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Research into games for educational purposes reveals some interesting trends. Early studies of consumer games helped to identify the aspects of games that make them especially engaging and appealing to players of various ages and of both genders: the feeling of working toward a goal; the possibility of attaining spectacular successes; the ability to problem-solve, collaborate with others, and socialize; an interesting story line; and other characteristics. These qualities are replicable, though they can be difficult to design well, and they can transfer to games featuring educational content.

Augmented reality, a capability that has been around for decades, is shifting from what was once seen as a gimmick to a bonafide game-changer.

Various forms of augmented reality, starting with early head-mounted displays, have been around for more than 30 years. Over that time, increased bandwidth and smart phone adoption, as well as a proliferation of AR browser applications, have helped AR evolve from a family of cool gadgets on the periphery of graphics and visualization technologies to an increasingly central player in the technology landscape.

Augmented reality (AR) refers to the addition of a computer-assisted contextual layer of information over the real world, creating a reality that is enhanced or augmented.

Some games are highly specific about skills development in a particular (subject-focused) area. For example, Dr Kawashima's Brain Training has led to tangible improvements in numeracy and learner confidence in Scotland. But generally, video games hit several specific traditional subject areas while also being superb at hitting a lot of these new media literacy base

1. Ascolta - Ping the Router. A web-based game for learning computer network engineering skills. 2. think3 - Time Mechanic. The company's second, web-based, game for learning to use their CAD software 3. Imparta - Sales Co-Pilot. The company's sequel to Strategy Co-Pilot 4.Learnetix - Zwolf. A game for technical learning. In German. 5. Institute for Creative Technologies, USC (ICT) - Full Spectrum Command - A company-level training game for Army Captains 6. Institute for Creative Technologies, USC (ICT) - Full Spectrum Warrior - A Squad-level Training Game for the Army. On X-Box. 7. MIT - Supercharged! - A game for understanding counter-intuitive physics concepts 8. MIT - Environmental Detective - A game for determining the source of a water contamination problem. On Pocket PC 9. Carnegie Mellon - BioHazard - a game about dealing with a bioterror attack. 10. Will Interactive - Think Like a Commander - Army training game. 11. MAK - Marine Air-Ground Task Force -MAGTF XXI - Marines training game 12 MAK - Battle Command 2010-BC2010 -Army training game 13. SimuLearm - Virtual Leader - A game about driving one's agenda through a variety of meetings at different levels

Cell phone and wireless laptop internet use have each grown more prevalent over the last year

. Nearly half of all adults (47%) go online with a laptop using a Wi-Fi connection or mobile broadband card (up from the 39% who did so as of April 2009) while 40% of adults use the internet, email or instant messaging on a mobile phone (up from the 32% of Americans who did this in 2009). This means that 59% of adults now access the internet wirelessly using a laptop or cell phone—that is, they answered “yes” to at least one of these wireless access pathways. That adds up to an increase from the 51% who used a laptop or cell phone wirelessly in April 2009. The use of non-voice data applications on cell phones has grown dramatically over the last year. Compared with a similar point in 2009, cell phone owners are now more likely to use their mobile phones to: Take pictures—76% now do this, up from 66% in April 2009 Send or receive text messages—72% vs. 65% Access the internet—38% vs. 25% Play games—34% vs. 27% Send or receive email—34% vs. 25% Record a video—34% vs. 19% Play music—33% vs. 21% Send or receive instant messages—30% vs. 20% African-Americans and English-speaking Latinos continue to be among the most active users of the mobile web. Cell phone ownership is higher among African-Americans and Latinos than among whites (87% vs. 80%) and minority cell phone owners take advantage of a much greater range of their phones’ features compared with white mobile phone users. In total, 64% of African-Americans access the internet from a laptop or mobile phone, a seven-point increase from the 57% who did so at a similar point in 2009. Young adults (those ages 18-29) are also avid users of mobile data applications, but older adults are gaining fast. Compared with 2009, cell phone owners ages 30-49 are significantly more likely to use their mobile device to send text messages, access the internet, take pictures, record videos, use email or instant messaging, and play music.About the Survey This report is based on the findings of a daily tracking survey on Americans’ use of the Internet. The results in this report are based on data from telephone interviews conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International between April 29 and May 30, 2010, among a sample of 2,252 adults, age 18 and older. Interviews were conducted in English. For results based on the total sample, one can say with 95% confidence that the error attributable to sampling and other random effects is plus or minus 2.4 percentage points. For results based Internet users (n=1,756), the margin of sampling error is plus or minus 2.7 percentage points. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting telephone surveys may introduce some error or bias into the findings of opinion polls. Using Our Research Want to use our research? » View our Use Policy How are you using our research? » Let us know Report Data Set » May 2010 - Cell Phones Related Research Teens Social Media and Young Adults Feb 3, 2010Amanda Lenhart Teens Teens and Mobile Phones Apr 20, 2010Amanda Lenhart Mobile Wireless Internet Use Jul 22, 2009John Horrigan Media Mentions For minorities, new 'digital divide' seen Jan 10, 2011Associated Press Will your next car be a smartphone? Oct 19, 2010CNN Minorities Favor Phones in Using Web Aug 1, 2010New York Times More Media Mentions

Take pictures—76% now do this, up from 66% in April 2009 Send or receive text messages—72% vs. 65% Access the internet—38% vs. 25% Play games—34% vs. 27% Send or receive email—34% vs. 25% Record a video—34% vs. 19% Play music—33% vs. 21% Send or receive instant messages—30% vs. 20%

a brief introduction to game-based learning

As noted elsewhere, the Poitin Press is a virtual publishing house in that it sells its books over the Internet both as printed and eBooks. Our reasons for us doing so are explained in "About Us". In this section we would like to briefly explain the current state of eBooks, what your options are, and what are the advantages and disadvantages of each. The intent is to help you make your choice of which is for you.

Presently, there are several different formats of eBooks.  They fall into two basic categories: Those that run on a computer such as a workstation or laptop, and those that require a special device, often called an "eBook" but are really a special-purpose computer in their own right.  A third category based on PDAs and similar hand-held devices is also available. 

One interesting factoid is that while the popularity of workstations is dropping, they are not being replaced by "Internet appliances" as touted in the last few years, or even PDAs, or the new "Tablets." By far and away, the choice is still the combination of laptops and PDAs, which are generally used in combination by today's cyber road-warriors. The PDA is used during meetings and such and then downloaded into the laptop so that the information can be gathered into spreadsheets, reports, and presentations.  This makes the laptop the hardware of choice for the eBook marketers because the target customer is likely to already have one, and so does not have to buy, support and cart around yet another bit of hardware. For this reason, we have chosen to support only those eBook formats that can run on a laptop. There are three such formats: Palm eBook, Microsoft's Reader, and Adobe's Acrobat eBook Reader.  They are not compatible with each other. They have fundamentally different technology in each and one cannot display the other's format.

Unlike many other educational formats, game-based learning can bring fun and enjoyment to the learning experience and might encourage greater participation in group learning activities, with the potential to engage learners’ emotions, as well as their intellects. Therefore, this format could substantially contribute to the development of a wider repertoire of teaching and learning methods in continuing medical education (CME). Although many authors claim that games are as effective as more traditional educational methods, games have rarely been formally evaluated, with positive claims being largely based on anecdotal evidence. Formal evaluations of games, demonstrating that they are actually as effective a teaching and learning strategy for CME as more traditional methods are, are lacking.

After about six months of research and programming for his master's thesis, Georg Hackenberg at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Information Technology has managed to create what he and his colleagues are calling a 3-D noncontact gesture-based computer interface. "A special image analysis algorithm filters out the positions of the hands and fingers," Hackenberg said. "This is achieved in real-time through the use of intelligent filtering of the incoming data. The raw data can be viewed as a kind of 3-D mountain landscape, with the peak regions representing the hands or fingers." Hackenberg, who is based at the institute just outside of Bonn, said that the system is a prototype technology demo and is essentially an advanced infrared sensor on a tripod attached to a desktop computer. A 3-D wireframe displayed on the monitor serves as the desktop for the system. When someone is standing in front of the system, the infrared sensor picks up the movements of their hands, interpreting them into commands.

Features of game-based learning (GBL): GBL uses competitive exercises, either pitting the students against each other or getting them to challenge themselves in order to motivate them to learn better. Games often have a fantasy element that engages players in a learning activity through a storyline. In order to create a truly educational game, the instructor needs to make sure that learning the material is essential to scoring and winning.Learn more here. Categories of games that can be adapted for learning include: Video Games (Digital Game-Based Learning) Board and Card Games: with descriptions of geoscience games

To integrate learning and game play: Work out how to give students points for accomplishing certain goals in a lesson plan Decide on rewards for the victors Create game pieces Test your game before you run it

After years of research and proselytizing, the proponents of digital game-based learning (DGBL) have been caught unaware. Like the person who is still yelling after the sudden cessation of loud music at a party, DGBL proponents have been shouting to be heard above the prejudice against games. But now, unexpectedly, we have everyone's attention. The combined weight of three factors has resulted in widespread public interest in games as learning tools.

Foursquare

Foursquare

games – so there is quite a lot of R&D looking at the multi-player aspects of AR gaming such as this La

Games often have a fantasy element that engages players in a learning activity through narrative or storylines. Educational video games can be motivating to children and allow them to develop an awareness to consequentiality.[1] Children are allowed to express themselves as individuals while learning and engaging in social issues. Today's games are more social, with most teens playing games with others at least some of the time and can incorporate many aspects of civic and political life.[2] Students that participate in educational video games can offer deeper, more meaningful insights in all academic areas. The success of game-based learning strategies owes to active participation and interaction being at the center of the experience, and signals that current educational methods are not engaging students enough. Experience with and affinity for games as learning tools is an increasingly universal characteristic among those entering higher education and the workforce

is a branch of serious games that deals with applications that have defined learning outcomes. Generally they are designed in order to balance the subject matter with the gameplay and the ability of the player to retain and apply said subject matter to the real world.

Touch-screen based mobile devices are increasingly becoming the communication tools of choice. While there is already an abundance of games, entertainment and utility applications on mobile platforms, the widespread use of such devices for educational purposes is still largely unexplored. In this project, Jay Bagga and Vinayak Tanksale, both of computer science, have developed three native and web-based iPhone applications designed to support and enhance the learning process. The first prototype developed by the team is a political science learning tool, created in collaboration with Joseph Losco, chair of Ball State’s Department of Political Science. The application features textbook chapters, interactive quizzes, polling capabilities and access to web-based resources.

he 2010 Horizon Report includes examples of augmented reality like the Wii under the category Gesture Based Computing. Gesture recognition enables humans to interact with mechanical devices using simple natural gestures. In the future, the use of a keyboard, a mouse or even a touch pad may become a thing of the past with innovations in gesture based computing. See a video slide show of The New Media Consortium/ Educause report Click Gesture-Based Computing : 2010 NMC Horizon Report iPhone geotags. Geotagging and Geolocation Another important part of augmented reality applications is the use of geotagging and geolocation. A Geotag is a GPS coordinate that associates content such as videos, textual information, audio or any user- generated content to a specific location. When photographers use digital cameras, they have the choice to date stamp the video or photo. A Geotag is similar to that type of tag. AR applications draw on specific tags created by companies but will also depend on content that everyday users add through Geotagging. When we go to Google Earth to view a location, we are now able to find pictures and information added by users through these types of tags. Marker vs Markerless Augmented Reality AR Marker QR Code. AR Marker QR Semacode. Currently, many people associate augmented reality with black and white squares that trigger augmented reality elements. These black and white squares are called markers. Markers are also called QR (Quick Response) codes or Semacodes. A QR code is a two dimentional bar code that allows its content to be decoded at high speed. Markerless technology requires no marker to know the position of the object or person. Smartphone browsers that layer information over live locations are often considered in the markerless category, although they still use embedded "marked" information through geolocation and geotagging. The goal is to have augmented reality work much like this HP commercial Jerry Seinfeld for HP