HGSET545

"The hand-gesture recognition system uses a camera developed by Microsoft, called Kinect, which senses three-dimensional space. The camera, found in consumer electronics games that can track a person's hands, maps the surgeon's body in 3-D."

I've been doing a ton of reading on visitor engagement and learning in museums for work, and I think this framework is a nice lens for beginning to think about the how, the what, and the why. It's a little shallow, but a good initial conversation starter. "Most people believe that digital media can benefit their organisations, but when it comes to using these tools, even the biggest, tech savy museums and galleries can struggle to know where to start. The Digital Engagement Framework was developed by Jasper Visser and myself as a simple to use roadmap to help the sector to approach digital media in a more strategic manner."

game advocates are finally realizing the same criteria apply to games as to other types of learning environments

Two years ago, Bijani finished designing the world's first combat flight simulator for the blind: It is called Three-D Velocity, and it is now hugely popular. Gamers say it takes entertainment for the blind to the next level. Three-D Velocity sells for $43.99 on Bijani's website, and it has been downloaded more than 11,000 times since it first launched. All for a game with no graphics, on a computer screen that is blank, except for the name at the top. It's widely regarded as one of the best "audio games" on the market.

Thoughts on the value of videogaming in education

another game from a federal agency

relates to my T545 course this spring

not clear this will lose votes for her, given how many adults are into fantasy gaming. Shows how bizarre the political process has become

""For all intents and purposes, this is an economy that has activity equal to a small country in real life," Guðmundsson says. "There's nothing 'virtual' about this world.""

"Gaming will probably progress to the point where the player's mind will control and communicate with the gaming station. Perhaps transmitters will communicate back and generate gaming experiences in the player's mind without requiring a screen."

Nice article, with a reference to Foldit!

FYI: Rebroadcast of webinar with Carol Dweck for $49.00.

Interesting study on rewards and motivation: Some excerpts - Rewards worked much better if they were given to students before the test, not after. Researchers found students worked significantly harder to keep what they had than they did to win something new. But none of the incentives worked at any age if students knew they wouldn't get the reward for a month. "All motivating power of the incentives vanishes when rewards are handed out with a delay," the researchers concluded. "Especially among children, the difference between right now and tomorrow is a big difference," Ms. Sadoff said. "For all students it's important that the reward be immediate." That impatience creates a massive problem for incentive programs based on state test results, which can often take months to turn around.

Thanks for this Kasthuri! This gives additional strength to the immediacy of digital rewards and students having access to their own "stats" (both potentially available in games and simulations). The thought of actual green-back monetary rewards for study/learning gives me the heebie-jeebies. I appreciated Alexandra M. Usher's comment, that "it's really important to reward inputs, not outputs [and] to reward behavior that kids can control, rather than just telling them to get better grades."

What Khan Academy is... and what it is not. The author reminds us that Khan Academy is a resource, not a teacher.