts and information.

On only two occasions did I encounter other people in the RP.

On one occasion, I encountered a player who was in the character of a humanoid feline, watching the spaceships in the spaceport. I spoke with her briefly, in character. She spoke of discrimination and hatred that her character encountered in the RP, and I sympathized with her briefly before moving on.

The other encounter I had was much more the type of RP experience that I would expect in this type of world. I visited the Chapterhouse of an organization called the Sinisterhood of Valnor. In the Chapterhouse, I encountered two female characters, one of whom was Dr. A'dab, the second highest ranking member of the Chapterhouse. I had a lengthy discussion with these two, in character, about the purpose of the Sinisterhood, and the state of humanity. Dr. A'dab explained (in very vague terms) that the mission of the Sinisterhood was to help humanity. When I pressed for details on what type of help they offered, Dr. A'dab merely asked what type of help I needed. Given my limited experience in the RP, I chose not to pursue this much further, beyond general discussions of whether or not humanity deserved to be advanced, and what my purpose was for asking so many questions. I simply said that the help I needed was information, and that they had provided it. Given the sign posted outside of the Chapterhouse, and the fact that their "donation" box requests money in the form of "bribes," I surmised that the Sinisterhood (as the name suggests) are most likely in the business of illicit "help."

I enjoyed spending time in the RP. I would have liked to have been able to interact with more characters in the sim, but it seems to be sparsely populated. I was interested in the many different influences that seemed to play into the world, and the commerce of the planet. There were many locations and shipping berths that could be rented, and there were shops, housing, restaurants, offices, religious institutions, and hotels. Most of these were actively being rented, which suggests that many players do visit at least occasionally. There were also a number of other features that added to the immersion of the world. NPC creatures, sandstorms, and electrical fields were encountered in various locations throughout the sim.

I will continue to visit this and the other RP (BSG) periodically, to see what else I can learn. Any updates will be posted here.

Second Life: Role Play

I chose to explore a Role Play based on the reimagined series Battlestar Galactica, from 2004.

I filled out a brief application, expressing my interest and the type of role that I would like to play. I chose Engineering as a role, and picked a colony from the world of BSG (Scorpio) as my origin. I had to create a brief biography for my character (Flint Agathon).

 (Submitting My Application)

I was granted access to the RP and invited to join the BSG Group. I was told that I would be assigned to the Battlestar Thesis (the main ship in the RP). The Commanding Officer told me where to acquire the uniform and equipment that I would need.

(My BSG Duty Blues Uniform in the Shuttle Bay of the Battlestar Thesis)

I reviewed the RP rules and background of the story, which is a fan-created extension of the world of the series. I explored the Battlestar, found the shuttle bay and the Command Center (CIC).

(Sitting in the cockpit of a Raptor Gunship)

The next day, I logged in again, and this time, I encountered the Commanding Office, who informed me that my uniform was not correct for my role. He helped me acquire and configure the uniform that I would need and explained that there were a number of individual RP missions, as well as "Main Events" which would be communicated in group messages. The Commander explained the the majority of players in the RP were from Europe, the United States, and Australia. He spent a considerable amount of time helping me, and even mentioned that there were people in SL who offered introductory courses in RP for those who were new to the "game." 

A shorrt while later, I went back and investigated the Planet Djerba, which is athe site of some of the story in the RP. I did some exploring, and found a computer, which yielded some data that I was directed to "bring bak to the Ship."

 

(Retrieving hard drives from Cylon Lab on Djerba)

I am looking forward to getting involved with some of the larger group missions in this RP, and will update this blog as I get more interaction with the group.

Other Games: Abstract

Abstract Games

Games like Line Rider are in many ways a game design application disguised as a game. By starting with a literal clean slate, the player is allowed to create the world that they want to see. The only limitations are the physics of the world itself. This type of game is well suited to a science class, in which the teacher could set out a list of tasks that the line course must meet (i.e. 2 reversals of direction, 3 loops, and the ride must last at least 30 seconds), and then let the students experiment with different designs that would meet this criteria. During the design, there would be opportunities to discuss the physics and the variables that make the ride more effective, which could then be linked to the design of actual amusement park rides, like roller coasters or water slides, or the physics of events like bobsled.

The danger with this type of game is similar to the danger of handing a student a blank sheet of paper and telling them that they can write anything they want. The pressure of filling the blank page can be daunting. However, if a handful of introductory activities were conducted with the group, and then a series of larger challenges were provided (i.e. who can build the most extreme ride), this would create a structure within which the students could express their creativity.