The Value of Serious Games and Virtual Worlds

1. The Value of Serious Games and Virtual Worlds Serious Games Discussion SCOPE 4th – 24th April, 2007

2. Our Objectives for This Week • Share resources and our experiences with serious games and simulations. • Chart the landscape of serious games ranging from educational software, persuasive games and simulations to massive multi-player role playing games. • Explore the value of serious games and how we can use them more fully.

3. Framework for this Discussion • What is a Serious Game? • Look at Serious Game Examples • The Value of Serious Games

4. What is a Serious Game? • Serious games are interactive learning tools which have a persuasive or educational purpose. • In a simulation, we are immersed in the processes we wish to master and experience the consequences of our actions. • In a multi-player game, our acquired skills are tested against human opponents. • We are more likely to remember an experience when we are engaged and having fun.

5. Wikipedia Definition • Serious games (SGs) or persuasive games are computer and video games used as persuasion technology or educational technology. They can be similar to educational games, but are often intended for an audience outside of primary or secondary education. Serious games can be of any genre and many of them can be considered a kind of edutainment. • A serious game may be a simulation which has the look and feel of a game, but corresponds to non-game events or processes, including business operations and military operations. The games are intended to provide an engaging, self-reinforcing context in which to motivate and educate the players. Other purposes for such games include marketing and advertisement. The largest users of SGs are the US government and medical professionals.[citation needed] Other commercial sectors are actively pursuing development of these types of tools as well.

6. Edutainment v Serious Games • Different in experience and objectives • Edutainment makes learning fun without being competitive • Self paced learning encourages confidence • Edutainment allows learner to repeat, reinforce and review • Immediate rewards stimulates engagement and constancy

7. Simulations v Serious Games • Simulations are non-competitive • The purpose is to master a skill and understand how our actions affect a complex system. • Practice underwater welding • Master a medical procedure • Play an instrument in a virtual orchestra

8. Serious Game Examples • Have a new experience • americasarmy.com • Challenge our views • peacemakergame.com • Master complex systems • industryplayer.com • Teach us to think better • thinkingworlds.com

9. Have A New Experience americasarmy.com • You’re in the (virtual) Army now • In 2002 the U.S. Army released the video game America's Army as a free online download. • This first successful serious game to gain public awareness with more than 5 million registered users.

10. Challenge our Views peacemakergame.com • Become a political leader in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. • Try to win the Nobel Prize before your term ends. • Raises awareness of the political and social challenges in the middle east.

11. Master Complex Systems industryplayer.com • What is it like to be a capitalist? • Compete with other players as you build a global manufacturing business. • Respond to changing economic conditions, natural disasters and your own management practices.

12. Help Us Think Better thinkingworlds.com • Participants accomplish customized learning tasks that are made up of different embedded thinking behaviors. • Students focus on meta-cognitive outcomes - thinking about thinking, and applying thinking processes, knowledge and skills to solve new challenges

13. Our Investigatory Question • Rather than evaluating serious games on technical merit, think of the human value they provide. • Where is the uncharted terrain where serious games could be of tremendous value?

14. The Value of Serious Games • A pathway for learning • A tool to construct knowledge • A venue to refine our identity • A safe place to explore

15. A Pathway For Learning • Allows learner to create a unique mental model • Empowers through governance of game play • Enables a clear learning pathway • Internal versus external control • Provides a blended learning in a socialising environment through audio, visuals, avatar P2P

16. A Tool to Construct Knowledge • Challenge attitudes and assumptions • Identify blind spots and knowledge gaps • Build knowledge, decision making, contingency skills • Create excitement which anchors retention • Providing individual and organizational ROI

17. A Venue to Refine our Identity • Develop confidence, self-esteem and identity. • Especially true in role playing games, 3D, persistent multiverses where the player develops and projects an identity • Player may assume different character traits and experiences the results first hand. • Practice makes perfect.

18. A Safe Place To Explore • The more closely a game simulates the real world the more we engage and benefit from our virtual experience. • 3d technology provides improvements in engagement, interactivity and thinking skills.

19. Serious Games and Virtual Worlds . We welcome your questions and comments Tia Carr Williams Tia@amodus.org.uk Therese Weel Therese@datadesigns.ca