create, contribute, collaborate & learn social software & learning through computer games

1. create, contribute, collaborate & learnsocial software & learning through computer games Derek P. Robertson Learning Teaching Scotland New Technologies for Learning d.robertson@ltscotland.org.uk

2. Visions of the future… • Science fiction now fact? • Isaac Asimov: The Fun they Had • Technology enslaved to traditional methods • Education in an Empiricist form • Ray Bradbury: The Pedestrian • Future world dominated by technology • Leave the house, why!? • Arrested for rebellious tendencies Technology as a threat

3. Technology today… • Technology is embedded in our lives • Mobile phones anytime, anywhere • CCTV • Online shopping at home • Even for groceries! • Online communication at home • Home entertainment • Home banking Has the world of ‘The Pedestrain’ arrived?

4. Establishing an ethos! • Is technology changing the way we learn? • digital immigrants & digital natives (Prensky 2002) • Should we enslave dynamic intuitive resources to traditional methods? • examples you will see embrace and celebrate how ICT can: • enhance the learning process • Foster and encourage an ethos of creativity and innovation • help prepare ‘digitally aware’ learners • How do we do this…..

5. The wonderful world of web 2.0 • Defined by Tim O’Reilly • Web 1.0 was all about knowledge transmission • web was an information giver • technical hurdle for people to have a web presence • Web 2.0 all about creating contributing, collaborating and learning • emancipatory nature of intuitive social software

6. Web 2.0 software • RSS feeds and newsreaders • Blogs • Photo sharing (even singing sharing!) • Delicious (online bookmarks) • Wikis • podcasts

7. RSS and newsreaders • Really Simple Syndication • BBC site gives good description • Allows you to have information from selected websites delivered to you • Best results with a newsreader e.g. • Bloglines • My Yahoo • Constantly up-to-date

8. What is a blog? • Website where you can discuss your personal/professional passion • Exploding aspect of web 2.0 • Transforming learning • You learn from the collective experience, interests & knowledge of a community of interest • You become part of and enrich the community of interest that you join • My blog: www.hotmilkydrink.typepad.com

9. Knowledge and file sharing • Wikis • Wikipedia • Teachmeet ‘06 • Flickr: Online community for photo sharing • Del.ici.ous: online shared bookmarks • Music: • Singshot • Garageband • icomposition

10. Let’s create a podcast! • Freedom to create your own broadcast • Audio: podcast • Video & audio: vodcast • Emancipatory and hugely motivating for learners whatever the context • Free software: Audacity • Use iTunes to access and store podcasts • Let’s make one

11. Public enemy No.1? • The new moral panic: computer games • Encourage and promote violence • Columbine High Massacre • Murder linked to ‘Manhunt’ • Obesity • Social Isolation • Lack of academic attainment • Any other contemporary social ill

12. Why games engage us… Games are a form of fun. That gives us enjoyment and pleasure. Games have representation and story. That gives us emotion. Games have rules. That gives us structure. Games have interaction. That gives us social groups. Games have conflict/challenge/opposition. That gives us adrenaline. Games are adaptive. That gives us flow. Games have outcomes and feedback. That gives us learning. Games are interactive. That gives us doing. Games have win states. That gives us ego gratification. Games have problem solving. That sparks our creativity. Games are a form of play. That gives us intense and passionate involvement. Games have goals. That gives us motivation.

13. A gathering momentum… • Interest and status of computer games in education is gathering momentum • Increasing frequency of topic for study/investigation in academic journals • LTS Consolarium • Championed by two main voices: • Marc Prensky www.marcprensky.com • James Paul Gee ‘What video games have to teach us about learning and literacy.”

14. Games as narrative • Games have complex and detailed plots underpinning them. Players develop skills that allow them to grapple with the internal grammar of games: • Tim Rylands • Phoenix Wright • Trauma Centre • Loco Roco

15. Games & cognitive challenge • Games designers are beginning to create games that could directly support ‘obvious’ learning • Usual suspects of puzzle games such as Tetris • Nintendo Touch Generations • Professor Kawashima12 • Big Brain Academy

16. Peripheral with Games • Eye Toy • Dance Mats • Guitar Hero • Nintendo Wii

17. Power to create games! • An ethos of creation and not just consumption is required: • Gamemaker • MissionMaker • Caspian Learning • Microsoft • Opening up Xbox coding

18. Game play in politics • Music, literature used as vehicles for political protest…games now used as a political medium: • Madrid • September 12th • Darfur is Dying • Learning about citizenship and politics? • Prime Minister election simulator

19. What does this mean for you? • Are you willing to take risks? • How can you embrace and keep up with the rapid rate of technological change? • How can technology impact on your professional development? • How can technology impact on your professional practice?