LTS’s advocate for games and learning

1. LTS’s advocate for games and learning Derek P Robertson New Technologies for Learning d.robertson@ltscotland.org.uk

2. The Consolarium • Scottish Centre of Excellence for Games in Education: • Comprehensive range of commercial consoles and games • PS2, PSP, Xbox360, DS, Wii, • PC/Mac based games • Interactive whiteboard • Wi-fi access

3. What it aims to do • Promote games and learning • LTS web presence • Provide a centre that teachers and educational managers can visit • Develop a community of interested partners • educational, academic & industry • Nurture, support and celebrate effective and innovative practice with games • Embed games and learning in ACfE

4. Why the investment? • LTS has positioned itself as: • a developmental organisation • a progressive, innovative and future looking organisation • an organisation that will influence & inform the changing educational landscape • We aim to capture the games and learning agenda in Scotland

5. My own teaching experience Growing body of professional practice: Range of games/teaching blogs Conferences Wider reading Marc Prensky James Paul Gee Steven Johnson Academic Research Futurelab BECTA ELSPA Why computer games?

6. Enhanced learning? • Powerful motivational context • Enhanced learning through games • Science model • Problem solving • Knowledge about other curricular areas • Metacognitive development • Collaborative contexts • Affective domain • Cultural resonance

7. Why games engage us? Games are a form of fun. That gives us enjoyment and pleasure. Games have representation and story. That gives us emotion. Games have conflict/challenge/opposition. That gives us adrenaline. Games have rules. That gives us structure. Games have outcomes and feedback. That gives us learning. Games are adaptive. That gives us flow. Games have problem solving. That sparks our creativity. Games are interactive. That gives us doing. Games have goals. That gives us motivation. Games have interaction. That gives us social groups. Games have win states. That gives us ego gratification. Games are a form of play. That gives us intense and passionate involvement.

8. Guess who? Don’t have any other hobbies Don’t talk to others Don’t talk to families Hurts their eyes Don’t get fresh air Get unfit Nothing to talk about Atkins (2003) More Than a Game

9. Issues of concern… • Lack of time to familiarise themselves with games; • Generally not part of teachers cultural framework • How to identify relevance of game to a particular curriculum component • How can learning with games be measured? • Amount of irrelevant content in game • Concern about inappropriate content • Lack of support materials: lesson plans etc. • Hardware/software conflicts • Cost ELSPA(2006) Unlimited Learning

10. Some examples • Games as narrative • Tim Rylands • Games provide cognitive challenge • Doctor Kawashima, Big Brain Academy • Games for active learning • Dance Mats, Eye Toy, Guitar Hero • Curricular learning through games • Darfur is Dying,Election Simulator • Learners as game designers • Neverwinter Nights, • Associated Learning • Crazy Talk

11. Moving forward… • What is already happening? • Staff development opportunities • Case studies • Add Knowledge • Professor Kawashima • Narrative driven contexts • Exertainment in early years, ASN context • Games league • Games design projects • Avatar design • Interested parties please contact me

12. Thank you d.robertson@ltscotland.org.uk Work: 01382 443617 Mobile: 0781 121 3952