TRENDS AND ISSUES

IN INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN
AND TECHNOLOGY

Gaming and learning

Martha Rice
ITED 501—Instructional Technology Foundations
Texas A&M Texarkana
Serious Gaming…

 includes educational video games,

simulations, and virtual worlds
 presents real world problems
 is NOT simply drills or questions to answer
 keeps with theories of Constructivism
 creates intensive learning opportunities
 bases learning on sound pedagogy
 Games help students learn to…
• link abstractions with concrete learning
• make mental models
• work together
• make decisions and accept consequences
• study smarter
• strategize
• solve problems
• think critically
• recognize patterns and visual cues
Virtual Worlds and Simulations:
 Expansive interactive environments and
complex resources allow learners to make and
test hypotheses.
 Simplified microcosm teaches learners about
more complex real world.
 Learners can experience working as an expert
in the field.
 Learners can experiment, especially with
what would be prohibitively expensive or
dangerous in real life.
 Not widely used in k-12 education yet.
Creating Motivation
 Digital natives like video games.
 Learning occurs in places where learners feel safe and
able to take risks.
 Serious games are engaging and interesting.
 Learners earn rewards for learning.
 Problems are hard enough to challenge, but easy enough
to conquer.
 Players begin to feel ownership of their learning through
the game.
 Video games teach complex skills through scaffolding
process.
 Students can collaborate to solve challenges.
Personalized learning

 Serious games can inspire learners when

traditional classroom instruction fails.
 Games can be adapted to appropriate skill and
mastery levels; most games adapt themselves
according to player inputs.
 Games reward players for what they do right,
recognizing players’ strengths.
 Games use multiple senses, learning methods.
 Games are nonlinear so students can move from
one skill area to another, avoiding frustration.
Risks and rewards
 Video game players expect to fail before they
can succeed in mastering a task.
 Serious games provide positive experiences
in failure, in contrast to negative feelings that
come with failure in traditional face-to-face
education.
 Because failure is acceptable in serious
gaming, serious gaming creates a risk-free
environment for students, and creates a
stronger learning experience.
Reflection and Feedback
 Video games provide learners with instant
feedback about their decisions and actions.
 Serious games allow learners time to stop
and think about problems.
 Serious games that build in reflection after
the task are actually more effective than
teacher-led feedback.
 Serious games encourage learners to think
about what they think they know.
Proven results:
 Military simulations: real expertise and
fewer mistakes in reality
 K-12 education: better standardized scores
 Higher retention of active learning
 Health care simulations: quality
professional development
 Business: high-level training that can be
accessed anywhere, anytime
Suggestions for k-12
 Teachers should use serious gaming to tap into
digital learners’ natural interests, not dwell on 19th
century learning methodology.
 Serious gaming is worth the time investment, and
is not counter-productive to assessment goals.
 Continued use of serious gaming across curricula
helps standardize terminology and educational
experience and measuring students’ growth.
 Curriculum modules should be created for use
with popular consumer games.
 Resources
An, Y.J., & Bonk, C.J. (2009, May/June). Finding that SPECIAL PLACE: designing digital game-based learning environments. Tech Trends, 53(3)
Driscoll, M.P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction. Boston: Pearson.
Federation of American Scientists. (2006). Summit on educational games: harnessing the power of video games for learning. Retrieved from
http://www.fas.org/gamesummit/Resources/Summit%20on%20Educational%20Games.pdf
Kelly, H. (2005). Games, cookies, and the future of education. Issues in Science and Technology, Retrieved from
http://www.fas.org/gamesummit/Resources/issues in SnT henry kelly.pdf
Kelton, A.J. (2008, September/October). Virtual Worlds? "Outlook Good". Educause, 43(5), Retrieved from www.educause.edu
Lamb, A., & Johnson, L. (2010). Beyond Googling: Applying Google Tools to Inquiry-based Learning. Teacher Librarian, 37(4), 83. Retrieved
from MasterFILE Premier database. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=f5h&AN=50300803&site=ehost-live
Mansour, S., & El-Said, M. (2009). Multi-Players Role- Playing Educational Serious Games: A Link between Fun and Learning. International
Journal of Learning, 15(11), 229-239. Retrieved from Education Research Complete database.
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=40825465&site=ehost-live
Osterweil, S., Austin, A.C., Drzaic, K., & Roy, D. (2006). Unifying education and game in educational games. Comparitive Media Studies,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA. Retrieved from
http://labyrinth.thinkport.org/www/library/papers/mit_june2006.pdf
Reese, D. (2007). First Steps and beyond: Serious Games as Preparation for Future Learning. Journal of Educational Multimedia and
Hypermedia, 16(3), 283-300. Retrieved from ERIC database.
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ776071&site=ehost-live
A review of recent games and simulation research. (2006). The Center For Technology In Education, Johns Hopkins, Columbia, MD. Retrieved
from http://labyrinth.thinkport.org/www/library/papers/cte_november2006.pdf
Schollmeyer, J. (2006). Games get serious. Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, 62(4), 34-39. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete
database. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=21722477&site=ehost-live
Squire, K. (2008). Video Game-Based Learning: An Emerging Paradigm for Instruction. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 21(2), 7-36.
Retrieved from ERIC database. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ823843&site=ehost-live
Ulicsak, M., & Wright, M. (2010). Games in education: serious games. Bristol, Futurelab. Retrieved from http://www.futurelab.org.uk