educational games / serious games

Interesting set of ID-related courses from the University of Central Florida

On 06/14/2011, in 21st century, career development, corporate universities / corporate training, educational games / serious games, instructional design, simulations, training / L&D, transmedia, workplace, by Daniel Christian

Instructional Design for Simulations — from the University of Central Florida

Training and educational programs are now incorporating stand-alone and PC-based simulations and instructional (video) games to enhance human performance. The result has been a growing demand for simulation, game-based training, and instructional systems in corporate, government, and education sectors. The Graduate Certificate in Instructional Design for Simulations takes an interdisciplinary approach to prepare educators, instructional designers, human resource personnel, and training specialists in corporate, industry, and educational settings. Students will acquire the skills to successfully work with engineers, graphic artists, computer programmers, and game developers to design training and instructional systems, focusing on the pedagogical aspects of stand-alone and PC-based desktop training and educational simulations and games. To learn more, visit the Instructional Technology website at: http://education.ucf.edu/insttech.

Required Courses: 15 Total Credit Hours
Courses are available both in Web-based and mixed mode (reduced seat time) formats. This program may be completed entirely online.

EME 6613 Instructional System Design
EME 6601 Instructional Simulation Design for Training and Education
EME 6614 Instructional Game Design for Training and Education
IDS5717C Introduction to Modeling and Simulation
DIG 6432 Transmedia Story Creation

For information contact:
Atsusi Hirumi, Ph.D., Associate Professor
College of Education…

Tagged with: 21st century • career development • corporate training / universities • games • instructional design • L&D • simulations • training • transmedia • workplace

Apple’s new video regarding their iOS 5 operating system

From DSC:
I have it that these technologies will be used for educationally-related purposes/materials as well; including digital storytelling, transmedia storytelling, transmedia-based interactive/participative educational materials and more.

Tagged with: 21st century • A/V • Apple • computer science • creativity • digital learning • digital storytelling • educational gaming • educational technology • engagement • future • games • human-computer interaction (HCI) • innovation • iPad • Mobile learning • mobile technology • multi-touch • multimedia • participation • platforms • programming • transmedia • TV

Augmented reality on the ipad2: Top 5 uses and apps [hiddenltd.com]

On 05/13/2011, in Augmented Reality (AR), educational games / serious games, emerging technologies, immersion, by Daniel Christian

Augmented reality on the ipad2: Top 5 uses and apps — from hiddenltd.com

1. Connecting Online and Offline Retail.

2. Rich Media Advertising – Everywhere.

3. Bridging the gap between print and online

4. Immersive gaming

5. Navigation & Tourism

Tagged with: augmented reality • emerging technologies • games • immersion

John Hunter on the World Peace Game — TED March 2011 — my thanks to Mr. Joseph and Mrs. Kate Byerwalter for this great presentation

About this talk
John Hunter puts all the problems of the world on a 4’x5′ plywood board — and lets his 4th-graders solve them. At TED2011, he explains how his World Peace Game engages schoolkids, and why the complex lessons it teaches — spontaneous, and always surprising — go further than classroom lectures can.

About John Hunter
Teacher and musician John Hunter is the inventor of the World Peace Game (and the star of the new doc “World Peace and Other 4th-Grade Achievements”).

Tagged with: 21st century • active learning • assessment • education reform • engagement • games • gifted • global • Global learning • ideas • K-12 • Keeping students engaged • learning ecosystem • love of learning • morals/values • motivation • participation • play • policy • political science • presentations • problem-solving • project-based learning • real-world assignments • relationships • society • sociology • staying relevant • story • storytelling • strategy • student teaching/teacher education • teaching & learning • vision • wisdom

From DSC:
I realize that many in education don’t view Bill and Melinda Gates with a great deal of admiration or respect. However, they and their foundation are about to make a hugely positive difference in — and contribution to — education. I’m sure that these grants will help create solutions that will feature professionally-done, highly-engaging, interactive, multimedia-based, team-created educational content. I hope that many of the solutions will feature sophisticated back-end engines that will allow for highly personalized/customized learning.

This is huge because such solutions are highly scalable. Plus look at who is involved at this point:

Pearson
Educurious Partners
Florida Virtual School
Institute of Play
Reasoning Mind
Quest Atlantis
Digital Youth Network
EDUCAUSE

Also see:

Gates Foundation announces portfolio of innovative grants to develop new teaching and learning tools that support teachers and help students — from the Gates Foundation
Adaptable resources will provide teachers with helpful tools to differentiate instruction and prepare all students to meet the Common Core State Standards

Also see:

Tagged with: 1:1 • 21st century • 24x7x365 • animation • customized learning • digital learning • e-learning • education reform • educational technology • emerging technologies • engagement • game-changing environment • games • Global learning • grants • innovation • interactivity • K-12 • learning ecosystem • Mobile learning • online learning • online media • participation • personalized learning • publishing • simulations • Using teams • virtual schools

Study: 30% of all US households already have TV connected to Internet

New consumer research from Leichtman Research Group, Inc. (LRG) finds that 30% of all households have at least one television set connected to the Internet via a video game system, a Blu-ray player, and/or the TV set itself — up from 24% a year ago. Overall, 10% of all adults watch video from the Internet via one of these devices at least weekly, compared to 5% last year. This increased usage is heavily driven by Netflix subscribers, with 30% of Netflix subscribers watching video from the Internet via one of these connected devices weekly, compared to 3% weekly use among all non-Netflix subscribers.

Also see:

Addendums:

From DSC:
Why post this? Because:

These postings demonstrate a continued convergence, a continued trend that is impacting the distribution of content. If it hasn’t already (in some shape or form), online-based learning — with social networking capabilities/functionality baked in — will be entering your living room. Given the budgetary pressures out there, such change may happen sooner rather than later.
The Forthcoming Walmart of Education is definitely involved here.

Tagged with: A/V • convergence • cost of getting an education • Daniel S. Christian • digital learning • digital video • educational gaming • educational technology • future • future of higher education • game-changing environment • games • homeschooling/homeschoolers • internet • online learning • social learning • social media • social networking • technologies for the home • telepresence • trends • TV • videoconferencing • Walmart of Education

MIT creates the one video game you’ll be thrilled to see your kid get hooked on

On 04/20/2011, in educational games / serious games, engagement / engaging students, science, by Daniel Christian

MIT creates the one video game you’ll be thrilled to see your kid get hooked on — from FastCompany.com by David Zax

“The premise is that people living in the future have contacted us in the present, to answer a question: What event occurred between our time and theirs that led to the loss of civilization’s historical records? Students must decode clues in hidden messages, and in response find and provide information about Earth’s current condition, such as temperature and species data, to help people in the future deduce what wound up happening.”

Tagged with: digital video • engagement • engaging students • games • Keeping students engaged • science

A hugely powerful vision: A potent addition to our learning ecosystems of the future

On 04/09/2011, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, A/V -- audio/visual, change, colleges, convergence, dangers of the status quo, Daniel S. Christian, digital audio, digital learning, digital photography, digital storytelling, digital textbooks, digital video, disruption, distance education, e-books, e-readers, education, education reform, education technology, educational games / serious games, elearning, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, entrepreneurship, future of higher education, game-changing environment, generational differences, global / globalization, higher education, homeschooling/homeschoolers, human-computer interaction (HCI), hybrid learning, immersion, informal learning, innovation, instructional design, intelligent systems, intelligent tutoring, interaction design, interactivity, interface design, internet, IT in HE, K-12 related, learning agents, learning ecosystem, learning spaces, lifelong learning, marketplaces, mobile learning, mobile technologies, multi-touch, multimedia, new business models, new media literacies, online learning, online media, online tutoring, pace of change, personalized/customized learning, platforms, play, podcasting, professional development, reinvent, RSS, simulations, smart classrooms, social learning / networks, social media, society, storytelling, strategy, student teaching/teacher education, student-related, surviving, tablets, teaching & learning, teaching online, technologies for your home, technology (general), telecommunications, telepresence, television, transmedia, trends, ubiquitous learning, universities, user experience (UX), using teams, videoconferencing, virtual field trips, virtual K-12 schools, Virtual Reality (VR) / worlds / learning, virtual tutoring, vision/possibilities, web-based collaboration, webinars, by Daniel Christian

Daniel Christian:
A Vision of Our Future Learning Ecosystems

In the near future, as the computer, the television, the telephone (and more) continues to converge, we will most likely enjoy even more powerful capabilities to conveniently create and share our content as well as participate in a global learning ecosystem — whether that be from within our homes and/or from within our schools, colleges, universities and businesses throughout the world.

We will be teachers and students at the same time — even within the same hour — with online-based learning exchanges taking place all over the virtual and physical world. Subject Matter Experts (SME’s) — in the form of online-based tutors, instructors, teachers, and professors — will be available on demand. Even more powerful/accurate/helpful learning engines will be involved behind the scenes in delivering up personalized, customized learning — available 24x7x365. Cloud-based learner profiles may enter the equation as well.

The chances for creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship that are coming will be mind-blowing! What employers will be looking for — and where they can look for it — may change as well.

What we know today as the “television” will most likely play a significant role in this learning ecosystem of the future. But it won’t be like the TV we’ve come to know. It will be much more interactive and will be aware of who is using it — and what that person is interested in learning about. Technologies/applications like Apple’s AirPlay will become more standard, allowing a person to move from device to device without missing a beat. Transmedia storytellers will thrive in this environment!

Much of the professionally done content will be created by teams of specialists, including the publishers of educational content, and the in-house teams of specialists within colleges, universities, and corporations around the globe. Perhaps consortiums of colleges/universities will each contribute some of the content — more readily accepting previous coursework that was delivered via their consortium’s membership.

An additional thought regarding higher education and K-12 and their Smart Classrooms/Spaces:
For input devices…
The “chalkboards” of the future may be transparent, or they may be on top of a drawing board-sized table or they may be tablet-based. But whatever form they take and whatever is displayed upon them, the ability to annotate will be there; with the resulting graphics saved and instantly distributed. (Eventually, we may get to voice-controlled Smart Classrooms, but we have a ways to go in that area…)

Below are some of the graphics that capture a bit of what I’m seeing in my mind…and in our futures.

Alternatively available as a PowerPoint Presentation (audio forthcoming in a future version)

— from Daniel S. Christian | April 2011

Goab TV Concept — What if these ideas could be applied towards education!?! [Fubiz.net]

On 04/07/2011, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, 3D, A/V -- audio/visual, convergence, creativity, Daniel S. Christian, digital audio, digital learning, digital storytelling, digital textbooks, digital video, disruption, distance education, e-books, e-readers, education technology, educational games / serious games, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, flipping -- inverted learning, future, future of higher education, game-changing environment, higher education, homeschooling/homeschoolers, human-computer interaction (HCI), intelligent systems, intelligent tutoring, interactivity, internet, K-12 related, learner profiles, learning agents, learning ecosystem, learning spaces, lifelong learning, mobile learning, multi-touch, multimedia, online learning, online media, online tutoring, personalized/customized learning, platforms, relationships, social learning / networks, social media, technologies for your home, technology (general), telecommunications, telepresence, television, training / L&D, transmedia, ubiquitous learning, videoconferencing, virtual field trips, virtual K-12 schools, virtual tutoring, web-based collaboration, by Daniel Christian

Tagged with: 1:1 • 21st century • 24x7x365 • 3D • A/V • convergence • corporate training / universities • customized learning • Daniel S. Christian • digital audio • digital learning • digital storytelling • digital video • disruption • distance ed • e-books • e-readers • educational technology • elearning • emerging technologies • engagement • flipping -- inverted learning • future • future of higher education • game-changing environment • higher education • homeschooling/homeschoolers • human-computer interaction (HCI) • intelligent systems • intelligent tutoring • interactivity • internet • iPad • iPhone • iPod • iTunes U • K-12 • learner profiles • Learning Agents • learning ecosystem • learning spaces • lecture recording • Lifelong learning • location aware/enabled apps • Mobile learning • multi-touch • multimedia • nontraditional • online learning • online media • online tutoring • personal learning networks (PLNs) • personalized learning • platforms • relationships • smart classrooms • social learning • social media • social networking • technologies for the home • technology (general) • telecommunications • telepresence • training • transmedia • TV • ubiquitous learning • videoconferencing • virtual field trips • virtual reality / worlds / learning • virtual schools • virtual tutoring • Walmart of Education • web-based collaboration

DreamBox Learning CEO to speak on adaptive learning

On 04/05/2011, in educational games / serious games, higher education, innovation, learning agents, mathematics, social learning / networks, by Daniel Christian

DreamBox Learning CEO to speak on adaptive learning at Arizona State University Education Innovation Summit – from

DreamBox Learning (http://www.dreambox.com), the leading adaptive learning company, today announced that its President and Chief Executive Officer, Jessie Woolley-Wilson, will speak at the Arizona State (ASU) Education Innovation Summit about the positive impact of intelligent adaptive technology in the classroom. The panel session — Is Farmville the Future of Learning? Games, Social Platforms, Adaptive Technology – will be held on Wednesday, April 6 at 1:15 p.m. at SkySong, the ASU Innovation Center in Scottsdale. The full Education Innovation Summit runs from April 5-7.

“The ASU Education Innovation Summit provides a platform for education and technology trailblazers to come together in a think tank environment to share ideas about how to ensure that our kids, teachers and school administrators have the critical tools to achieve academic greatness,” said Jessie Woolley-Wilson, President and CEO of DreamBox Learning. “I’m very excited to join respected industry colleagues to discuss how intelligent adaptive learning technology, social platforms, and gaming principles are collectively having a transformative impact on our education system and future generations of learners.”

Ms. Woolley-Wilson will share insights on the evolving adaptive learning sector as well as showcase how DreamBox Learning’s intelligent adaptive learning platform is leading the transformation, helping kids at any skill level achieve math proficiency.

Tagged with: 1:1 • customized learning • games • higher education • innovation • Learning Agents • math • personalized learning • social learning

Find the future! An upcoming event/game at the New York Public Library

On 04/01/2011, in educational games / serious games, future, library / librarians, student-related, by Daniel Christian

Originally saw this at:
Jane McGonigal hits New York Public Library in new game — from cnet.com

Tagged with: future • games • library / librarians • society • student-related

EdWeek’s 2011 Technology Counts [comments by Jesse Moyer]

On 03/28/2011, in 21st century, assessment, education technology, educational games / serious games, engagement / engaging students, K-12 related, leadership, personalized/customized learning, student teaching/teacher education, by Daniel Christian

EdWeek’s 2011 Technology Counts — from The Future of Education by Jesse Moyer

Also see the report at:

Tagged with: 1:1 • 21st century • assessment • customized learning • educational technology • engagement • games • K-12 • leadership • personalized learning • student teaching/teacher education

The Education Game-Changer [Neal Bascomb]

On 03/22/2011, in education, education reform, education technology, educational games / serious games, future, game-changing environment, by Daniel Christian

The Education Game-Changer — from the Huffington Post by Neal Bascomb (author of THE NEW COOL, a story about science, education, and robots)

Charter schools, standardized tests, merit pay, teacher tenure — worthy topics, but ones about incremental movements in an American educational system desperate for a game-changer.

…

A noble ambition, but the truth is we already have the technology to transform education and return American schools to their preeminence in the world. The game-changer is the creation of a first-class, digital educational platform with enhanced, immersive lessons across a range of subjects at all grade levels. Technology will be in our schools, the focus should be on the quality of content on their screens.

For generations calculus has been taught the same way.

…

Now imagine learning calculus in a new way. Color tablet computer in hand, students choose their preferred learning style (lecture-based, symbolic, text, or visual). They set their own pace and level of interactivity. They select the avatar of their choice to deliver lectures (will.i.am, anyone) and how often they need to be quizzed to determine/aid retention. The standards of what is taught do not change, but their presentation is remarkably transformed. Instead of a blur of equations and two-dimensional graphs, imagine calculus illustrated with 3-D animations and defined in terms of its real-world applications. Solving a differential equation to determine trajectory is a lot more interesting if we make it about a doomsday scenario of an asteroid crashing into Earth — or just missing. Such video game-like techniques would be part and parcel of this new platform. Add in a social network, where students can interact with their peers, and an “app” market where experts offer their own pieces of the puzzle, and this platform comes even more alive.

More here…

Tagged with: education • education reform • educational technology • future • game-changing environment • games

The incredible potential of location-aware educational materials! Enabling a student to pursue their passions.

On 03/16/2011, in 21st century, creativity, Daniel S. Christian, educational games / serious games, ideas, innovation, lifelong learning, love of learning, mobile technologies, passions, play, by Daniel Christian

From DSC:
The incredible potential of location-aware educational materials, which could greatly enable a student to pursue their passions.

The other day, I was talking to my son after he had just finished playing a Wii-based football game. As we were talking, the situation made me reflect upon the power* that could come into play when a game/resource knows your (general) location. For example, in this NFL-based game, the system might ask if my son wants the Detroit Lions involved in the game. If he said yes, then the system might ask if my son were interested in knowing more about the Detroit Lines upcoming schedule. Again, if he answers in the affirmative, the system could provide a link to instantly take him to that information.

Now…take that same concept into the world of education, as a student attempts to pursue her passions, interests, and gifts. If she’s using a device that is teaching her how to draw, the “game” might present a list of art shows and exhibits in her area, along with information on how to get tickets to such events. In this manner, she could feed her passion. Such applications could open up a network of opportunities — in real-time — and present to a student what’s currently happening around them that could further involve them in the very thing that they are working with at that time (be it music, art, math, physics, or whatever discipline that’s involved). This is especially powerful if one were traveling or on a field trip.

Museums and educational institutions could tag their events so that such software goes out looking for such information and would bring such information back to the “game”.

It seems to me that if such technologies uncover chances to further one’s passion, the student will develop more of a love for learning. If a student develops a love for learning, the chances are better that that person will become a lifelong learner.

My bet? Some pretty cool teaching and learning times are ahead…

* I realize there are reflections going on in my mind — and others’ minds as well — that such power needs to be taken seriously, responsibly…and not abused from a commercial standpoint nor from a security standpoint. Software may even be needed to absolutely block such inquiries — but if we get to that point, we’ve let the bad apples out there control everything…again.

Tagged with: 21st century • creativity • Daniel S. Christian • educational gaming • ideas • innovation • Lifelong learning • location aware/enabled apps • love of learning • Mobile learning • passions • play

Game levels and scaffolding–they’re related [Karl Kapp]

On 03/14/2011, in educational games / serious games, instructional design, learning theories, motivation, play, by Daniel Christian

Game levels and scaffolding–they’re related — from Kaplan EduNeering by Karl Kapp

Tagged with: educational gaming • games • instructional design • learning theories • motivation • play

Previous Entries Next Entries

Learning Ecosystems

Interesting set of ID-related courses from the University of Central Florida

Apple’s new video regarding their iOS 5 operating system

Augmented reality on the ipad2: Top 5 uses and apps [hiddenltd.com]

MIT creates the one video game you’ll be thrilled to see your kid get hooked on

The Education Game-Changer [Neal Bascomb]

The incredible potential of location-aware educational materials! Enabling a student to pursue their passions.

Game levels and scaffolding–they’re related [Karl Kapp]

Categories

Tags