| 1 |
Introduction and Overview of the Course
Game Brainstorming and Categorization: Initial Game Definition
Participatory Simulations Introduction - Live Long and Prosper
Game Exercise: Responses |
Gee, J. What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003. ISBN: 1403961697. |
| 2 |
What is a Simulation? What is a Game?
Activity - Finding happiness on a checkerboard:
What defines a game? a simulation? a model?
What makes a game educational?
The Modding Revolution |
Schelling, T. Micromotives and Macrobehaviors. New York, NY: Norton, 1978. ISBN: 0393057011.
Rieber - Seriously considering play: Designing interactive learning environments based on the blending of microworlds, simulations, and games |
| 3 |
Exploring "Educational" Simulation and Games
Introduction to Edutainment Simulations:
Civilization® III
SimCityTM 4
Roller Coaster Tycoon® 3
Rise of Nations®
Chemicus/Physicus
ZoombinisTM
Poster Presentation |
Dargahi, N., and Michael Bremer. SimCity 2000: Power, Politics and Planning. Roseville, MN: Prima Games, 1995. ISBN: 0761500758.
Squire - Civilization® III as a World History Sandbox
Squire - Replaying History |
| 4 |
Edutainment in the Classroom
Mayor for a Day - SimCityTM
SimCityTM in the Classroom Links:
Urban Planning
Almost the Real World
What Do Game Designers Know about Scaffolding (PDF)
Uses and Subversions of SimCityTM (PDF)
SimCity™ 3000 Teaching Guide
What do you learn through these environments?
How can curriculum determine the learning experience?
See Pictures of Q&A from Class |
Gee, J. What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003. ISBN: 1403961697.
Bush's Science Advisor, Senator Clash Over Computer Models
What Are Video Games Turning Us Into?
The 50 Most Important Video Games Ever |
| 5 |
Video Games - Board Games
Edutainment Wrap-up and Gee Readings Discussion. (Please read Gee book and Squire papers.)
Intro to Board Games Activity (see description weeks 6-8)
Study on Transfer (PDF)
Zoombinis™ Study: Brainstorming Educational Board Game |
Introduction and first steps to Board Game Design |
| 6 |
Designing and Developing Games to Teach (and Participatory Simulations)
Activity - Designing a board game:
What are the issues in designing an educational game?
How do we solve these issues?
Network Participatory Simulation
Participatory Simulations - Understanding Systems from the Inside |
Learning through Participatory Simulations |
| 7 |
Designing and Developing Games to Teach
Critique and Feedback on Initial Board Game Ideas
Special Guest - Steffen Walz |
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| 8-9 |
Designing and Developing Games to Teach - Presentations
Board Game Preparation and Testing
Readings Discussion
Board Game Presentations - 20 minutes of playable Game |
Rieber, et. al. - The Value of Serious Play
Papert - Does Easy Do It
Stoll, C. "Makes Learning Fun." In High-Tech Heretic: Reflections of a Computer Contrarian. Garden City, NY: Anchor Press, 2000. ISBN: 0385489765. |
| 10-11 |
Simulation and Game Design - Adventures in Modeling
What is a simulation?
Overview of Simulation Environments:
Agent Based (StarLogo, AgentSheets, Stagecast) vs. Aggregate (Stella, Vensim, ModelBuilder)
Programming vs. Equations vs. Visual
General Purpose vs. Specific Domain
Adventures in Modeling - Exploring Complex Dynamic Systems with StarLogo:
The next three weeks will be dedicated to developing simulations or games with StarLogo TNG, a brand new simulation environment under development.
Activities and Participatory Simulations
Evaluating Models: Good Models and Bad Models - What defines a "good model?"
Idea Models - How much detail/reality need to go into a model? |
Adventures in Modeling
Epstein, J., and Robert Axtell. Growing Artificial Societies. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1996. ISBN: 0262550253.
Schmucker, Kurt. "A Taxonomy of Simulation Software: A work in progress." Learning Technology Review, Spring 1999, pp. 40-75.
The Seductions of Sim
Pianos not Stereos
Rieber and Matzko - Serious Design for Serious Play
How to Write a White Paper
The Art of the White Paper (PDF)
The White Paper Company |
| 12 |
Simulation Design - Adventures in Modeling
Begin Final Models
Introduction to Instructional Design |
Learning Theory in Practice - Learner Centered Design
Evaluation Methods and Procedures for Studying Learner's Use of Media |
| 13 |
Educational Research - How do people learn from simulations?
Introduction to Educational Research
Muzzylane |
Gall, et al. Educational Research - An Introduction. 7th ed. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon, 2002. ISBN: 0321081897. |
| 14 |
Final Project Presentations |
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