What if science fiction were a reality? What if the way we interact in games were the way we interacted in real life? Soon, these things will be a reality and they'll impact learning! It's going to be exciting!
4. I am a geek.
If the previous slides didn’t clue you in, I’m a geek. I wear it like a badge of honor. There are
a few things I believe about geeks...
6. ...and I’d like to submit that, yes, “geek” is the new sexy. Don’t believe me?
7.
8. My “Teacher Glasses”
No, I don’t wear them in public!
So, what do I “geek out” about? Well, there are several things, actually, but a few things close
to the top of the list are video games, science fiction, and yes, learning! In fact, this whole
presentation is about these three things colliding.
One thing that’s very challenging for me is to turn off my “educator switch.” There have been
several instances where while watching a movie or playing a game I’ve had these bizarre,
“Oooh... if I could use THAT in the classroom...” epiphanies. I often encourage educators to
think about the world around them in that mindset. I call it putting on your teacher lenses.
9. OMG!
Being my geek self, doing my geek things... Looking at life through my teacher glasses has
given me some real OMG moments. And, I want to share a few of my recent ones with you.
11. Children recruited in a war on an alien race and trained
using games.
The basic premise of the book is that earth is at war with a insect-like alien race. In this
fight, children have been recruited because of their unique, untainted perspectives and
creative approaches. Games are used as the primary training.
12. But, we’re already using games for learning!
Yes, but, there are some clear distinctions...
13. Teachers are primarily designing
the experiences and spaces for
their learners. The learning is
directly related to the game
experience.
The games foster experimentation,
exploration, and innovation.
http://www.nerdist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Enders-Game-Poster1.jpg
14. Math vs. Zombies?
http://carnivaltutoring.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/math-v-zombies.jpg
So many of today’s games, though entertaining, fun, and perhaps even effective, create
environments in which game play is a reward for doing something academic. Do some math,
kill some zombies. Now, is it just me, or is there something awry, here? What does math
have to do with zombies? Where’s the meaningful context?
20. If social studies is more your thing, games like Civilization 5 allow us a historical sandbox to
experiment with a variety of concepts.
21. And of course, the SIM City series allows future city planners to test ideas like zoning,
taxation, and dealing with constituents in their own virtual metropolis.
23. Tony Stark has the
information he needs when
he needs it. Instant
feedback! (Games do this!)
“Jarvis” is also location-aware.
Mesh of just-in-time information
with real space. What if a learning
game did this?
http://images5.fanpop.com/image/photos/31700000/iron-man-iron-man-3-31757925-1440-900.jpg
Game players are accustomed to this sort of feedback. In fact, we expect it. That’s one of
the things that makes traditional industrial-age models of learning so challenging for us. I
know I can Google what you’re telling me to write down from an overhead projector.
Likewise, the information is increasingly tied to geo-location, so that where I am is factored
into what I want to know.
32. Imagine A Field Trip With This!?!
http://langwitches.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/fieldtrip.jpg
Can you imagine a tool like this on field trips or creating a similar game at your school?
36. The way we interact with
information is changing! http://www.bitrebels.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Kinect-Minority-Report-UI-2.jpg
You may have seen clips of Tom Cruise, a law enforcement officer, interacting with data using
gesture-based technology in three-dimensional space. It was more natural interaction
between technology and the user.
39. Classrooms need more physical interactions!!
http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x103/mrs_hill_ecms/2011-2012%20Classroom/2011SideofRoom1.jpg
40. “Although many
educators know about
the connection between
learning and movement,
nearly as many dismiss the
connection once children
get beyond 1st or 2nd
grade.Yet the relationship
between movement and
learning is so strong that
it pervades all of life...”
-Eric Jensen
https://cdn.media34.whipplehill.net/ftpimages/123/push/21505/eric%20Jensen%20(1).JPG
41. Brain Rules - John Medina
http://zze.st/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/John-Medina-Webcast.jpg
42. “If you wanted to create an education environment that
was directly opposed to what the brain was good at doing,
you probably would design something like a classroom. If
you wanted to create a business environment that was
directly opposed to what the brain was good at doing, you
probably would design something like a cubicle.And if you
wanted to change things, you might have to tear down both
and start over.”
― John Medina, Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and
Thriving at Work, Home, and School
43. Games To The
Rescue!
Here’s a place where the technology predicted by science fiction, is becoming a reality, and
the games that use the technology are meeting a need in creative ways.
44. Our current generation of consoles already have motion-tracking and -sensing peripherals
that make game play both fun AND active. And, we can leverage these in the classroom!!
Let’s look at some examples...
45. Some titles are already available that specifically tap into kinesthetic learning.
55. This is the StarTrek holodeck.
http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120425001849/memoryalpha/en/images/e/eb/Riker_Jungle_Holodeck_2364.jpg
Now, if you aren’t familiar with the concept, the Holodeck was a virtual reality simulation
room on the Starship Enterprise in Star Trek: The Next Generation.
56. http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/images/MarkBoydell/ancientegyptians1.jpg
“The day before, we visited the same spot in 1334 BC and
had seen Tutankhamen’s empire in all its glory.”
The main character, Wade, describes his experience in Social Studies in which his teacher
took the entire class to the moment in history in which Tut’s tomb was unearthed in the early
1900’s. Can you imagine taking your learners to see history in a simulation like that? One in
which they could walk, explore, even interact with people?
58. “In my next class, Biology. we traveled through the human
heart and watched it pumping blood from the inside, just
like in that old movie FantasticVoyage.”
http://convergence.ucsb.edu/files/issues/convergence-14/voyage.jpg
In Biology class, Wade had another field trip... Now, as a Biology teacher, I would have loved
to have had this kind of technology at my disposal. There’s so much in cellular biology that
students simply have to take on faith. I can’t show them real DNA or mitochondria, only
images or something that looks like snot in a lab experiment. But, what if I could take them
into a cell? What if they could touch it?
59. It’s coming sooner than you think...
Here’s what really gets me excited.... We are on the verge of this possibility today!
60. This is the Oculus Rift. It’s a project funded by a Kickstarter, that’s going into wide
production, likely within a year. As a gamer, this really gets me excited. This will let me
actually be inside the game! It has a 110 degree field of view, separate images for each eye
producing a 3D effect, and fluid head tracking. Developer kits are already out and existing
games are being modified for support and new games are coming... Watch this lady’s
reaction...
61.
62. What if?
One of my favorite questions! What if you had access to this technology for your learners?
What if you could take your kids to ancient Egypt? What if the Egyptian avatars were actually
controlled by other players? What if what started as a field trip erupted into a murder
mystery to find out what or who killed King Tut?