Using games to enhance learning and Using games to enhance learning and teachingteaching

Dr Nicola WhittonDr Nicola Whitton

Education and Social Research Education and Social Research InstituteInstitute

Session OverviewSession Overview

Introduction (20 minutes)Introduction (20 minutes)What’s so great about games?What’s so great about games?Characteristics of gamesCharacteristics of gamesSome examplesSome examples

Activity (30 minutes)Activity (30 minutes)Applying game-based learning to your own Applying game-based learning to your own

situationssituations Conclusions (10 minutes)Conclusions (10 minutes)

What are the challenges?What are the challenges?QuestionsQuestions

What’s so great about games?What’s so great about games?

Our students are digital nativesOur students are digital natives

Students are motivated to play gamesStudents are motivated to play games

High-spec games make learning High-spec games make learning engagingengaging

Games can make anything fun so Games can make anything fun so students won’t even realise they’re students won’t even realise they’re learninglearning

None of this is trueNone of this is true

Our students are digital Our students are digital nativesnatives

So what So what dodo we know? we know?

Students don’t value the use of Students don’t value the use of technology for it’s own sake technology for it’s own sake

IPSOS MORI (2007) IPSOS MORI (2007) Student expectations studyStudent expectations study. Bristol: JISC. . Bristol: JISC.

Apparent ease with technology but Apparent ease with technology but lack of critical and analytic skillslack of critical and analytic skills

Traits associated with young people Traits associated with young people actually exhibited by whole populationactually exhibited by whole population

CIBER (2008) CIBER (2008) Information behaviour of the researcher of the futureInformation behaviour of the researcher of the future. . Bristol: JISC.Bristol: JISC.

““a considered and rigorous investigation a considered and rigorous investigation that includes the perspectives of that includes the perspectives of young people and their teachers, and young people and their teachers, and genuinely seeks to understand the genuinely seeks to understand the situation before proclaiming the need situation before proclaiming the need for widespread change “for widespread change “

Bennett, S., Maton, K. & Kervin, L. (2008) The ‘digital natives’ Bennett, S., Maton, K. & Kervin, L. (2008) The ‘digital natives’ debate: A critical debate: A critical review of the evidence. review of the evidence. British Journal of Educational British Journal of Educational

TechnologyTechnology, 39/5, 775-786., 39/5, 775-786.

Students are motivated to play Students are motivated to play gamesgames

Motivated 63%

Neither 28%

Demotivated 9%

So we can’t assume games are So we can’t assume games are motivational…motivational…

… … why use them?why use them?

High-spec games make learning High-spec games make learning engagingengaging

Games can make anything fun so Games can make anything fun so students won’t even realise they’re students won’t even realise they’re

learninglearning

What’s so great about games?What’s so great about games?

Our students are increasingly diverseOur students are increasingly diverse

Games are active learning Games are active learning environmentsenvironments

Games can use many technologiesGames can use many technologies

Games are another tool in the toolkitGames are another tool in the toolkit

Characteristics of gamesCharacteristics of games

Clear, achievable goals, rules, Clear, achievable goals, rules, measurable outcomes and rewardsmeasurable outcomes and rewards

Appropriate challenge, gradually Appropriate challenge, gradually increasing difficultyincreasing difficulty

Interaction and feedbackInteraction and feedbackA safe environment to explore and in A safe environment to explore and in

which to make mistakeswhich to make mistakesCollaboration and/or competitionCollaboration and/or competitionA narrative or fantasy settingA narrative or fantasy setting

Some examples…Some examples…

© Innovative Learning Solutions Inc.

ARGOSI Project, MMU and UoB

Elisabeth Yaneske, University of Teeside

© ImpactGames www.peacemaker.com

ActivityActivity

In pairs… think about an example In pairs… think about an example where game-based learning could be where game-based learning could be applied to your own teaching (10 mins).applied to your own teaching (10 mins).What is the pedagogic benefit?What is the pedagogic benefit?How might you implement it?How might you implement it?

People? Organisation? Environment? People? Organisation? Environment? Technology?Technology?

What questions do you have?What questions do you have?Be prepared to feed back your ideas Be prepared to feed back your ideas

(20 mins) (20 mins)

Challenges of game-based learningChallenges of game-based learning

Appropriateness for learningAppropriateness for learning

Finding the right gameFinding the right game

Ensuring engagement and motivationEnsuring engagement and motivation

More research evidence and robust More research evidence and robust studiesstudies

Questions?Questions?

Thank youThank you

n.whitton@mmu.ac.ukn.whitton@mmu.ac.ukplaythinklearn.netplaythinklearn.net