NEW!!!
SLCC Education track transcripts now available.
If by any chance you’ve seen last year’s
proceedings, then the first thing you’ll notice
about this volume is the size – almost three times
the size of last year’s. read more
NECC HIGHLIGHTS
EDUCATION IN SECOND LIFE:
Many of the presentations at NECC this year
featured
read more
Latest News from THE
Journal: The Teen Grid: Bringing Your School
into Second Life
Second Life, which offers an
virtual world complete with avatars to represent
human visitors, has intrigued some educators
Global
Kidsand the MacArthur Foundation have partnered to announce a new nonprofit
and philanthropic theme for the third annual Second Life Community
Convention
...
read more
GEOWORLD
The GeoWorlds Project is an innovative integration
of collaborative virtual learning environments and
problem-based pedagogy to engage students in
... read more
The first annual Second Life Best Practices Conference
was
held on Saturday, May 26, 2007 on ISTE Island in
Second Life.
read more
NOAAhas arrived in Second Life, and
they brought all the fun and excitement you have
naturally come to expect from...
read more
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Brand new article!
Valkenburg, P. M., & Peter, J. (2007). Online communication
and adolescent well-being: Testing the stimulation versus the displacement
hypothesis. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 12(4),
article 2.
http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol12/issue4/valkenburg.html
The aim of this study was to contrast the validity of two
opposing explanatory hypotheses about the effect of online communication on
adolescents' well-being. The displacement hypothesis predicts that online
communication reduces adolescents' well-being because it displaces time spent
with existing friends, thereby reducing the quality of these friendships. In
contrast, the stimulation hypothesis states that online communication stimulates
well-being via its positive effect on time spent with existing friends and the
quality of these friendships. We conducted an online survey among 1,210 Dutch
teenagers between 10 and 17 years of age. Using mediation analyses, we found
support for the stimulation hypothesis but not for the displacement hypothesis.
We also found a moderating effect of type of online communication on
adolescents' well-being: Instant messaging, which was mostly used to communicate
with existing friends, positively predicted well-being via the mediating
variables (a) time spent with existing friends and (b) the quality of these
friendships. Chat in a public chatroom, which was relatively often used to talk
with strangers, had no effect on adolescents' well-being via the mediating
variables.
1.
The schome NAGTY report: One of our key aims on Schome Park is to
empower young people to take responsibility for the development of the
island (and the activities on it). We are providing some basic
infrastructure and support and are encouraging the young people to come up
with ideas for how Schome Park should be developed - if you are a young
person on Schome Park and have an idea for an activity or project you would
like to develop then tell us about it in a message in
the Schome Park proposals discussion.
The Schome Park sitemap provides an overview of related 'content' within
the schome community website. .
|
Dembe Wellman, Puritan's Guide to Second Life Notes: Education and SecondLife Description: Blog sharing resources for educators concerning
SecondLife and Teen SecondLife.
GEOWORLD The GeoWorlds Project is an innovative
integration of collaborative virtual learning environments and problem-based
pedagogy to engage students in Earth science while enhancing their
problem-solving skills and content knowledge. The Teacher/Facilitators in
each classroom will be trained in the problem-based approach with Earth
science content is based in the national and state science education
standards.
Chicago Public Schools in Second Life: A K-12
Perspective:talks about use of Second Life to-date and includes
challenges and opportunities for K-12 teachers and librarians as well as the
higher education educators who work with them.
Westley Field: Getting Started: How do
you get started? What are the important considerations before you begin.
Explore a framework that allows you to prepare for your new journey. What
are the issues in getting started and what are the strategies you can use to
enlist involvement from your school. This presentation uses established
models and real life experiences to provide a forum to share ideas on
everything you need to do before you begin the journey.
Lindy McKeown: Action Learning in Second Life
With the support of a Queensland Government Smart State PhD Grant,
Australian Lindy McKeown has created an innovative online professional
development space on the virtual island of Terra incognita which was
designed to support Action Learning online.
• Rabbi Josh
Zweiback, Senior Educator, Congregation Beth Am
SIIA References and
Resources for Education Games & Simulations March 2007
About SIIA
The Software & Information Industry Association is the
principal trade association for thesoftware and digital content industry.
SIIA provides global services in government relations, business development,
corporate education and intellectual property protection to the leading
companies that are setting the pace for the digital age.
About SIIA’s Education Division
SIIA's Education
Division serves and represents over 150 member companies that provide
software, digital
content and other technologies that address educational needs. The
Division shapes and
supports the industry by providing leadership, advocacy, business
development
opportunities and critical market information.
SIIA provides a
neutral business forum for its members to understand business models,
technological
advancements, market trends, and best practices. With the leadership of the
Division Board and
collaborative efforts with educators and other stakeholders, the Division
undertakes
initiatives to enhance the use of educational technology and the success of
SIIA members.
About SIIA’s EduGames and Simulations
Working Group
The EduGames and
Simulations Working Group is designed to help SIIA members
understand the
value, market, business models and approaches to this application of
education
technology. The group was started because of a growing interest among SIIA
Education Division
members in the utility of games and simulations in education. Active
members of the
Working Group in 2006 have included:
Frank Catalano,
Sr Vice President, Marketing, Pearson School Companies
Nicolas deKanter,
Vice President, Business Development, Muzzy Lane Software
Ntiedo Etuk,
Chief Executive Officer, Tabula Digita
This position paper provides an overview of the
educational value of games – especially in
expanding students’
cognitive skills, why they have not yet been easily adopted, and
recommendations for
action. One intriguing finding: “evidence suggests that good games
motivate learners to
seek knowledge outside of the game in order to improve their
performance. How
curricula could be designed to exploit this quality should be explored.”
For a summary:
http://fas.org/gamesummit/Resources/Fact%20Sheet.pdf.
Kirriemuir, J. & McFarlane, A. (2004). Literature Review in
Games and Learning. FutureLab.
http://www.futurelab.org.uk/download/pdfs/research/lit_reviews/Games_Review1.pdf
This review highlights the key areas of research in the field, in particular
the increasing interest in pleasurable learning, learning through doing and
learning through collaboration, that games seem to offer.
Academic Research
(Peer Reviewed)
Barab, S., Thomas, M.,
Dodge, T., Carteaux, R., & Tuzun, H. (2005). Making learning fun: Quest
Atlantis, a game without guns.
Educational Technology Research and Development,
53(1), 86-107.
http://atlantis.crlt.indiana.edu/public/publications/QA_ETRD.pdf
Quest Atlantis is a
free learning and teaching project that uses a multi-user environment to
immerse children,
ages 9-12, in educational tasks aligned to academic standards using
lesson plans and
rubrics available on the game site. This article describes how the game’s
design impacts
learning and social development. See also,
Barab, S. & Jackson,
C. (2006, January 20). “From Plato’s Republic to Quest
Atlantis: The role
of the philosopher-king”. THEN: Journal, 2 Article 2.
The designers of
Quest Atlantis reflect on the social learning taking place in the
environment, the challenges of “policing” student misbehavior, and the
impact onreal-world behaviors.
SIIA References and Resources for Education Games &
Simulations March 2007
Blunt, R. (2006).
A causal-comparative exploration of
the relationship between
game-based learning
and academic achievement: teaching management with
Sandford, R., Ulicsak, M., Facer, K. & Rudd, T. (2006).
Teaching with Games. FutureLab.
http://www.futurelab.org.uk/download/pdfs/research/TWG_report.pdf
This one-year research study
examined teachers’ and students’ use of and attitudes towards commercial
off-the-shelf (COTS) games in schools. Ten case studies were completed in
four schools using Sims 2, RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 and Knights of Honor.
Shaffer, D. W. (2005, August/September). Epistemic games.
Innovate.
http://www.innovateonline.info/index.php?view=article&id=79
In the Madison 2200 project, 11
HS seniors in a summer urban planning workshop spent ten hours simulating a
detailed re-design of a street in their city. Data collected in pre- and
post-interviews show students began to develop ways of thinking
characteristic of urban planners, an understanding of ecology, and the
ability to apply it to urban issues.
Squire, K. (2004). Replaying history. PhD. Thesis.
Indiana University.
http://website.education.wisc.edu/kdsquire/dissertation.html
Squire examines the use of Civilization III
for learning world history in grades 6-9. He discusses theory and
pedagogic techniques, and then analyzes how students learn, what they learn,
and how the game mediates students’ understandings of history. See also,
Squire, K. & Jenkins, H. (2004). Harnessing the power of
games in education. Insight 3(1), 5-33.
Virvou, M., Katsionis, G., & Manos, K. (2005). Combining
software games with education: Evaluation of its educational effectiveness.
Educational Technology & Society,
8(2), 54-65.
http://www.ifets.info/journals/8_2/5.pdf
To test the effectiveness of the game
environment, the authors developed two versions of a geography tutoring
program for fourth graders. One embedded questions in a virtual reality
game, while the other used a standard drill interface. In pre- and
post-tests, the game-based students, especially the poor academic
performers, improved more than the control group.
http://seriousgamessource.com/features/feature_051606.php
David McDivitt studied using Muzzy Lane’s
Making History in his HS classes to teach the events leading to World
War II; three classes used game-based lessons for one week while two did
not. The game-based classes scored significantly better on tests –
especially essays– about European geography and the causes of the war. See
also, http://www.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/2006-11-29-ed-games_x.htm
Features and functions white paper: An immersive learning
methodology for Math
Tabula Digita’s Dimenxian, is an “immersive
simulation for teaching algebra.” This paper details how the video game can
be used to teach math.
Re-Mission outcomes study: A research trial of a video game
shows improvement in health-related outcomes for young people with cancer
http://hopelab.org/docs/Outcomes%20Study.pdf
Re-Mission was developed by the non-profit
HopeLab for adolescents and young adults with cancer. Unpublished results of
a randomized, controlled trial, presented in a peer-reviewed scientific
meeting, indicate that playing the game produced significant increases in
cancerrelated knowledge, quality of life, and self-efficacy.
Zibit, M., and D. Gibson. 2005. simSchool: The game of
teaching. Innovate 1 (6).
http://www.innovateonline.info/index.php?view=article&id=173&action=article
This article describes simSchool, a
simulation game designed for teachers’ preservice training. Immersed in a
simulated classroom, simSchool players must analyze student needs,
make instructional decisions, and evaluate the impact of their actions on
student learning in order to succeed at the game.
Are virtual worlds the future of the classroom? CNET,
6/12/2006
http://news.com.com/Are+virtual+worlds+the+future+of+the+classroom/2009-1041_3-6081870.html
Multi-user virtual environments, or MUVE,
motivate K-12 students to use critical thinking skills in math and science.
MUVEs such as Whyville, “River City”, and Quest Atlantis are structured
online virtual worlds where students are the residents faced with real life
problems that they must solve together.
Computer Games as a Part of Children's Culture. Game
Studies. 3(1) 2003.
http://www.gamestudies.org/0301/fromme/
This study from the University of Magdeburg,
Germany discusses the cultural and social relevance of electronic
games. It looks at how electronic games fit into kids' culture, and the
perception from the kids that they don't spend time "watching TV" or
"playing computer games". Rather, kids are engaged in a number of activities
simultaneously and so the "time spent" values give a poor representation of
the kids' involvement in these activities.
Computers and art meld in virtual reality underworld.
Duke News, 6/29/2006
http://www.dukenews.duke.edu/2006/06/virtual.html
Duke University has created a virtual reality
chamber called DiVE, Duke Immersive Virtual Environment. The first virtual
production created by undergrads, “Visions of the Underworld”, was on
display for visitors. Teachers and students in a variety of other subjects
such as civil and environmental engineering, biomedical engineering,
cognitive neuroscience, and biochemistry are using the virtual reality
technology to create educational lessons.
Gaming the system: At Montgomery College, students seek to
turn what some see as a frivolous pastime into a serious career.
Washington Post, 8/6/2006
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2006/08/01/AR2006080100816.html
Colleges such as Carnegie Mellon and USC
are offering programs in computer game design. Many of the programs focus on
‘serious games’, offering opportunities in areas such as medicine and
education. Some adults are changing careers and going back to school. The
program at Maryland’s Montgomery College is highlighted.
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStoryts.cfm?ArticleID=6458
Pokemon USA Inc. has created Pokemon Learning
League, a web based educational game for grades 3-6 aligned with state and
national standard. Reinforcing content taught in the classroom, students
learn about a concept, solve a related problem, and apply what they have
learned to an interactive challenge.
Learning-game makers to give it another shot. Seattle
Times, 8/7/2006
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/education/2003180167_btedusoftware07.html
Declining retail sales have pushed
developers of educational software to make their learning products as
attractive to kids as some other non-educational games. Companies like
Riverdeep and Knowledge Adventure are working to individualize their
programs, make them more dynamic and more like play.
Scientists study brain using video game. USA Today,
10/27/2006
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2006-10-27-brain-game_x.htm
Researchers at Washington University have
unveiled possible strategies to accommodate people with disabilities. Using
wires attached to the surface of the his brain, a teen who suffered from
severe epilepsy manipulated Space Invaders using just his brain. While
adjusting to his new controller, the 14-year old blasted his way to the
games’s third level.
The Generation Lap: Video games put the young way ahead.
Boston Globe, 1/2/2005
The rise of the cyber-children, BBC News, 7/28/2006
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/click_online/5223192.stm
An increasing number of young children,
primarily ages 3-4, are beginning to play on the computer, typically using a
variety of very basic educational games. Officials discuss the appropriate
age for children to start using the computer, which some believe can be as
early as 18 months to two years, and what effect it may have on children
later on during schooling.
Trying new ways to tame bullying in the schoolyard. LA
Times, 11/24/2004
Video games have 'role in school'. BBC News,
10/2/2006
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/5398230.stm
The Teaching with Games report found that 59%
of teachers would consider using off-theshelf games in the classroom while
62% of students wanted to use games at school. However, there is a
generational divide among teachers and students. More than 70% of teachers
never play games outside school while 82% of children said they played video
games at least once a night.
Learning by Doing: A Comprehensive Guide to
Simulations, Computer Games, and Pedagogy in e-Learning and Other
Educational Experiences.
Wiley, John & Sons. ISBN 0787977357
Designed for learning professionals and drawing on lessons from both game
creators and instructional designers, this guide explains how to select,
research, build, sell, deploy and measure the right type of educational
simulation for the right situation.
Gee, James Paul (2004).
What Video Games Have to Teach Us About
Learning and Literacy. Macmillan.
ISBN 1403965382 Gee discusses the
cognitive development that can occur when someone is trying to escape a
maze, find a hidden treasure and, even, blasting away an enemy with a
high-powered rifle.
Johnson, Steven (2006).
Everything Bad Is Good for You: How Today's
Popular Culture Is Actually Making Us Smarter.
Riverhead Books. ISBN 1594481949 The
$10 billion video gaming industry is now the second-largest segment of the
entertainment industry. Reality television shows dominate the ratings.
Drawing from fields as diverse as neuroscience, economics, and literary
theory, Johnson argues that the junk culture we're so eager to dismiss is in
fact making us more intelligent.
Kafai, Y. B. (1995). Minds in Play: Computer Game Design as
a Context for Children’s Learning. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum
Associates. Kafai points out a whole aspect of using games and
simulations in the classroom that’s missing from much discussion on games
and learning: that of making games and simulations in the classroom for
learning. She focused on the learning of science, mathematics, programming
and team working skills.
Prensky, Mark (2000). Digital Game-Based Learning.
McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0071363440
Prensky
explains what digital game-based learning is, why it is different and
better, why it’s not just another fad, where it can be used, and how to
implement it. Readers will discover new ways to better motivate and educate.
