Group items tagged

"Mathematicians attempt to analyze types of interactions by treating them as games in which players use strategies to obtain payoffs. Games like checkers and chess are games of perfect information; the board shows both players all the information needed to make the right decision. Games like poker are games of imperfect information; no player has enough information (the other players' cards are hidden) to make a guaranteed right decision."

"On 4 and 5 October 2012 the 6th European Conference on Games-Based Learning took place in Cork (Ireland). The Conference on Games-Based Learning (ECGBL) offers an opportunity for scholars and practitioners interested in the issues related to games based learning (GBL) to share their thinking and research findings. It also presents an opportunity for networking with others in this growing field of research. The  abstracts of all presentations  is available as a downloadable pdf."

"In a series we're dubbing How Do I Do It?, our inaugural course "Design a Classroom Game" brings together a team of game designers, learning designers and teachers who will lead you through the process of designing your own learning game to play with your students."

"An estimated 135 million people play video games, spending three billion hours a week glued to a screen. But that's not necessarily bad news. In fact, playing video games may be part of an evolutionary leap forward, according to Howard Rheingold, educator and author of the book Net Smart: How to Thrive Online. Rather than characterizing them as hapless drones wasting time, Rheingold's book contends that this massive population of gamers is part of a growing group of "supercollaborators," as described by Jane McGonigal, director of game research and development at the Institute for the Future, who's interviewed in the book."

This is true for digital natives...my grandson is always on- line playing games with people he has never seen in person. I am not quite there yet! I still like to make eye contact -:)

"iCivics has just released its seventeenth educational game for students. The new game is called We The Jury. We The Jury puts students in the role of a juror for two trials"

Thanks, Mat - this is so neat!

"The Virtuix Omni™ is the first virtual reality interface for moving freely and naturally in your favorite game. The Virtuix Omni™ takes virtual reality to the next level- allowing anyone to stand up and traverse virtual worlds with the natural use of their own feet. Moving naturally in virtual reality creates an unprecedented sense of immersion that cannot be experienced sitting down. Applications of natural movement in virtual reality stretch far beyond gaming: training and simulation, fitness, virtual tourism, virtual tradeshows and events, meet-ups and multi-person adventures, virtual workplaces, museums, VR architecture, VR concerts… The possibilities are limitless."

"Katie Salen, executive director of nonprofit design studio Institute of Play, offers a look inside the ground-breaking school in New York City that she co-founded, Quest to Learn. The school uses core principles of game design as a framework to help students become lifelong learners and design thinkers."

"'m not a hacker. I don't know how to code. A programmer friend recently joked that I "couldn't tell Boolean from bit shifting" and I don't know what that means. So I was just a little bit intimidated when I sat down to play Hack 'n' Slash, a Legend of Zelda-style adventure that challenges you to solve puzzles by reprogramming the source code of the game itself."

"there are now also websites and people on Twitter who say that they can send bots into games, adding sometimes dozens of extra players, thus overloading and crashing games."

Games and Learning

"Time and time again, social networks put up their defenses to ward off competition from opposing social platforms. Some of those online battles are detailed in this Game of Thrones-themed infographic from social-media management tool HootSuite, which turned Facebook, Twitter, Google, YouTube, LinkedIn, Tumblr and Pinterest into GOT houses."

"Game-based learning is still little understood and underutilized within the Scottish Educational system. Minecraft is a sandbox game similar to Lego that allows the user to create a world using blocks. Minecraft is being used in America and around the world to enhance pupils learning[i]. This study will aim to show that Minecraft corresponds to many of the learning outcomes within the Scottish national performance framework Curriculum for Excellence"

"Games like World of Warcraft give players the means to save worlds, and incentive to learn the habits of heroes. What if we could harness this gamer power to solve real-world problems? Jane McGonigal says we can, and explains how."

"Gamification has several definitions but the one I find most compelling is one that involves elements of games beyond just points, badges and leaderboards. A definition that includes using elements like challenge, story, role-play, feedback-what I call "deeper" game elements."

"ARIS is a user-friendly, open-source platform for creating and playing mobile games, tours and interactive stories. Using GPS and QR Codes, ARIS players experience a hybrid world of virtual interactive characters, items, and media placed in physical space."

"We in the ed-tech world have been talking, visioning, and showcasing innovation for decades. Based on the results to date, I don't think our voice is enough. I've come to the conclusion that the voice that will push real change is yours. Indeed, if you-the students-are willing to accept a set of key educational responsibilities as you stand up for your core educational rights, you might be the real game changer we need in catalyzing next-generation learning."

"But I'm tired of reading blog post after blog post about how to "win the game" of social media from your friendly neighborhood guru. It's not a game. And there is no way to win at it. But lucky for us, there are plenty of ways to lose. Here are a few of the biggest offenders:"

The Oculus Rift is a next-generation virtual reality headset designed for immersive gaming.

"Video games are playing an increasing role in school curricula as teachers seek to deliver core lessons such as math and reading-not to mention new skills such as computer programming-in a format that holds their students' interests. Some herald this gamification of education as the way of the future and a tool that allows students to take a more active role in learning as they develop the technology skills they need to succeed throughout their academic and professional careers."

"Would you be shocked if your teacher assigned you to play Minecraft at school? At a few area schools, teachers are doing just that. The Lego-like building game has become a popular tool for classroom lessons as well as life lessons."