Development Project – OceanQuest

I have not been posting on G&L for some time now and this is because I have been working on a research and development project. OceanQuest is a mini piece of game-based learning focused on creating engaging learning from relatively dry learning content. OceanQuest targets bearings in Key Stage 3 Mathematics, Ma3 (shape, space and measures). The game includes three different missions with varied tasks involving target practice, navigating between objects, giving bearings of objects, clearing sea mines and delivering supplies to islands. Below are screenshots of the missions:

I have compiled a 2 page teachers’ information pdf which contains more detail on learning objectives and the game itself. If you would like a copy please contact me. The game is password protected so please email me or comment on this post if you would like to play the game. The only requirement for the game is Flash Player 9. I have finished the first stage of development and am looking for constructive feedback or evaluations from people who work in related industries. If you are a teacher/other educator/developer or have experience with elearning and game-based learning, any feedback on the game will be very much appreciated. Educators, feel free to have students (KS3) play the game as feedback from the target audience will be extremely beneficial to the project.

I have had only positive feedback so far with people commenting on how fun and engaging it is and also on the potential they see in using the game with their students.

My email address: alex@gamingandlearning.co.uk

Are Schools Inhibiting 21st Century Learning?

Dave Nagel on Project Tomorrow Speak Up survey findings:

“Teachers were apparently even more enthusiastic about gaming, as 65 percent indicated that they thought educational gaming would be an effective tool for students with different learning styles and would help engage students in coursework. More than half said they’d like to learn more about educational gaming, and some 46 percent said they would “like to receive specific professional development on how to effectively integrate gaming technologies into curriculum,” according to the survey.”

Author: Dave Nagel, T.H.E. Journal, 19th April 2008

Full article available here.

See also Project Tomorrow website.

Daniel Livingstone on Digital Natives

Daniel Livingstone discusses Prensky’s Digital Natives and refers to recent figures of game playing. He also refers to an eSchool News article on Project Tomorrow’s Speak Up Survey, which is ‘the largest annual survey addressing the attitudes and opinions of K-12 students, teachers, parents, and school administrators toward the use of technology in education’. Worth a look.

“I’m starting to think that more of Prensky’s ideas about digital natives are becoming reality, albeit not for the generation he originally identified. While often technologically naive, game playing (and social virtual worlds) are perhaps now so commonplace amongst younger age groups (say six to 16) in the UK that the term ‘gamer’ is likely to become somewhat obsolete – or restricted to those who play the ‘hardcore’ games while other induldge in more casual gameplay.”

Author: Daniel Livingstone, Learning Games Blog, 14th April 2008

See full article here.

More Events Posted By FutureLab – b.TWEEN & mLearn 2008

b.TWEEN

18-20 June 2008
Museum of Science & Industry, Manchester

“b.TWEEN08 features a huge host of industry experts from advertising, creative technology, film, games, mobile, TV and web. Nowhere else will you find such a diverse mix of ideas-rich indies and ideas-hungry big industry players meeting on a level playing field to explore and exploit the creative and commercial potential of digital technologies.”

www.just-b.com/btween

See post here.

mLearn 2008

7-10 October 2008
Ironbridge, Shropshire

“mLearn was the first conference on mobile learning and is widely recognised as one of the most prestigious international conferences in the field. The aims of the conference are to bring together the world’s leading mobile learning researchers, developers and activists in an environment that will stimulate dramatically increased deployment of mobile learning and catalyse dramatically enhanced innovation.”

www.mlearn2008.org

See post here.

FutureLab – Learners are key to solving inequality in education

A new handbook from Futurelab shows how learners can play a key role in the design of educational technology, and so help tackle growing inequalities in education. Funded by CfBT Education Trust and launched today by Baroness Estelle Morris, ‘Designing Educational Technologies for Social Justice’ explores the role that digital technologies can play in reducing inequality in education and offers guidance on designing educational resources that benefit disadvantaged learners.

A key message from the handbook to developers, teachers and other education practitioners such as community groups is that, in order to design educational technology and projects to reduce inequality, you have to involve those using it throughout the design process. A tokenistic gesture – user testing an idea once development is under way or complete – will not suffice. Designers are also urged to avoid simply reusing technologies and projects that have worked in the past – what works in one place and with one group of people may not work well in a new environment.

Author: FutureLab, 2nd April 2008

Full article available here.

Becta publishes Emerging technologies for learning volume 3 (2008)

The ‘Emerging technologies for learning’ series aims to help readers consider how emerging technologies may impact on education and learners in the medium term. The publications are not intended to be a comprehensive review of educational technologies, but offer some highlights across the broad spectrum of developments and trends. It should open readers up to some of the possibilities that are developing and the potential for technology to transform our ways of working, learning and interacting over the next three to five years. This is available on the web.
Copies can be downloaded from

http://www.becta.org.uk/research/reports/emergingtechnologies

Author: Andy Black, Flux Blog, 3rd April 2008

Full article available here.

Digital Inclusion at Futurelab Research Day

The Futurelab Research Day was hard work, and all the better for it. The sessions shared experiences of projects, discussion papers and research reviews, and posed difficult questions to an audience more than prepared to offer their perspectives from a wide range of different communities. The day was thought-provoking, and I went away with ideas, not only about the topics addressed, but also about what we might need to do to prepare ourselves adequately for the tasks of planning for the future of education. I was reminded of Ted Wragg’s call for ‘intelligent action’.

Author: Avril Loveless, Flux Blog, 30th March 2008

Full article available here.

MMORPGs in Schools: The Shift Ahead

One of my dissertation committee members asked that I address in Chapter 5 the paradigm shift necessary to implement MMORPGs in schools. I’ve chosen to include this in the concluding statement. I’ve just now finished a complete draft of the dissertation and finished composing the concluding statement. I plan to send it off to my committee soon, but I’m also dying to know what some of you might think. I’d appreciate any feedback you can offer on this concluding statement:
Shaffer, Squire, and Gee (2003) wrote that “videogames have the potential to change the landscape of education as we know it” (p. 111). They urged that games be designed with “sound theories of learning and socially conscious educational practices” (p. 111). However, they also noted that the theories of learning embedded in videogames as a medium run counter to the presiding theories of learning in schools. Squire and Gee (2003) explained that games may be viewed as suspect in an era when the value of instruction is measured by standardized tests (p. 30).

Author: Mark Wagner, Educational Technology and Life Blog, 30th March 2008

Full article available here.

Byron Report – Version for kids

The report has been fairly well received by the media and the industry overall – if not welcomed in its entirety. What I found most interesting though was that the review comes not just in two the usual summary and full report versions, but a third version for children to read themselves is also available.

Author: Daniel Livingstone, Learning Games Blog, 26th March 2008

Full article available here.

I KNOW WHO YOU ARE! AND WHERE YOU LIVE! – Byron Report

The Byron Review report was published today. I’ll let others express their opinions about new age ratings for video games and increased controls over children’s access to the internet. In fact, first glance, it all seems sensible, good stuff.
But.

Has anyone else seen the front cover of the report yet?

At first, what seem to be cute children’s drawings suddenly reveal themselves to be images straight out of Japanese horror.

Author: Ben Williamson, Flux Blog, 27th March 2008

Full article available here.